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Rice and North Texas meet in AAC action

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North Texas (9-1) at Rice (5-5), Nov. 22 at 7:30 p.m. EST.

How to watch: ESPNU

Key stats

Rice Offense

Overall: 308.1 yards per game (121st in FBS)

Passing: 97 yards per game (135th)

Rushing: 211.1 yards per game (16th)

Scoring: 21.1 points per game (112th)

Rice Defense

Overall: 362 yards per game (60th in FBS)

Passing: 217.6 yards per game (67th)

Rushing: 144.4 yards per game (60th)

Scoring: 27.9 points per game (89th)

North Texas Offense

Overall: 487.6 yards per game (6th in FBS)

Passing: 306.3 yards per game (6th)

Rushing: 181.3 yards per game (39th)

Scoring: 45.3 points per game (1st)

North Texas Defense

Overall: 375.8 yards per game (77th in FBS)

Passing: 173.1 yards per game (17th)

Rushing: 202.7 yards per game (131st)

Scoring: 24.1 points per game (69th)

North Texas ranks 120th in defensive third down percentage, allowing opponents to convert 47.6% of the time. Rice ranks 105th on offense, converting on 35.5% of third downs.

Rice ranks 81st in the FBS with a -1 turnover margin, compared to North Texas’ 1st-ranked +15 margin.

Both teams have strong red zone offenses. Rice is 20th in FBS, scoring on 91.7% of red zone trips. North Texas’ red zone offense ranks 12th at 93.2%.

North Texas ranks 102nd in the FBS with an average time of possession of 28:52, compared to Rice’s 12th-ranked average of 32:34.

Team leaders

Rice

Passing: Chase Jenkins, 885 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs, 69.7 completion percentage

Rushing: Quinton Jackson, 758 yards on 148 carries, 6 TDs

Receiving: Drayden Dickmann, 302 yards on 33 catches, 3 TDs

North Texas

Passing: Drew Mestemaker, 2,990 yards, 23 TDs, 4 INTs, 68.8 completion percentage

Rushing: Caleb Hawkins, 923 yards on 148 carries, 16 TDs

Receiving: Wyatt Young, 781 yards on 48 catches, 8 TDs

Last game

Rice defeated UAB 24-17 on Saturday, Nov. 8. Jenkins led Rice with 41 yards on 11-of-15 passing (73.3%) for two touchdowns and no interceptions. He also carried the ball 12 times for 56 yards. Jackson carried the ball 22 times for 81 yards. Tyson Thompson recorded 33 yards on three catches with one touchdown.

North Texas won 53-24 over UAB on Saturday, Nov. 15. Mestemaker threw for 298 yards on 18-of-25 attempts (72.0%) with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Hawkins had 189 rushing yards on 27 carries and five touchdowns, adding one reception for 21 yards. Young put up 143 yards on eight catches with one touchdown.

Next game

Rice plays at South Florida on Nov. 29. North Texas hosts Temple on Nov. 28.

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