Rice’s football team will open American Conference play under the Thursday night lights this week, traveling to face the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in a nationally televised matchup Sept. 18 on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m.
Head coach Scott Abell said the Owls are eager to showcase their program on a big stage.
“I could not be more excited,” Abell said. “The opportunity to play on a national stage, to have your program out there where coast to coast everyone’s going to see the Owls play, is exciting.”
Abell praised Charlotte’s growth early in the season under head coach Biff Poggi, noting the 49ers’ wide receiver depth and defensive intensity.
“They’ve opened up their passing game with a really nice group of receivers,” Abell said. “Defensively, they’re built on effort and athletic ability. They fly to the football with a pack mentality.”
On Rice’s side, Abell highlighted the progress of quarterback Chase Jenkins, who delivered a balanced attack last week in a 38-17 victory over Prairie View A&M University.
“We saw things from Chase we knew were there — hurting defenses with his arm and his feet,” Abell said. “The exciting part is we’re just scratching the surface of what he’s capable of in this offense.”
The Owls also celebrated safety Plae Wyatt’s selection to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team this week, marking just the fourth Rice player in program history to earn the national honor.
Rice enters the game with a 2-1 record, while Charlotte is 1-2 after its 42-35 victory over Monmouth University last week.