Seniors spotlighted in Rice win over Tulane

It certainly wasn't lost on Rice coach David Bailiff how poetic this moment seemed, how perfectly befitting a Hollywood script it was that he stood poised to share the postgame spotlight with two respected fifth-year seniors who had overcome their fair share of tribulations. It was Senior Day after all, and the perfect complement to Saturday's pregame festivities honoring 25 seniors was the emotional authenticity expressed between Bailiff and seniors Scott Solomon and Tyler Smith. It wasn't enough that Rice beat Tulane 19-7 at Rice Stadium to close its home schedule 4-1 and extend its home win streak in November games to nine. It was apropos that Solomon and Smith starred for the Owls (4-7, 3-4 Conference USA) on the day their contributions were lauded. "When you walk into a home like Scott Solomon's five years ago, they're young men," Bailiff said. "And you promise that family you're going to be an extension of them. And then you watch them turn into men Scott is going to graduate here in December. Everything that Scott and I talked about five years ago has come true for him. We would have liked to have gone to another bowl game, but everything we visited about I believe he's kept his word completely and gave it his all, and this coaching staff has done the same thing." Solomon finished with seven tackles and a pair of sacks that moved him into a tie atop the Rice career chart alongside Brandon Green, who recorded 24 sacks from 1999-2002. Solomon missed all of last season after suffering a foot injury during preseason camp, and he'd been hobbled for several weeks with debilitating ankle and knee problems. Against Tulane (2-10, 1-7 C-USA) he played with his trademark abandon. His sack of quarterback Ryan Griffin midway through in the fourth quarter put Tulane in dire straits and needing 16 yards to convert on third down. Linebacker Justin Allen, another senior, followed with a tackle for loss that forced a punt with just under five minutes left. "We knew we had to make those stops; it was important to us," Solomon said. "We talked about buckling down, tightening things up so they wouldn't score and lengthen the game. We knew we had to do that." Solomon helped preserve the Owls' tenuous six-point lead and set the stage for Smith to administer the decisive blow. After rushing for 76 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries over the first three periods, Smith finished off the Green Wave with 69 fourth-quarter yards, including 55 on eight clock-chewing carries on the drive subsequent to Solomon ensuing Rice would regain possession with the lead in hand. Smith opened that march with a 20 yards scamper and converted a pair of critical third downs, the second conversion resulting in a 12-yard touchdown run that ended all suspense. Smith rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns, producing his second 100-yard game in four weeks. "We knew we had to finish out strong," said Smith, who increased his season totals to 828 yards and five rushing touchdowns. "We knew we had to push it in and score. That last play when I dove (for the pylon) I didn't know how I was going to land because (the defender) clipped my legs. I was afraid I was going to land on my neck but it played out right." The biggest non-senior contribution came from sophomore kicker Chris Boswell, who booted a pair of 50-yard field goals into the wind. With both offenses scuffling the Owls and Green Wave combined for 31 first downs and 526 yards Boswell provided a uniquely distinct advantage. After Boswell's 38-yard pooch punt pinned the Green Wave inside it's five-yard line, Bailiff deftly exhausted all three of his timeouts when it became clear that Tulane planned to run the football and burn the final 2:13 of the first half. The Owls forced Tulane to punt, with senior safety Xavier Webb delivering a timely open-field tackle on third down, and the preserved seconds proved beneficial when Boswell drilled a 54-yard field goal with 11 seconds left, giving the Owls a 10-0 lead at the break. But Saturday belonged to the seniors. Webb notched his first career interception. Allen paced Rice in tackles with nine, including two for a loss. Senior quarterback Nick Fanuzzi moved into ninth place in school annals with 4,274 total yards. Smith and Solomon were transcendent. With their loved ones on the field lined up to greet them, the seniors were primed for a memorable day regardless. Their performances were icing on the cake, accoutrements that they will savor for years to come. "Looking back at it, it's amazing to have the seniors make those plays," Solomon said. "It's a lot of fun to have these kind of days, especially on a day like this. It's good to end the last home game like this. I'm glad it went like that." Follow me on Twitter at FSH_Owls