University of Houston
Rice
Houston Drops Season Opener To Rice, 21-14
9/1/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 1, 2001
HOUSTON (AP) - Sophomore quarterback Kyle Herm rushed for 108 yards to help lead Rice to a 21-14 victory over Houston on Saturday night in the Bayou Bucket series.
Rice, which beat Houston 30-27 in overtime last season, ended an eight-game road losing streak in the season opener for both teams. The Owls cut Houston's lead in the series to 18-6 and have won four of the last six meetings.
Herm, starting his first game for the Owls, carried the ball 18 times. He also completed 4 of 8 passes for 16 yards. Freshman Clint Hatfield, who is not related to Rice coach Ken Hatfield, rushed 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Houston managed only 7 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Kelly Robertson, Houston's 23-year-old junior transfer quarterback who played college baseball the last three seasons, was 22-of-47 for 192 yards and two touchdowns. He had not played football since 1997 at West Orange Stark High.
Robertson started off by throwing an interception on the first play to Rice safety Jason Hebert at the Houston 41. Brandon Skeen missed a 33-yard field goal to end that Rice threat.
Rice's offense started moving in the second quarter behind backup quarterback Greg Henderson.
Henderson replaced Herm, who went to the sidelines with heat-related problems in the middle of the period after neither team was able to move the ball. In seven plays, Henderson drove the Owls the final 48 yards of an 81-yard, 14-play drive.
He threw a 13-yard pass to Gavin Boothe with 3:27 left in the half for the touchdown. Skeen's extra point gave Rice a 7-0 lead it took to the half.
Herm came back to lead a 72-yard, four-play drive in the third quarter.
Hatfield broke three tackles on a 25-yard run around right end for the touchdown and a 14-0 lead with 4:03 left in the third quarter. The big play in the drive was a 36-yard run by fullback Jamie Tyler.
Robertson got untracked late in the third quarter, driving the Cougars 61 yards in nine plays. He was 5-of-8 passes in the drive for 57 yards, capping it with a 13-yard pass to tight end Grover Thompson. It was Robertson's first career TD pass.
Robertson drove the Coogs 71 yards in 20 plays in the fourth quarter, completing 4-of-4 fourth-down pass attempts. He hit Brian Robinson for a 4-yard TD pass with 3:38 to play to make it 21-14.
