The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Rice
Texas defeats Rice, 58-14
09.22.2007 | Football
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Colt McCoy passed for 333 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 7 Texas to a 58-14 win over Rice on Saturday night in the Longhorns' last game before the start of the Big 12 schedule.
Limas Sweed caught five passes for 139 yards with touchdowns of 52 and 24 yards as the Longhorns improved to 4-0.
Texas led the Owls (0-4) 41-0 in the second quarter. The final score could have been much worse but McCoy and most of Texas starters were on the bench after the first series of the third.
Even then, freshman quarterback John Chiles quickly drove the Longhorns to another TD, rushing for 49 yards on an eight-play scoring drive in his first action of the season.
Texas opens Big 12 play next weekend at home against Kansas State.
Rice struggled in just about every phase, even when Texas handed the Owls the ball. Two punts traveled 15 yards or less and when Jamaal Charles fumbled on the second play of the game, the Owls went backwards 14 yards before missing a 50-yard field goal.
McCoy was sharp, passing for 295 yards in the first half and hitting Sweed for the two long TDs in the second quarter. It was McCoy's first game of the season without an interception.
Sweed, who sat out most of the previous week's 35-32 win over Central Florida after twisting his ankle, outran Owls defenders or outjumped them whenever it was necessary.
Texas' only real misstep came on one of Sweed's long strides, when he snared a deep pass in coverage, raced past a group of defenders and was coasting toward the end zone before stepping out of bounds at the Rice 2. Instead of a 50-yard TD, Sweed laughed at himself on the sideline while Charles scampered in for the first of his three short touchdown runs and a 17-0 lead.
Chiles finished with 72 yards rushing in the second half. His running could be a valuable change of pace for the Longhorns as he showed flashes of Vince Young, zipping through and around tired Owls defenders.
Texas needs to develop some depth at quarterback for the Big 12. McCoy got hurt against Kansas State last season and the Longhorns lost their final two regular season games to get knocked out of the league championship game.
