Rice vs Tulsa...the underlining story of this game

[RumpleForeskin]

If there were ever a payback game on this week's schedule, then this would be on page 1. But considering the two programs involved, it will be an afterthought. I still want to mention it though....

Todd Graham was hired as Rice's head coach at the beginning of 2006. After years of being under the Ken Hatfield regime, Rice was still stuck in a rut of 5-6 seasons bein their peak. Well, 2006 started out like the 30 previous years of their football season. The Owls were 1-3 and couldn't get things going. Then, a Rice player collapsed at practice and later died at the hospital. Rice lost their next game and were 1-4 and the season seemed all but lost. But things suddenly turned around, Rice finished the season by winning their final 6 out of 7 games and became bowl eligible for the first time in 45 years. Jarret Dillard was a Biletnikoff Award Finalist and Rice looked to be headed in the right direction.

Todd Graham signed a 5 year extension with Rice on Tuesday, January 9th 2007. Then things got ugly. On Thursday, January 11th 2007, Graham signed on as head coach with Tulsa. What-the-fuck?! Dude didn't even wait a week to sign on with a new team. I know we see this all the time in college athletics, but usually there two to three weeks between the extension and a new signing with another program. Shit move by Graham IMHO.

Now, Rice has the perfect setup to derail Graham's first season as head coach of the Golden Hurricanes. Tulsa is tied for first place in the C-USA West division but hold the tiebreaker over Houston. Tulsa heads to Houston to take on the Owls and if they win, they will play in the Conference Championship game and a shot at the Liberty Bowl. If Rice wins, then their friendly rival Houston will play in the Conference Championship game and they will gain a little dignity and redemption on a losing season. I hope to God Tulsa loses this game because of a coaching mistake. That would be sweet, sweet revenge for the Owls.

[campinfool]

And then Rice hired David Baliff away from Texas State. 2 yeas before Baliff had Texas State one overtime away from a IAA championship game appearance. They lost they game and thier coach and have stubled back to horrendousness.