MIAMI – Rice scored on its first three possessions, Driphus Jackson passed for 230 yards with TD bombs of 63 and 69 yards and the Owls beat Florida International 31-17 on Saturday.
A Zach Patt sack and fumble recovery gave Rice the ball at the 19-yard line, and Jowan Davis punched it on the next play. It was the second straight game the Owls (5-3, 3-2 Conference USA) scored on the first play.
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James Farrimond followed with a career-long 40-yard field goal, and Jordan Taylor hauled in a 63-yard pass from Jackson.
FIU (3-6, 2-3) closed to 17-14, but Rice broke away on its next possession when Jackson found James Mayden on a 69-yard scoring hookup.
A short FIU punt in the fourth quarter allowed Rice to cover 46 yards in six plays and lead 31-17 on Luke Turner's run from the 1 after a Jackson-to-Taylor 21-yarder set up first-and-goal at the 3.