Rice took advantage of an early fumble by Mississippi State for a 7-0 lead. <\/p>\n
\"After that nothing went our way,\" center Nate Richards said of the 44-7 loss Tuesday in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. \"I don't know what happened.\" <\/p>\n
Rice was held to season lows in total yards (145), rushing yards (61) and points. <\/p>\n
The rushing total - 179 yards below its season average - was especially problematic for Rice, which was ranked 16th in the Football Bowl Subdivision. In its first meeting against a Southeastern Conference opponent this season, Rice rushed for 306 yards in a 52-31 season-opening loss to Texas A&M. <\/p>\n
\"There just wasn't much going on,\" quarterback Taylor McHargue said. \"We never really found a rhythm moving the ball the entire game.\" <\/p>\n
Charles Ross, who rushed for 1,252 yards this season, was limited to 28 yards on 10 carries. He scored the Owls' only touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter. <\/p>\n
\"We knew coming in that their defensive line was pretty big and we were going to have trouble moving them.\" <\/p>\n
Gaines attracts foes' attention <\/p>\n
Like many teams this season, Mississippi State threw away from Phillip Gaines, the Owls' all-Conference USA cornerback, for most of the game. <\/p>\n
\"We knew where he was at all times on the field,\" Bulldogs coach Dan Mullen said. \"We tried to make mismatches in the middle field.\" <\/p>\n
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Read the original: <\/p>\n
Liberty Bowl report: Rice running game hits a wall<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rice took advantage of an early fumble by Mississippi State for a 7-0 lead. \"After that nothing went our way,\" center Nate Richards said of the 44-7 loss Tuesday in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Continue reading