MARQUEE MASCOT MATCHUP - NEW ORLEANS BOWL

Rice Owls (7-5)	vs.	Troy Trojans (7-5)

Preview:

It's bowl season baby, and it's time to get busy. Like everybody else, MMM has beef with the BCS, who clearly missed the most intriguing matchup in Wolverines/Gators. Nevermind that - we've got a fat smorgasbord of games to take us through the holiday season. Bulls/Pirates, Badgers/Hogs, Tigers/Irish, Broncos/Bearcats, Eagles/Bobcats, and Cougars/Cocks are all on deck. But way down there in Nawlins ol' Boudreaux's got a little something cookin', and you don't want to miss it. So toss that Twinky and bag of Fritos, grab yourself a fresh bowl of gumbo, and get on down to the bayou for the Marquee Mascot Matchup - the Owls of Rice University against the Trojans of... Troy. In the Trojans we have antiquity's classic sucker, matched up against a witty and cunning flock of Owls. For those of you who have forgotten (or selectively blocked out) your Virgil and Homer, the story goes something like this. The mighty warriors of Troy do battle for ten arduous years with the Greeks, who hold the great walled city under siege. At long last Odysseus and the boys (with Athena's help) devise a plan, feigning surrender and offering the Trojans a giant wooden horse as a parting gift. In their drunken celebratory stupor the Trojans open up the gates and bring the horse into the town square, at which point the Greeks pile out from inside, slaughter, pillage, and take everybody into slavery. Whoops. Owls, on the other hand, enjoyed classical reverence for their wisdom. Various cultures have also acknowledged their predatory savvy through association with death, destruction, and demonic spirits. The Owl is a fearsome predator with few natural enemies, and a knack for getting the job done. Hoot hoot. Background behind us, let's move on to the business at hand. Looking at season records we've got two pretty evenly matched squads. While both teams struggled against Seminoles, both also had success against golden things (Panthers, Hurricanes, and Knights). Rice is 2-0 against people wearing armor, 3-1 against human warriors, and 4-1 over people wearing funny hats. They also beat a group of Dragons (the UAB Blazers) who perennially dominate March Mascot Madness. On the other hand, Troy has posted a 3-1 record versus things that fly, beat the color green (which gave Rice fits), and most notably, won against Owls. In the end, the Trojans must be granted a slight edge. The name of the game for the Trojans is protection. When you've got armor and fortified walls, you want to use them. Troy must lock down the fortress and thwart the Owl invasion with solid prevent D, especially in the secondary versus game-breaking Rice wideout Jarett Dillard. Offensively, they'll look to win the battle at the line and move the ball methodically down the field, using strength and size to their advantage. The Trojans are looking for a defensive standoff, where stone and bronze prevail over feathers and talons. If you're Rice, look for every opportunity to expose holes and penetrate the Trojan defenses. The smaller, faster Owls must be aggressors on both sides of the ball, employing a wide open style to counter Troy's conservatism. The running game will probe for cracks, but the strength of an Owl is the ability to spread his wings and fly. Look for Rice to take chances early and often to get behind the Trojan walls and find landing sites. Likewise on defense the Owls should gamble with blitzes to get at the Trojan backs. If Rice is able to expose holes in the armor, this could get ugly very quickly for Troy. The unknown in this game is deception. This matchup is likely to expose how well the Trojans have learned from history. Will they remained disciplined, or be duped once again by a bunch of Owls hiding in an olive tree? Rice will be wise to test Troy with misdirection, play action, varied defensive looks, and of course the trick play. In a tactical duel, the Owls hold a decisive advantage. If on the other hand the Trojans hold their ground, it's awfully hard for the Owls to do damage. New Orleans brings with it a few unique considerations. One, the Owls can't be comfortable flying around under a dome, without the benefit of trees or the cover of night. Conversely, a Trojan of three millenia ago is likely to be completely mystified by artificial turf. Most importantly however, if ever there was a place to get drunk, let down your guard, and open the gates to a mob of hooting predators, it's gotta be the Big Easy. Trojans be forewarned.

Outlook:

Look for the Trojans to hold the line early, frustrating the hard-charging Owls. As the second half wears on, we'll find out whether the Owls can remain feisty and penetrate Troy's walls. This one's gonna be close - keep the kickers warm and the guard up on D. On a last minute kick, set up by a Dillard reception - Owls, 20-17. Download MS Word Version

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