By John Nestor

Houston, TX

Senior quarterback Case Keenum covered 534 yards and tossed nine touchdown passes, igniting the Houston Cougars to a 73-34 domination over Rice Owls Thursday night at Robertson Stadium.

Keenum set a new record in a stunning way as he threw nine touchdown passes to become the Football Bowl Subdivision leader for career TD passes with 139.

Keenum, in his sixth season of eligibility after tearing an ACL last season, steered the undefeated Cougars from a slow start to another lopsided victory at the expense of the defensively inept Rice Owls.

After trailing 17-7 in the early minutes of the first quarter, the Cougars showed their true form with Keenum hooking up wideout Patrick Edwards for the first of his nine TD passes of the night.

Keenum connected with Edward four more times, including a 67-yard TD pass that opened the game wide open in the second quarter.

Keenum went 23-for-37 for 534 yards with nine TD and one interception, while Edwards finished with five touchdown catches and covered 318 yards on seven receptions.

Rice quarterbacks threw a combined 7-for-19 for 116 yards and tallied only one touchdown.

With another victory, the Cougars improved to 4-0 in USA conference standings (8-0 overall) as they head to Huntington next week to face the UAB Blazers (1-6 overall).

 

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Case Keenum Tosses Nine TD Passes as Houston Rips Rice