HOUSTON, Texas – Rice scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, including a go-ahead 56-yard field goal by Chris Boswell and a rushing touchdown by Charles Ross – the only offensive touchdown given up by Kansas in the game – to rally past the Jayhawks, 23-14, at Rice Stadium Saturday night.

KU's defense held Rice out of the end zone for three quarters and picked off a pair of passes in the second half, but for the second year in a row Boswell's leg provided the difference. The Rice senior also connected on field goals of 40 and 28 yards Saturday night, helping the Owls keep the Jayhawks winless on the road since 2009.

Ben Heeney led the Kansas defense with a career-best 15 tackles and Isaiah Johnson and Dexter McDonald both pulled in their first career interceptions in the loss. Johnson's interception set-up a short field for Kansas late in the third quarter and allowed quarterback Jake Heaps to maneuver the Jayhawks on a go-ahead scoring drive.

Kansas led 14-13 after Heaps completed a desperate, third-and-12 pass to Tre' Parmalee, then punched it in himself on a one-yard sneak. For the second year in a row, however, the fourth quarter belonged to the Owls.

KU's defense held tight through the opening minutes of the fourth quarter and stopped just inside Kansas territory with a little more than eight minutes to play, but it was close enough for Boswell to knock through his 12th career field goal from longer than 50 yards and give the Owls the lead again. Ross, who finished the game with a career-high 157 yards rushing, made it a two-score game and effectively put the game out of reach with an eight-yard scamper with 3:28 to play.  

Kansas was outscored 9-0 in the fourth quarter in Lawrence last season and Boswell booted a 45-yarder as time expired to lift the Owls to a 25-24 win.

The Jayhawks seemed to be battling the four-year, road hex from the outset, forcing a Rice punt on the opening drive of the game before a tipped Heaps pass turned into six points the other way. Rice linebacker Michael Kutzler tipped a Heaps attempt into the air, tracked it into his hands and rumbled 52 yards for the first score of the game.

The Jayhawks were held scoreless in the first quarter for the second consecutive game, but broke through with a tying tally in the second period. Heaps hit Tony Pierson, who scurried 77-yards for KU's longest pass play since 2007 with 9:20 to play in the first half. Pierson finished the game with a career-best 95 yards on four catches.

Boswell kicked his first two field goals before halftime and the Owls entered the break with a 13-7 advantage.

Kansas running back James Sims rushed for 109 yards in the loss and moved past John Riggins (2,659) and Gale Sayers (2,675) into fifth on KU's career rushing chart with 2,685 yards.

Kansas returns home and will continue non-conference play against Louisiana Tech Saturday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. That game will be televised on FS1.