RICE 27, BYU 14 HOUSTON (AP) -- No. 21 Brigham Young was hoping the Rice Owls would forget last year's game. They didn't. Benji Wood ran for 167 yards and two touchdowns as Rice upset No. 21 BYU 27-14 Saturday night, snapping the Cougars' 11-game Western Athletic Conference winning streak. Michael Perry also had a big rushing game for Rice (4-2, 2-1 WAC), which avenged last season's 49-0 loss to BYU. Perry gained 132 yards, including a 45-yard TD run. ``I knew they'd be up for us after the way we beat them last year,'' BYU running back Brian McKenzie said. ``It was the same defense we prepared for but they were better than they were last year and we just couldn't move the ball.'' The Owls gained 493 yards and held BYU (3-2, 1-1) to nine yards in the second half. ``This puts us where we want to be,'' Woods said. ``But we've still got a lot of games ahead of us. We need to come back ready to work. We're on the right road but we're not there yet.'' Rice took a 9-0 lead in the first quarter on a 1-yard TD run by Wood and a 23-yard field goal by Scott Grimes, which was set up by a fumble recovery by linebacker Rashad Reynolds at the BYU 30. ``This is why we play the game, for times like this,'' Rice coach Ken Hatfield said. ``Our offensive line opened hole after hole and Benji is a load when he runs like that.'' Wood also had a 30-yard TD run on the first play of the second quarter. The Cougars, who trailed 16-14 at halftime, scored on a 70-yard pass from Kevin Feterik in the first quarter and Brian McKenzie's 40-yard run in the second period. Perry's TD run and a 30-yard field goal by Grimes gave the Owls a 25-14 lead in the third quarter. Judd Smith tackled third-string BYU quarterback Drew Miller in the end zone for a safety with 3:21 to play. BYU had chances to get back in the game in the fourth quarter after twice recovering Rice fumbles. But the Cougars couldn't capitalize. The Cougars' second-half failures were coach Lavell Edwards' biggest disappointment. ``I thought we could come out in the third quarter and get it done but we didn't,'' Edwards said. ``That's what I'm most disappointed with, what we did in the third quarter.'' Feterik played the game with a sprained ankle and didn't start third quarter. But he returned later, trying to rally the Cougars. The Owls aren't ready to start talking like front-runners. ``The WAC race doesn't look like anything right now,'' Hatfield said. ``But this is a big step forward for us.'' 1st 2nd 3rd 4th f byu 7 7 0 0 14 rice 9 7 9 2 27 cougars 14 owls 27 final 1st quarter rice - Benji Wood 1-yd run(Scott Grimes misses kick) rice - Grimes 24-yd field goal byu - Aaron Roderick 70-yard catch from Feterik(Pochman kick) 2nd quarter rice - Wood 30-yd run(Grimes kick) byu - Brian McKenzie 39-yd run(Pochman kick 3rd quarter rice - Michael Perry 45-yd run(Grimes misses kick) rice - Grimes 30-yd field goal 4th quarter rice - Drew Miller sacked for 2-pt safety BYU - RICE Game Recap Source: Blue & White Sports Network 1st Quarter Rice takes the opening kickoff and marches 68-yards down the field for the first score. Benji Wood found the endzone from 1-yard out to give the Owls the early lead. KEY PLAYS: Michael Perry runs of 13, 15, and 11-yards. On BYU's second play, Brian McKenzie fumbles and Rice recovers on the Cougar 30. The Owls settle for a 23-yard field goal by Scott Grimes after driving the BYU 5. KEY PLAY: Chad Nelson 19-yard run. Following a Rice punt, BYU comes back with at three-play, 72-yard drive in 50 seconds. Kevin Feterik found Aaron Roderick for the 70-yard touchdown pass. 2nd Quarter Rice responds to the BYU touchdown with a another touchdown drive. Benji Wood scored on a run from 30-yards out to extend the Owls lead. KEY PLAYS: Nelson 13-yard run, Nelson to Rodd Newhouse for 32-yards. BYU continues the offensive fireworks with another quick touchdown drive. McKenzie rumbles in from 40-yards out to bring the Cougars within two points. KEY PLAYS: Feterik first down passes to Roderick, Ben Cahoon, and Dustin Johnson. On 4th-and-inches from their own 15-yard line, Rice rolls the dice with a pass play. Nelson hits Byron Godfrey for a 76-yard gain to the BYU 9. However, Rice misses a 32-yard field goal with no time left on the clock. 3rd Quarter BYU begins the 2nd half with a punt after Paul Shoemaker replaces Feterik at quarterback. Rice starts out quickly, though, after the punt with a touchdown drive. Michael Perry runs in from 45-yards out for the score. The Owls miss their second PAT, however. Three straight BYU punts come back to haunt the Cougars as Rice connects on another field goal. Scott Grimes finds the uprights from 30-yards for the score. KEY PLAYS: Newhouse run for 17-yards, Nelson 13-yard run. 4th Quarter An Owl fumble gives BYU the ball on the Rice 21. But once again the Cougars cannot convert and end up with a missed field goal and another blown opportunity. Following a Rice punt, and after getting nothing out of quarterbacks Feterik and Shoemaker, BYU resorts to freshman Drew Miller. Miller is promptly dropped in the endzone for the safety. Key stat of the game: one first down and one pass completion for BYU in the second half. Statistics BYU Rice First Downs 11 23 Rushes-Yards 23-76 74-384 Passing Yards 164 109 Sacks-yards lost 3-16 4-28 Passing (Att-Comp-Int) 9-22-1 2-3-0 Punts-Average 6-38.2 4-42.8 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 4-2 Penalties-Yards 3-25 4-20 Time of Possession 18:42 41:18 Individual Statistics Rushing BYU (McKenzie 16-94, D. Johson 1-8, Shoemaker 1-4, Miller 1-(-12), Feterik 4-(-18)). Rice (Wood 27-167, Perry 22-132, Nelson 22-52, Newhouse 1-18, Leschber 2-15). Passing BYU (Feterik 9-17-0-164, Shoemaker 0-5-1-0). Rice (Nelson 2-3-0-169). Receiving BYU (Cahoon 3-36, Roderick 2-80, D. Johnson 2-16, J. Moala 1-17, McKenzie 1-15). Rice (Godfrey 1-76, Newhouse 1-33). Attendance: 23,814