This Spartan team had five starters in street clothes, including two captains - Deonce Whitaker and Casey Le Blanc. And this Spartan team was opening its Western Athletic Conference season against a team that beat, no wait, embarrassed us 49-7 last season. With all this taken into consideration, this was a test for the Spartans. It would go a long way in determining the outcome of this season. The Spartans beat Rice.
Spirits are high.
They're starting out on the right foot. They've proven they can rebound from a big loss. The anger from USC lights a fire in the locker room. It produces a team ready to extract revenge on the Owls. Offensively, they've proven they are more than just the Deonce Show.