Sims helps UH hoist Bayou Bucket for second straight year

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During the open week in the schedule — a much-needed reprieve after an 0-3 start — Houston head coach Tony Levine could sense something different about his team.

He could see it, too, with the alarm clock set earlier than usual and nearly two dozen players arriving by 7 a.m. to watch game film in the team auditorium.

"When you have guys begin to do that, they start to take ownership," Levine said. "They get so invested in the preparation that they're going to refuse to lose the game."

As a result, the Bayou Bucket will keep its Cullen Boulevard address for another 12 months.

Charles Sims ran for 158 yards and three touchdowns, and the UH defense turned in its best performance of the season in a 35-14 victory over rival Rice on Saturday at Reliant Stadium.

The Cougars (1-3) snapped their longest losing streak to begin a season in 11 years and won their Conference USA opener in their final season before moving to the Big East.

"Everyone was going into this game with the mindset that what's done is done," said UH quarterback David Piland, who threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns.

The Cougars built a 28-0 lead, the first time they had been ahead all season, before the Owls scored on two late touchdown receptions by Rice wide receiver Sam McGuffie.

Houston running back Charles Sims (5) races to the end zone on a 47-yard touchdown run during the third quarterof the annual Bayou Bucket college football game against Rice at Reliant Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 29, 2012, in Houston. Houston won the game 35-14. less Houston running back Charles Sims (5) races to the end zone on a 47-yard touchdown run during the third quarterof the annual Bayou Bucket college football game against Rice at Reliant Stadium, Saturday, Sept. ... more Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Sims helps UH hoist Bayou Bucket for second straight year 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

UH defense shows up

While the UH offense piled up 608 yards on offense, the much-maligned defense that entered the game among the worst in the nation held Rice scoreless for 40 minutes and constantly harassed redshirt freshman quarterback Driphus Jackson.

Jackson made his first career start — regular starter Taylor McHargue was sidelined with a shoulder injury — and never had time to get comfortable, as he was sacked five times.

"We knew he was young, and once you start getting him uncomfortable he makes bad plays," said UH linebacker Phillip Steward, who had two sacks.

Rice struggled offensively with nine punts and a turnover on its first 10 drives. Both Owls scoring drives in the second half — including an 88-yard touchdown catch by McGuffie that was the longest in the school's 100-year history — were set up by a pair of fumbles.

"We were expecting them to blitz a lot more just because they know I'm a young quarterback," Jackson said. "So they were trying to get me flustered. I expected it. I just didn't do enough to take some hits off myself."

Sims had a breakout game after missing the Sept. 15 UCLA game with a hip injury. The junior running back had touchdown runs of 3, 47 and 16 yards. On his 47-yard run, Sims found a huge hole up the middle and was never touched.

Piland connected for two first-half TDs — a 25-yarder to Larry McDuffey and a 31-yarder to Daniel Spencer, who shook off three tacklers and stumbled briefly before cruising into the end zone.

All walk, no talk

"We need to be more consistent," Rice defensive end Cody Bauer said. "Coming in, I felt like we were very prepared, but when you're doing good and they hit a big play it's a momentum changer and that's kind of hard to overcome."

The Cougars said they used comments made by Rice players during the week as motivation.

"We heard those comments but we didn't pay any mind to them," Steward said. "We did our talking on the field."

joseph.duarte@chron.com

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