Coastal Carolina, Rice Share Honors As FWAA/Reveal Suits National Team of the Week

December 7, 2020 by FWAA

DALLAS (FWAA) – The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers preserved their undefeated season with a tackle at the one-yard line on the final play of a 22-17 win over No. 8 BYU, and the Rice Owls went to No. 15 Marshall and posted a 20-0 shutout, beating a ranked team for the first time since 1997. Their notable wins over previously-unbeaten teams helped both schools claim the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Dec. 5, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the first time for either Coastal Carolina (10-0) or Rice (2-2) to earn the Team of the Week honor. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected. This is the 19th season for the FWAA to award a Team of the Week and this week is just the third time the FWAA has selected two teams to share the weekly prize.

The Chanticleers' win was historic as their first over a top-10 program and second-ever over a ranked team in a game that was hastily put together only two day's prior. Coastal's 10-0 start is the best in Sun Belt Conference history and part of an 11-game win streak dating back to last season.

Mateo Sudipo tackled BYU receiver Dax Milne at the one to finish off a game in which CCU ran for 281 yards against a Cougars defense that entered the game sixth nationally in rushing defense at 88.3 yards per game. The rushing success allowed the Chanticleers to hold the ball for 37:51. On the other side, Coastal's defense held up BYU's offense averaging 47.6 points per game to a season-low 17 points.

Rice's defense posted its shutout thanks to five interceptions as the Owls held Marshall's high-scoring offense to just 245 total yards, more than 200 yards below its season average. The Owls picked off passes on three straight Marshall possessions to start the second half, one of which safety Naeem Smith returned 36 yards for a touchdown to close Rice's scoring. The Owls have not been scored upon in the first quarter in their four games this season. Quarterback JoVoni Johnson made his first start of the year, finishing 10-of-14 for 86 yards.

The shutout was Owls' first since 1995, their first win over a ranked opponent on the road since 1991, and their first shutout against a conference opponent since 1973. In addition, it was the first shutout over a ranked opponent and first shutout against a ranked opponent on the road since separate games in 1960. Marshall had never been shut out at Joan C. Edwards Stadium prior to last Saturday. Marshall had never been shut out at Joan C. Edwards Stadium prior to last Saturday.

Coastal Carolina, which will play Louisiana in the Sun Belt Championship Game on Dec. 19, wraps up the regular season Saturday at Troy at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN-Plus.

Rice ends its regular season Saturday hosting UAB at Noon CT on ESPN3.

The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Dec. 5 are:

• Iowa State (8-2): The Cyclones scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and finished with 483 total yards against the Big 12's top defense in a 42-6 rout of West Virginia to clinch an outright conference title for the first time in school history. Iowa State's eight conference wins are a school record and its seventh straight home conference win extended another school record. Brock Purdy threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and the Cyclones held the Mountaineers to 263 total yards.

• Louisiana (9-1): The Ragin' Cajuns had to wait until App State's game-tying field goal sailed wide left but finally got their first win over their conference nemesis, 24-21, on the road. Louisiana is 9-1 for the first time in program history, has a current six-game win streak heading into the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game on Dec. 19, and completed a 6-0 road record for a second straight season. Louisiana has now won 20 games over the last two years, currently joining Clemson, App State and Notre Dame as the only schools to do so.

Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,200 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

2020 Reveal Suits National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: South Alabama Jaguars
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
• Weekend of Sept. 19: Navy Midshipmen
• Weekend of Sept. 26: Mississippi State Bulldogs
• Weekend of Oct. 3: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
• Weekend of Oct. 10: Texas A&M Aggies
• Weekend of Oct. 17: Florida State Seminoles
• Weekend of Oct. 24: Indiana Hoosiers
• Weekend of Oct. 31: Michigan State Spartans
• Weekend of Nov. 7: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Weekend of Nov. 14: Marshall Thundering Herd
• Weekend of Nov. 21: Northwestern Wildcats
• Weekend of Nov. 28: Buffalo Bulls
• Weekend of Dec. 5: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Rice Owls