Easton Messer scores 5 TDs as Florida Atlantic edges Rice 51-49

Easton Messer delivered five scores for Florida Atlantic, and a second-quarter blocked punt for a safety by Derrick Rogers Jr. proved decisive after a last-minute field goal attempt fell short.

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) Easton Messer piled up 262 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns and Florida Atlantic earned a 51-49 win over Rice, which had a four-TD day by quarterback Gael Ochoa in his first start on Saturday.

Ultimately the difference was a blocked punt for a safety by Derrick Rogers Jr. early in the second quarter and a barely short 55-yard field goal attempt by Rice kicker Tommy Bauchiero - whose career-long field goal is 45 yards - with less than a minute to play.

Messer's final touchdown, the longest punt return for a touchdown in program history, was critical as Ochoa, who ran for 259 yards and scored on runs of 55, 52, 74 and 69 yards, had a 71-yard catch-and-run with Braylen Walker with 2:51 to go.

Messer had 12 receptions for 162 yards - a week after making 14 catches for his sixth 100-yard game - 1-and 68-yard touchdowns, and lined up in the backfield for three carries and 18 yards with TDs of 2 and 5 yards. Caden Veltkamp was 29-of-37 passing for 339 yards and three touchdowns for FAU (5-2 2-1 American Conference).

Rice (1-7, 0-4) piled up 499 yards on the ground and added 109 yards in the air, with Ochoa and Patrick Crayton Jr., both filling in for injured starter Jacurri Brown, combining to go 4 of 7. Ochoa finished six yards short of the school single-game rushing record but had the biggest rushing game in the Championship Subdivision this season.

FAU had a 23-21 lead at the half.

Both teams had three touchdown drives in the third quarter all of Rice's covering 75 yards on a total of 12 plays. FAU went 75, 67 and 90 yards.

Rice: At North Texas on Nov. 11.

FAU: At North Texas on Thursday night.

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