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Keenum beats Rice and rain with 9 TDs

HOUSTON - Houston's Case Keenum threw nine touchdown passes to set the Football Bowl Subdivision record for career TD tosses as the 18th-ranked Cougars (8-0, 4-0 Conference USA) overcame a slow start in a 73-34 win over Rice (2-6, 1-4) on a rain-soaked Thursday night.

HOUSTON - Houston's Case Keenum threw nine touchdown passes to set the Football Bowl Subdivision record for career TD tosses as the 18th-ranked Cougars (8-0, 4-0 Conference USA) overcame a slow start in a 73-34 win over Rice (2-6, 1-4) on a rain-soaked Thursday night.

Keenum threw an interception and had a fumble returned for a touchdown in the first quarter in heavy rain as Rice built a 17-7 lead.

The rain subsided and Keenum, and the Cougars got going after that. They outscored Rice by 45-3 to take a 52-20 lead by early in the third quarter and cruised to the easy victory to remain undefeated.

Keenum, who became the FBS career leader in total offense last week, has 139 career touchdown passes.

He threw three touchdown passes in a six-minute span at the end of the first half to put Houston on top, 38-20, and tie the touchdown passes record.

Keenum set the record on a 41-yard pass to Charles Sims early in the third quarter to push the lead to 45-20. Keenum smiled and flashed the Cougar hand signal when he appeared on the jumbotron. His teammates clapped and cheered while fans gave him a standing ovation.

He was 24 of 37 for 534 yards before he was replaced by backup Cotton Turner with eight minutes remaining.

Virginia 28, Miami 21 - A fake field goal. A halfback option for a touchdown. A 53-yard catch-and-run on a screen for a score, and 78-yard reception by a running back who slipped out wide for another.

Virginia (5-3, 2-2 ACC) got big plays in bunches Thursday night - and needed every one of them to beat Miami (4-4, 2-3).

Michael Rocco passed for 226 yards and two scores, running back Perry Jones threw one touchdown pass and caught another, and the Cavaliers held off Miami to snap a seven-game Atlantic Coast Conference road losing streak.