Scouting: Northwestern @ Rice

Northwestern (2-0) at Rice (1-1)When: 6 p.m. Saturday at Rice StadiumNet: riceowls.com; Radio: WIND 560-AMSeries: Rice leads 4-1Coaches: Pat Fitzgerald (29-23, fifth year at NU); David Bailiff (16-23, fourth year at Rice; 37-38 overall)NU players to watch: QB Dan Persa leads the world in pass efficiency (212.06 rating) and completion percentage (86.4). Just as impressive, he owns 5 TD passes with no interceptions. Junior superback Drake Dunsmore, his roommate on campus and on road trips, caught 3 of those TD tosses. LT Al Netter has been the brightest light on the O-Line while DE Vince Browne owns both of the D-Line's sacks to date.Rice players to watch: Freshman Taylor McHargue is listed as its QB, but junior Nick Fanuzzi came off the bench last week to spearhead a 32-31 rally over North Texas. Big Ten fans remember RB Sam McGuffie (28 carries, 65 yards; 5 catches, 84 yards) from his year at Michigan, but Tyler Smith (23 carries, 132 yards) is the bigger threat with the ball. K Chris Boswell booted a pair of 50-yard FGs last week.The skinny: The Wildcats boast just two 3-0 starts in the last 47 years, so today marks a big opportunity for Fitz and the Fellas. These teams are built similarly with no-huddle spread offenses that don't mind exploiting their conditioning advantage to hurt the opposition. Considering the muggy Houston weather is supposed to be a 95-degree heat index at kickoff, which team will thrive in the soup? And will Rice become the first opponent to worry about Persa's passing arm more than his running ability?He said it: Fitzgerald on being ready for the heat: "First of all, we're in great shape. We had that first 10 days of camp that were brutally hot-we're ready to play in that kind of weather, but it's going to be a concern. We've got quite a few guys from the south and from areas where it's been warm. Is it a concern? Yes. Do I believe we'll handle it and be prepared? Absolutely."