HOUSTON (AP) _ Quarterback Chad Richardson rushed for 105 yards Saturday and Derek Crabtree kicked a game-deciding, 31-yard field goal that propelled Rice to a 20-17 victory over Navy.

Richardson, helped off the field minutes earlier with a leg cramp, and his offense took possession with 10:26 left in the game and ground the clock down to 2:27 on 16 plays.

Navy (1-3) finally stopped Rice (1-3) deep in its own territory, but Crabtree was easily close enough to make the decisive kick.

Navy's last drive ended when Joe Bob Thompson picked off Brian Broadwater's pass near midfield, eliciting a roar from the 44,217 who attended Rice's home opener.

Broadwater led Navy with 98 yards rushing. Raheem Lambert added 92 yards and two touchdowns, including a 79-yarder up the middle in the second quarter that gave the Midshipmen a 14-0 lead.

The Navy offense clipped along during its opening drive, methodically rolling up 80 yards in eight plays to set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Lambert, his first career score.

Rice had two chances inside the Navy 15 prior to Lambert's long TD run. But Richardson fumbled the ball away on a botched pitch late in the first quarter, then was stopped on fourth-and-1 at the Navy 12 on the next possession.

The Owls answered Lambert's second score when backup quarterback Corey Evans guided Rice on an 80-yard drive of its own. Evans capped it with a 5-yard TD run to cut Navy's lead to 14-7.

A poor Navy punt set up Rice's second scoring drive. Aided by a 15-yard face-mask penalty, Richardson moved the Owls to the 15, then found Raphael Tillman on the right side of the end zone for the tying touchdown just before halftime.

Navy's Tim Shubzda and Crabtree exchanged field goals in the third quarter. Shubzda's 49-yarder was the Navy's longest since 1984.