Rice Owls football

The Rice Owls football program represents Rice University in the sport of American football. The team plays at the NCAA Division I FBS level and is part of the American Conference. Home games are held at Rice Stadium, which was built in 1950. Rice University has one of the smallest student bodies among FBS schools, with only Tulsa having fewer students.

History

Main article: List of Rice Owls football seasons

Rice started its football team in 1912, just after the university opened. Three years later, it became one of the first teams to join the Southwest Conference.

For many years, Rice was a strong team, but by the 1960s, it became harder for them to compete. They had very few winning seasons and often finished near the bottom of their league.

In 1992, under coach Fred Goldsmith, Rice had its best season in many years, but lost a big game to their rival, Houston. Later coaches had mixed results, but in 2006, under Todd Graham, Rice made it to their first bowl game in 35 years, the 2006 New Orleans Bowl. After that, David Bailiff led the team to more bowl games and their first 10-win seasons in a long time.

1954 Cotton Bowl Classic

The Owls played in the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic against the Crimson Tide of Alabama. One of the most famous moments in college football happened in this game. Rice’s Dickey Moegle ran down the field and was tackled by a player who ran in from the sideline. The referee awarded Rice a 95-yard touchdown, and they won the game 28–6. This was Rice’s last bowl win until the 2008 Texas Bowl.

Kennedy Speech

Rice Stadium was where John F. Kennedy gave a famous speech on September 12, 1962, challenging America to send a person to the Moon by 1970. He used the Rice football team as an example, saying, “We choose to go to the Moon.”

Conference affiliations

The Rice Owls football team has played in several different groups over the years. They started as an independent team from 1912 to 1914. Then they joined the Southwest Conference from 1915 to 1995. After that, they moved to the Western Athletic Conference from 1996 to 2004, followed by the Conference USA from 2005 to 2022. Since 2023, the team has been part of the American Conference.

Head coaches

The Rice Owls football team has had many head coaches over the years. Their records include both wins and losses, with one notable change in 1975 when a win was later forfeited.

Championships

Conference championships

Rice has won eight conference championships, five of them alone and three shared with other teams.

† Co-championship

Division championships

Rice has also won two division championships.

† Co-championship

Bowl games

Rice has played in 15 bowl games and has won 7 of them while losing 8.

Stadium

Rice Stadium was built in 1950 and has been the home of the Owls football team ever since. It even hosted an NFL Super Bowl in January 1974. The stadium was made bigger than the old Rice Field, which is now used for track and soccer. Before the 2006 season, the seating was reduced from 70,000 to 47,000. The old wooden seats were replaced with new metal ones, and the endzone seating benches were removed and covered with tarps. The stadium is also getting more updates.

Rivalries

Baylor

Main article: Baylor–Rice football rivalry

Rice and Baylor are two schools in Texas, about 183 miles apart. They played each other every year from 1924 to 1995, except during World War II and in 1963 when a big event changed their schedule. After 1995, they stopped playing every year but still meet sometimes. The most recent game was in 2019, and there are no plans to play again soon.

Houston

See also: Bayou Bucket Classic

Rice and Houston have a special game called the Bayou Bucket Classic. They play for a bucket that was turned into a trophy. The schools are only five miles apart in Houston. Houston has won more games in this rivalry.

SMU

See also: Battle for the Mayor's Cup

Rice and SMU have played each other many times since 1918. SMU has won more of these games. Both schools are private and are considered two of the best universities in Texas.

Texas

See also: Rice–Texas football rivalry

Rice and Texas have played each other for a long time. Texas has won most of these games, including a very long streak of wins. In 1994, Rice had a big surprise win, but Texas has been winning again since then. Texas leads in the total number of wins in this rivalry.

College Football Hall of Fame

See also: College Football Hall of Fame

Eight former Rice players and coaches have been honored by being placed in the College Football Hall of Fame.

All-Americans

As of 2017, 18 players from the Rice Owls football team have been named All-America, with 6 of these selections being consensus choices.

† Consensus selection

Other notable players

Many Rice Owls football players have gone on to play professional football. Some of these players include Tony Barker, who played for the Washington Redskins, and Chris Boswell, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Others include O.J. Brigance, who played for several teams, and James Casey, who played as a tight end and fullback for multiple teams.

Additional players like Bryce Callahan with the Chicago Bears, Earl Cooper with the San Francisco 49ers, and Vince Courville, who played as a wide receiver for various teams, have also contributed to the success of professional teams. Many more Rice alumni have made their mark in the professional football world.

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of July 8, 2025.