Rice University athletic teams are known as the Rice Owls. The name comes from the owls in Rice's crest. Rice participates in NCAA Division I athletics. A member of the American Athletic Conference, Rice sponsors teams in seven men's and seven women's NCAA sanctioned sports. Rice was a member of the Southwest Conference until its breakup in 1996. Rice then joined the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA, until joining the American Athletic Conference on July 1, 2023. The women's swimming team moved to The American in 2022 after C-USA dropped women's swimming & diving. Rice is the fifth-smallest school competing in NCAA Division I FBS football measured by undergraduate enrollment, just above the University of Tulsa's 2,756 and the three FBS United States service academies's approximate 4,500. Rice's rivals include the cross-town Houston Cougars.
The Rice Owls football program represents Rice University in the sport of American football. The team competes at the NCAA Division I FBS level and compete in the American Athletic Conference. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games. Rice has the second-smallest undergraduate enrollment of any FBS member, ahead of only Tulsa.
Sammy the Owl is the official mascot for the Rice Owls of Rice University.
The Rice Owls baseball team is the interscholastic baseball team representing Rice University in Houston, Texas, United States. The Owls have appeared often in the NCAA tournament since the tenure of head coach Wayne Graham began in 1992. The program participated in every tournament from 1995 until 2017, and won the national championship in 2003, the first national championship for Rice athletics in any team sport.
The 2009 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Owls, led by 3rd year head coach David Bailiff, played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. Rice finished the season 2–10 and 2–6 in CUSA play.
The 2011 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls were led by fifth-year head coach David Bailiff and played their home games at Rice Stadium. They are a member of the West Division of Conference USA. They finished the season 4–8, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in fourth place in the West Division.
The 2002 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Owls, led by head coach Ken Hatfield, played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The 2001 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Owls, led by head coach Ken Hatfield, played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.
The 1937 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1937 college football season. In its fourth season under head coach Jimmy Kitts, the team compiled a 6–3–2 record, won the conference championship, was ranked No. 18 in the final AP Poll, and outscored opponents by a total of 201 to 101.
The 1953 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1953 college football season. Led by 14th-year head coach Jess Neely, the Owls compiled an overall record of 9–2 with a mark of 5–1 in conference play, sharing the SWC title with Texas. Rice was ranked No. 6 in the final polls, which were conducted before bowl season. The Owls were invited to the 1954 Cotton Bowl Classic, played on New Years' Day, where they defeated Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion, Alabama. The team played home games at Rice Stadium in Houston.
The Rice–Texas football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Rice Owls and Texas Longhorns. Texas leads the series 74–21–1 through the 2021 season.
The 1920 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1920 college football season. In its eighth season under head coach Philip Arbuckle, the team compiled a 4–2–2 record, and outscored opponents by a total of 105 to 28.
The 1919 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1919 college football season. In its seventh season under head coach Philip Arbuckle, the team compiled an 8–1 record, and outscored opponents by a total of 190 to 60.
The 2017 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at the Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by eleventh-year head coach David Bailiff. They finished the season 1–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in sixth place in the West Division.
The 1998 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 1998 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The Owls, led by fifth-year head coach Ken Hatfield, played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Owls finished the season 5–6, 5–3 in WAC play to finish in fourth place in the Mountain Division.
The 1917 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1917 college football season. In its sixth season under head coach Philip Arbuckle, the team compiled a 7–1 record, and outscored opponents by a total of 228 to 55.
The 1916 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1916 college football season. In its fifth season under head coach Philip Arbuckle, the team compiled a 6–1–2 record and outscored opponents by a total of 346 to 62.
The 1926 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1926 college football season. In its third season under head coach John Heisman, the team compiled a 4–4–1 record and outscored opponents by a total of 84 to 81.
The 1927 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1927 college football season. In its fourth and final season under head coach John Heisman, the team compiled a 2–6–1 record and was outscored by a total of 160 to 64.
The 2020 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by third-year head coach Mike Bloomgren.
