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 Conference USA, 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 before joining C-USA on July 1, 2005. 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 sports rivalry include 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 have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. 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.
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 2013 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by third-year head coach Dan McCarney and played its home games at Apogee Stadium. It was the Mean Green's first season as members of Conference USA, competing in the West Division. The team earned a 9-4 record and won the 2014 Heart of Dallas Bowl. Additionally, it set a school record for average home attendance per game at 21,030. The defense was notable for being statistically the best second half defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision. It received two top 25 votes in the Coaches' Poll to end the season.
The 2013 Tulane Green Wave football team represented Tulane University in the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second year head coach Curtis Johnson and played home games at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. They were a member of Conference USA in the West Division. This was the Green Wave's last season playing in the Superdome and Conference USA as they will open the new, on-campus Yulman Stadium in the fall of 2014, and move to the American Athletic Conference in July 2014. They finished the season 7–6, 5–3 in C-USA play to finish in fourth place in the West Division. They were invited to the New Orleans Bowl where they lost to Louisiana–Lafayette.
The 2013 Conference USA football season is an NCAA football season that was played from August 2013 through January 2014. The 2013 football season marked the 19th season of the conference's existence and 18th of football competition; although C-USA was established in 1995, it did not begin football competition until 1996.
The 2013 Conference USA Football Championship Game, which determined the 2013 football champion of Conference USA (C-USA), was played at noon Eastern Standard Time on December 7 at Rice Stadium in Houston. The game featured the winners of the conference's East division, the Marshall Thundering Herd, and the winners of the West division, the Rice Owls.
The 2014 Conference USA football season was a part of the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was played from August 2014 through January 2015. The 2014 football season marks the 20th season of the Conference USA's existence and 19th of football competition; although C-USA was established in 1995, it did not begin football competition until 1996.
The 2014 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was led by eighth-year head coach David Bailiff and played its home games at Rice Stadium. The team was a member of the West Division of Conference USA. They finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Hawaii Bowl where they defeated Fresno State.
The 2015 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the West Division of Conference USA. They were led by ninth year head coach David Bailiff and played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. They finished the season 5–7, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in a three way tie for third place in the West Division.
The 2015 Florida Atlantic Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season as members of the East Division of Conference USA. They were led by second-year head coach Charlie Partridge and played their home games at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida. They finished the season 3–9, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in a three way tie for fourth place in the East Division.
The 2016 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2016 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 tenth year head coach David Bailiff. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the East Division.
The 2016 Florida Atlantic Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at the FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by third-year head coach Charlie Partridge. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the East Division.
The 2017 Florida Atlantic Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at the FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida, and competed in the East Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They were led by first-year head coach Lane Kiffin. They finished the season 11–3, 8–0 in C-USA play to win the East Division title and represented the East Division in the Conference USA Championship Game where they defeated North Texas to be crowned C-USA champions. They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl, where they defeated Akron.
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 2018 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2018 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 first-year head coach Mike Bloomgren. They finished the season 2–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the West Division.
The 2019 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2019 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 second-year head coach Mike Bloomgren. They finished the season 3–9, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in the West Division. Notably, they started the season on a nine-game losing streak before closing out the season by winning their final three games.
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.
The 2020 Conference USA football season was the 25th season of college football play for Conference USA (C-USA). It was played from September 3, 2020 until December 18, 2020. The league consisted of 14 members in two divisions. It was part of the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season.
The 2021 Rice Owls football team will represent Rice University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls will play their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, and compete in the West Division of Conference USA (C–USA). They will be led by fourth-year head coach Mike Bloomgren.
