Rice football will not play UTSA on Saturday. Instead, the game has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues at UTSA.
For the first time since resuming its season on Oct. 24, Rice football has had a game taken off its schedule. The Owls were expected to play UTSA on Saturday, Nov. 7, but the teams announced the game will not be played due to COVID-19 issues at UTSA. The Rice team was informed of the news for the first time early Friday morning.
The teams do not share any opponent dates. Both schools were originally available on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12, but Conference USA filled those dates for Rice just this week. Rice is now scheduled to play Marshall on Dec. 5 and UAB on Dec. 12.
There has been no word from the league office as to whether or not divisional games would take precedent in a situation like this. If they do, the move could actually be a net positive for Rice. The Owls could presumably swap the Marshall game for UTSA and potentially get multiple defensive starters back against Louisiana Tech.
The postponement of the UTSA game marks the sixth announced scheduling change this fall and the ninth game to be added or removed fro the Owls’ schedule. Rice has also seen the postponement of games against Houston and Army, LSU, Lamar, Marshall and UAB, plus the rescheduling of the Marshall and UAB games.
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For now, Rice joins a group of 12 Conference USA schools to have at least one game postponed so far this season. Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee, both of which have played seven games, are the only C-USA schools that have yet to experience a midweek turn of events like this.
Rice football will take the field next on Nov. 14 at Louisiana Tech. The next home game is scheduled for No.v 28 against UTEP. With the cancellation, the Owls will now go more than a month without a home game at Rice Stadium. As things currently stand, Rice would still have the opportunity to play enough games to qualify for the Conference USA Championship Game on Dec. 18.
