Rice football concludes non-conference play this week against Fresno State on the road. How to watch, key stats, x-factor picks and more.
Both Fresno State and Rice football took one-score games into the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs prevailed, scoring 13 unanswered points on their way to a 26-10 win over San Jose State. The Owls came up short, dropping a 28-21 contest to Western Michigan at home. That sets up a pivotal Week 4 matchup for both squads this week. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between Rice and Fresno State.
Kickoff time | 9:00 PM
Venue | Valley Children’s Stadium – Fresno, CA
TV | CW (Viewing Guide)
Radio | Varsity Radio App (Online)
Gameday cartoon illustrated by Hong Lin Tsai.
Sizing up the Contenders
Like Rice, Fresno State is still trying to decipher its place in the college football landscape. The Bulldogs have been blown out by a ranked team (USC), crushed a team that was playing FCS football last year (Sacramento State) and won a close one against a G6 opponent (San Jose State). Saturday marks another litmus test for the Bulldogs to discover where they sit in that hierarchy before Pac-12 play begins in October.
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It’s dangerous to extrapolate a one-game sample size too far, but Rice football discovered it’s within striking distance of one of the better G6 programs last week. Their task will be finishing and avoiding a 1-3 start. Such a tough opening wouldn’t inhibit the Owls’ aspirations to contend in the American, but it would make for a rather discouraging start to a season that’s had plenty of bright spots, the Notre Dame loss, aside.
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Last Time Out
Make sure you check out The Roost Podcast every week this season as we review the Owls’ most recent game, breaking down the key moments, decisions and their impact on the outlook of the program moving forward.
Series History
All-Time | Fresno State leads, 6-1
Last Five | Fresno State leads, 4-1
Last Meeting | Hawaii Bowl 2014, Rice won 30-6
Rice Football Stat Notables
Passing | Brown – 22/36 (61.1 percent), 203 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Rushing | Brown – 52 carries, 258 yards (5.0 yds/car), 1 TD / Byars – 31 carries, 146 yards (4.7 yds/car), 1 TD / Hardeman Jr. – 31 carries, 133 yards (4.3 yds/car), 1 TD / Morgan – 7 carries, 54 yards (7.7 yds/car)
Receiving | Jackson Jr. – 5 receptions, 77 yards (15.4 yds/rec), 1 TD / Clark – 5 receptions, 37 yards (7.4 yds/rec)
Tackles | Brown – 19 / King – 17 / Combs – 15
Pass Breakups | Benjamin, Amey – 2 / Akui, Ogbor, Brown – 1
Interceptions | Harper – 1
Fresno State Stat Notables
Passing | Mandal – 45/70 (64.3 percent), 579 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing | Donelson – 28 carries, 174 yards (6.2 yds/car), 4 TD / Luke – 25 carries, 73 yards (2.9 yds/car)
Receiving | Freeman – 12 receptions, 195 yards (16.3 yds/rec), 1 TD / Avit – 6 receptions, 161 yards (26.8 yds/rec), 1 TD / Luke – 9 receptions, 62 yards (6.9 yds/rec), 1 TD
Tackles | Thunderbird – 22 / S. Harris – 16 / Jacks – 15
Pass Breakups | Mouzon – 2 / S. Harris, Jacks, Goodspeed – 1
Interceptions | S. Harris, Tierney – 2, K. Harris – 1
Fresno State X-Factor | Win on Early Downs
Fresno State is one of the worst third-down offenses in the country so far, but it would be a misnomer to blame those struggles solely on their effectiveness in those moments. For example, of the 16 third downs the Bulldogs faced last weekend against San Jose State, 13 of them came from 5+ yards out. That’s just not an effective way to live, particularly against quality defenses.
The numbers might not bear it out just yet, but Rice football has been solid in that phase, if not a tick or two better. Their defensive front has been impressive and their rebuilt secondary has held up against non-Notre Dame competition. At the very least, the Owls have proven they can get off the field on third and long, a claim most decent defenses can share.
The Owls want to control the clock, limit possessions, and force the Bulldogs to be perfect on their conversion attempts. The Broncos’ best counterpunch is to make those tries as easy as possible and that means winning on early downs.
Rice X-Factor | Make Them Earn It
Even when accounting for a handful of deep shots surrendered to Notre Dame, Rice football has been reasonably effective when it comes to keeping the ball in front of them. The Owls have allowed just three run plays of 20+ yards this season and three pass plays of 30+ yards.
The Western Michigan defeat is the perfect example of just how crucial limiting explosives will be for Rice football moving forward. The Broncos had one big pass for 34 yards, which resulted in a touchdown. They had one breakaway run for 66 yards, setting up a drive that ended in another score. That’s two touchdowns on two drives with major explosive plays and two touchdowns on the remaining eight drives combined.
Through three games, Fresno State has not been an explosive offense whatsoever. They have 12 total plays of 20+ yards. That plays right into what Rice wants to do on defense.
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One Final Thing
By virtue of last week’s loss, Rice football will officially begin the first third of the 2026 season with a worse record than in Abell’s debut 2025 campaign. The Owls started 3-1 that year and are 1-2 this time around. However, it only takes a cursory look to determine that the 2026 version of the program is much better than it was at this time last year.
The offense is better. The defense is better. The program is better. The record is not.
If the Owls aren’t careful, they could find themselves in a place in which they’re clearly a better team than they were a year ago but sport a worse record.
Only 12 games are promised. And while a third non-conference loss doesn’t preclude Rice football from bouncing back and finishing strong, it certainly would put this team further in the red despite showing so many promising signs that suggest they could be a .500 club, or perhaps better. That can’t be overcome on a single Saturday, but winning the next game is the next best cure.