The 2026 Rice Football schedule was released by the American Conference on Thursday, including a full 12-game slate.
Opponents have been known for some time, but now we have dates and an order of play. The 2026 Rice football got a bit more real with the formal announcement by the conference office on Thursday which laid out the full slate of games the Owls will play this coming fall.
The American released this statement concurrently with the schedule:
The nonconference schedule is highlighted by six games against teams ranked in the top 25 of the final 2025 Associated Press poll, including three matchups against College Football Playoff participants and a showdown with defending national champion Indiana.
Teams from the American will play nine nonconference games against the Sun Belt, five against the newly reformed Pac-12 and SEC, four against the Mountain West, Conference USA and MAC, and three against the Big Ten. Additional matchups include two games against the Big 12, one against the ACC, as well as games against Notre Dame and UConn.
In conference play, 52 of the 56 league games will feature at least one team that played in Bowl Season last year.
Each of the 14 teams in the American will play eight conference games in 2026. The top two teams in the final single-division regular-season standings will meet in the American Conference Football Championship, which will be played Saturday, December 5.
So, here it is, the 2026 Rice Football schedule:
| Date | Opponent | H/A |
|---|---|---|
| Sep. 5, 2026 | Houston Christian | Home |
| Sep. 12, 2026 | Notre Dame | Away |
| Sep. 19, 2026 | Western Michigan | Home |
| Sep. 26, 2026 | Fresno State | Away |
| Oct. 3, 2026 | UTSA | Home |
| Oct. 10, 2026 | East Carolina | Away |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Tulsa | Home |
| Oct. 24, 2026 | Florida Atlantic | Away |
| Oct. 31, 2026 | — OFF — | — |
| Nov. 7, 2026 | North Texas | Away |
| Nov. 14, 2026 | Tulane | Home |
| Nov. 19, 2026 | Temple (Thr) | Away |
| Nov. 28, 2026 | Army | Home |
Full Conference Schedule
Rice Schedule Release Video and Schedule
Rice Football News
Rice Football Recruiting: CB Jacob Lee commits to Owls
The Roost Podcast | Ep. 227 – 2026 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas
Rice Football Recruiting: QB Viktor Lachambre commits to Owls
Rice Football Recruiting: OL Jackson Hooker commits to Owls
Rice Football: 2026 Summer Roster Updates
Rice football got its roster on campus for summer workouts this past week, with a few notable adjustments from where the team left off this spring. Rice football strength coach Lew Caralla became a busy man this week when he received a new crop of Owls to work with this summer. Players officially reported for … Read more
Rice Football Recruiting: CB Jacob Lee commits to Owls
The 2027 Rice Football Recruiting has its first defensive pledge in the fold. Cy Ranch cornerback Jacob Lee has committed to the Owls. The first four commitments of the 2027 Rice Football recruiting class were all on the offensive side of the ball, but the Owls remained diligent in their efforts to land impact players … Read more
The Roost Podcast | Ep. 227 – 2026 Rice Football Opponent Previews: North Texas
The 2026 Rice Football season previews march on. This week, we’re joined by JD Davis to look ahead at North Texas. North Texas is starting over in 2026. After losing their head coach, quarterback and a good chunk of their roster and staff to Oklahoma State this past offseason, where do the Mean Green sit … Read more
Rice Football Recruiting: QB Viktor Lachambre commits to Owls
The 2027 Rice Football Recruiting went international and landed a signal caller. Quarterback Viktor Lachambre has committed to the Owls. Founded in 2019, the NFL Academy has created a steady stream of college football talent over the past several years. 12 NFL Academy graduates signed with US colleges last winter, and now, the 2027 Rice … Read more
Rice Football Recruiting: OL Jackson Hooker commits to Owls
Another important addition up front has joined the 2027 Rice Football Recruiting. Offensive lineman Jackson Hooker has committed to the Owls. The future of the offense continues to look brighter and brighter around South Main as the program stockpiles future talent, starting with a serious commitment to the offensive trenches. Offensive lineman Jackson Hooker has … Read more