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Rice Football Madness Final 4: Finding the best team in program history

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Rice Football Madness is nearing its end. Two rounds are in the books with two more still to go. Here are the teams that made the Final 4.

There have been many great Rice football teams throughout the years, but there can only be one champion. We’ve seeded the top 16 in a head-to-head bracket. Cast your votes on the form below. Voting closes daily at noon. We’ll be conducting one round of votes each day this week and crowning our champion on Friday. May the best team win!

Note: To curb some ballot stuffing you’ll need to include an email in your entry this time around.

More: Calvin Anderson joins The Roost Podcast (Oct. 2019)

Elite 8 Results

1) 1949 def. 9) 1942 with 100% of the vote
2) 1953 def. 7) 1934 with 81% of the vote
3) 2013 def. 11) 1957 with 52% of the vote
4) 2008 def. 5) 1946 with 63% of the vote

Final 4

1) 1949 vs 4) 2008

Led by Jess Neely, the 1949 team (10-1, 6-0 SWC) finished its season as Cotton Bowl Champions, beating No. 19 North Carolina to cap off the first 10-win season in program history. The Owls were voted No. 5 in the nation in the AP Poll, the highest finish in program history. Notable victories included: No. 10 SMU, No. 10 Texas and No. 9 Baylor.

Led by David Bailiff, the 2008 team (10-3, 7-1 C-USA) made a dramatic jump from Bailiff’s first Rice team in 2007. The 2008 Owls won seven more games, finishing tied for first place in the C-USA West and beating Western Michigan in the Texas Bowl. With Chase Clement at quarterback, the duo Jarett Dillard and James Casey was arguable among the best receiving combos in the nation.

2) 1953 vs 3) 2013

Led by Jess Neely, the 1953 team (9-2, 5-1 SWC) went on to finish No. 6 in the nation, routing Alabama in the Cotton Bowl 28-6. Dicky Meagle set a single-season school record, averaging 7.31 yards per attempt rushing. The Owls lone losses came by a combined 11 points. Their wins were louder. Rice beat No. 15 Florida, No. 17 Baylor, Texas and TCU.

Led by David Bailiff, the 2013 team (10-4, 7-1 C-USA) won the Owls’ only Conference USA Championship, defeating Marshall in the title game. Taylor McHargue and Charles Ross paced the offense while Christian Covington patrolled the defensive side of the ball.

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Rice Football Madness Elite 8: Finding the best team in program history

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Rice Football Madness is in full swing. With half the field eliminated, it’s time to cut it down again. Here are the teams that made the Elite 8.

There have been many great Rice football teams throughout the years, but there can only be one champion. We’ve seeded the top 16 in a head-to-head bracket. Cast your votes on the form below. Voting closes daily at noon. We’ll be conducting one round of votes each day this week and crowning our champion on Friday. May the best team win!

More: Calvin Anderson joins The Roost Podcast (Oct. 2019)

Sweet 16 Results

1) 1949 def. 16) 2001 with 89% of the vote
2) 1953 def. 15) 2006 with 82% of the vote
3) 2013 def. 14) 1996 with 67% of the vote
4) 2008 def. 13) 1961 with 90% of the vote
5) 1946 def. 12) 2014 with 74% of the vote
11) 1957 def. 6) 1937 with 87% of the vote — UPSET
7) 1934 def. 10) 1917 with 92% of the vote
9) 1942 def. 8) 1919 with 51% of the vote — UPSET

Elite 8

1) 1949 vs 9) 1942

Led by Jess Neely, the 1949 team (10-1, 6-0 SWC) finished its season as Cotton Bowl Champions, beating No. 19 North Carolina to cap off the first 10-win season in program history. The Owls were voted No. 5 in the nation in the AP Poll, the highest finish in program history. Notable victories included: No. 10 SMU, No. 10 Texas and No. 9 Baylor.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1942 team (7-2-1, 4-1-1 SWC) finished second in the SWC, their highest conference finish since 1919. That season, the Owls celebrated victories over LSU, Arkansas, No. 18 TCU, Baylor and SMU. Their only loss to a Texas-based school came at home against No. 15 Texas in a close one, falling 12-7.

2) 1953 vs 7) 1934

Led by Jess Neely, the 1953 team (9-2, 5-1 SWC) went on to finish No. 6 in the nation, routing Alabama in the Cotton Bowl 28-6. Dicky Meagle set a single-season school record, averaging 7.31 yards per attempt rushing. The Owls lone losses came by a combined 11 points. Their wins were louder. Rice beat No. 15 Florida, No. 17 Baylor, Texas and TCU.

Led by Jimmy Kitts in his first season at the helm of the Owls, the 1934 team (9-1-1, 5-1 SWC) won the SWC for the first time in program history. Their seven-game winning streak is still tied for the third-best winning run in school history. Notable victories included: Purdue, SMU, Texas and Texas A&M.

3) 2013 vs 11) 1957

Led by David Bailiff, the 2013 team (10-4, 7-1 C-USA) won the Owls’ only Conference USA Championship, defeating Marshall in the title game. Taylor McHargue and Charles Ross paced the offense while Christian Covington patrolled the defensive side of the ball.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1957 team (7-4, 5-1 SWC) won the SWC, riding All-American quarterback King Hill to one of the most exciting season finishes the home crowds at Rice Stadium have ever seen. Rice beat No. 12 Arkansas, No. 1 Texas A&M and Baylor in November to set up another trip to the Cotton Bowl.

4) 2008 vs 5) 1946

Led by David Bailiff, the 2008 team (10-3, 7-1 C-USA) made a dramatic jump from Bailiff’s first Rice team in 2007. The 2008 Owls won seven more games, finishing tied for first place in the C-USA West and beating Western Michigan in the Texas Bowl. With Chase Clement at quarterback, the duo Jarett Dillard and James Casey was arguable among the best receiving combos in the nation.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1946 team (9-2, 5-1 SWC) won the conference and finished the season No. 10 in the AP Poll. The Owls lost a 7-6 nailbiter to LSU on opening day before reeling off 9 victories in their final 10 games including an Orange Bowl win. Notable victories included: No. 3 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee.

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Rice Football Madness: The Owls’ best team in program history

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In lieu of March Madness and the lack of a bracket for the hardwood, we’ve put together one to determine the best Rice Football team in program history.

There have been many great Rice football teams throughout the years, but there can only be one champion. We’ve seeded the top 16 in a head-to-head bracket. Cast your votes on the form below. Voting closes daily at noon. We’ll be conducting one round of votes each day this week and crowning our champion on Friday. May the best team win!

More: Calvin Anderson joins The Roost Podcast (Oct. 2019)

Sweet 16

1) 1949 vs 16) 2001

Led by Jess Neely, the 1949 team (10-1, 6-0 SWC) finished its season as Cotton Bowl Champions, beating No. 19 North Carolina to cap off the first 10-win season in program history. The Owls were voted No. 5 in the nation in the AP Poll, the highest finish in program history. Notable victories included: No. 10 SMU, No. 10 Texas and No. 9 Baylor.

Led by Ken Hatfield, the 2001 team (8-4, 5-3 WAC) started the season 6-1 with wins over rival Houston, Duke, Hawaii, Boise State, Navy and Nevada. Those were the June Jones days of the Rainbow Warriors and the beginnings of the Broncos’ dynasty.

2) 1953 vs 15) 2006

Led by Jess Neely, the 1953 team (9-2, 5-1 SWC) went on to finish No. 6 in the nation, routing Alabama in the Cotton Bowl 28-6. Dicky Meagle set a single-season school record, averaging 7.31 yards per attempt rushing. The Owls lone losses came by a combined 11 points. Their wins were louder. Rice beat No. 15 Florida, No. 17 Baylor, Texas and TCU.

Led by Todd Graham in his lone season in Houston, the 2006 team (7-6, 6-2 C-USA) got off to a painful 1-5 start. Then the Owls righted the ship, winning their last six regular season games including a double-overtime contest against Tulsa. Rice would as the runner-up in the C-USA West, an impressive lead from the inauspicious start.

3) 2013 vs 14) 1996

Led by David Bailiff, the 2013 team (10-4, 7-1 C-USA) won the Owls’ only Conference USA Championship, defeating Marshall in the title game. Taylor McHargue and Charles Ross paced the offense while Christian Covington patrolled the defensive side of the ball.

Led by Ken Hatfield, the 1996 team (7-4, 6-2 WAC) finished second in the Mountain Division. The highlight of the season was a 51-10 thumping of then No. 20 Utah with Mike Fouts at quarterback. That year three different Owls had 100 or more carries with Chad Nelson leading the team with 801 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

4) 2008 vs 13) 1961

Led by David Bailiff, the 2008 team (10-3, 7-1 C-USA) made a dramatic jump from Bailiff’s first Rice team in 2007. The 2008 Owls won seven more games, finishing tied for first place in the C-USA West and beating Western Michigan in the Texas Bowl. With Chase Clement at quarterback, the duo Jarett Dillard and James Casey was arguable among the best receiving combos in the nation.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1961 team (7-4, 5-2 SWC) boasts the program’s only trip to the Bluebonnet Bowl, then hosted at Rice Stadium. The Owls did not win the game, but they had a few other notable victories that season. including an upset of No. 5 LSU in their season opener.

5) 1946 vs 12) 2014

Led by Jess Neely, the 1946 team (9-2, 5-1 SWC) won the conference and finished the season No. 10 in the AP Poll. The Owls lost a 7-6 nailbiter to LSU on opening day before reeling off 9 victories in their final 10 games including an Orange Bowl win. Notable victories included: No. 3 Texas, No. 8 Tennessee.

Led by David Bailiff, the 2014 team (8-5, 5-3 C-USA) finished second in C-USA West despite an 0-3 start. The Owls rallied as soon as senior wideout Jordan Taylor re-entered the lineup. With Taylor on the field, Rice finished the season 7-2, highlighted by four separate 100-yard outings from Taylor.

6) 1937 vs 11) 1957

Led by Jimmy Kitts, the 1937 team (6-3-2, 4-1-1 SWC) won the Owls’ second SWC title in four seasons, rebounding from season opening losses to Oklahoma and LSU to finish the remainder of the year 6-1-2. Rice closed the season with a Cotton Bowl win over No. 16 Colorado. Notable victories included: No. 12 Auburn, No. 16 Arkansas.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1957 team (7-4, 5-1 SWC) won the SWC, riding All-American quarterback King Hill to one of the most exciting season finishes the home crowds at Rice Stadium have ever seen. Rice beat No. 12 Arkansas, No. 1 Texas A&M and Baylor in November to set up another trip to the Cotton Bowl.

7) 1934 vs 10) 1917

Led by Jimmy Kitts in his first season at the helm of the Owls, the 1934 team (9-1-1, 5-1 SWC) won the SWC for the first time in program history. Their seven-game winning streak is still tied for the third-best winning run in school history. Notable victories included: Purdue, SMU, Texas and Texas A&M.

Led by Phil Arbuckle, the first Rice football coach in program history, the 1917 team (7-1, 1-1 SWC) defeated Texas for the first time in school history and won their first seven games. The Owls’ tenacious defense allowed zero first downs against Austin College, still the fewest in school history.

8) 1919 vs 9) 1942

Led by Phil Arbuckle, the first Rice football coach in program history, the 1919 team (8-1, 3-1 SWC) marked the most victories the Owls had ever has in a single season. That mark would not be broken until 1934. Team captain Shirley Brick would become the first-ever Rice player selected to receive All-SWC honors.

Led by Jess Neely, the 1942 team (7-2-1, 4-1-1 SWC) finished second in the SWC, their highest conference finish since 1919. That season, the Owls celebrated victories over LSU, Arkansas, No. 18 TCU, Baylor and SMU. Their only loss to a Texas-based school came at home against No. 15 Texas in a close one, falling 12-7.

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Rice Football Recruiting 2021 Commitment Tracker

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The 2021 Rice football recruiting class is beginning to take shape. Here’s where the class currently stands with live updates with each commitment.

Follow every offer and commitment, get insight and analysis on the class and so much more on our official Rice Football Recruiting Tracker, available now for subscribers. Subscribe here for access.

Player Pos. Hometown Commit Date
DJ Arkansas LB Denton, TX 4/14/2020
Desmyn Baker LB Clinton, MS 12/16/2020
Blake Boenisch DL Needville, TX 3/9/2020
Jake Constantine QB Weber State [Transfer] 1/5/2021
Jayden Folmar WR Dothan, AL 11/20/2020
Jalen Hargrove DL Wallingford, CT 11/13/2020
Jaggar Hebeisen TE Colleyville, TX 4/6/2020
Shawqi Itraish QB Bradenton, FL 6/16/2020
Jojo Jean CB Lakeland, FL 11/30/2020
John Long OL Lampasas, TX 10/14/2020
Elroyal Morris DL Houston, TX 4/24/2020
Ethan Onianwa OL Katy, TX 4/30/2020
Tre Patterson WR New Mexico [Transfer] 12/19/2020
Faaeanuu Pepe OL Orange, CA 3/8/2020
Kenny Seymour LB Houston, TX 3/11/2020
Aidan Siano LB Prosper, TX 3/12/2020
Peyton Stevenson WR Demopolis, AL 9/17/2020
Michael Taaffe CB Austin, TX 11/5/2020
Connor Welsh FB Birdville, TX 11/12/2020
Marcus Williams Saf Hoover, AL 8/17/2020
Joshua Williams Saf Linden, AL 7/31/2020
Cal Varner DE Katy, TX 12/11/2020

*Denotes an early enrollee

This is the latest verbally committed players for the Rice Football 2021 recruiting classes. The list will be updated to reflect the Owls’ current commitments as information comes in. More information on the 2020 Rice Football recruiting class is available here. 2019 class information can be found here.

Each profile was written at the time of the commitment. Some secondary details may have changed, but player information and analysis remains relevant. As available, each profile will include relevant highlights and news regarding each recruit.

Important dates to know

The early signing period takes place in mid-December. The Owls expect the majority of their 2021 class to sign at that time, as has been the case in both the 2019 and 2020 classes under Mike Bloomgren. Recruits who don’t sign will wait until National Signing Day which falls on the first Wednesday of February.

What if this list doesn’t match a major recruiting service?

Recruiting services such as 247 and Rivals typically prioritize the highest ranked players. It’s not uncommon for 2-star and even 3-star players to not be accounted for immediately. The delay could become even more significant following 247’s changes to their recruiting model in 2019. Players won’t be considered for their composite ranking until they get a ranking by 247 themselves. For these reasons, The Roost list is the best list.

All football recruiting updates are maintained on our recruiting page. More timely updates can be found by following The Roost on Twitter and Facebook. Have questions? Reach out on either of those platforms, post in The Aviary, or shoot us a message using the contact form.

Latest updates

Rice Football, Rice Football Recruiting, Jacob Swain

Rice Football Recruiting: CB James Henderson commits to Owls

Posted: June 19, 2025

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class didn’t have to go far to add a difference maker in the secondary. Cy Falls corner back James Henderson has committed to the Owls. Even in today’s ever-changing recruiting environment, getting players to campus remains a crucial piece of the process. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class set itself […]

Rice Football, Rice Football Recruiting, JD Singletary

Rice Football Recruiting: EDGE JD Singletary commits to Owls

Posted: June 12, 2025

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has added another pass rusher to its ranks. Middletown (OH) edge JD Singletary has committed to the Owls. The defensive front is looking rather nice as far as the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class is concerned. Following a commitment from defensive end Quincy Tchikou to kick off the month […]

Rice Football, Rice Football Recruiting, Jacob Swain

Rice Football Recruiting: SLOT Jacob Swain commits to Owls

Posted: June 10, 2025

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class just picked up another playmaker on offense. Melissa (TX) wide receiver Jacob Swain has committed to the Owls. Do-it-all players at the high school level tend to become difference makers at the next. The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class picked up one such star player from in-state. Melissa athlete […]

Rice Football, Rice Football Recruiting, Prince Hall

Rice Football Recruiting: WR Prince Hall commits to Owls

Posted: June 9, 2025

The 2026 Rice Football recruiting class continues to stockpile offensive weapons. Ellison wide receiver Prince Hall has committed to the Owls. Following a spring bent on filling the final roster spots before the 2025 season arrives, the 2026 Rice Football recruiting class has taken center stage in the focus of the staff on South Main. […]

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NCAA eligibility recommendation spawns more questions

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The rapid cancelations of spring athletics put student athletes in a tragic spot. NCAA eligibility waivers could be an answer, but how would they work?

The continuously churning sports news cycle got more complicated on Friday when Jeff Goodman tweeted this regarding potential changes to NCAA eligibility processes:

Goodman was working off a communication that would be published later in the day. His report caught the spirit of what the NCAA would release later that day, but wasn’t completely accurate. The NCAA announced later Friday afternoon that they had “agreed that eligibility relief is appropriate” for athletes competing in spring sports. This would include sports like baseball, softball, track and field, swimming, tennis and others.

Agreeing that something should be done is not the same as a mandate. If the 2021 spring sports calendar were to happen tomorrow, there would be no new eligibility rules in place. Before any of this promise can be enacted, several more questions need to be answered:

1. How are scholarships counted?

Different levels and different sports have different scholarship limitations. In many sports, only a portion of the team can be on full academic scholarships for a given semester. Will scholarship limits be expanded? Who pays for the additional scholarships?

2. Will rosters be expanded?

Beyond scholarship situations, college rosters have limitations on the numbers of players they can have at any one time. If all seniors are granted an additional season, how does a school reconcile the unexpected returning players with a new signee class already committed to enroll in the fall? Do rosters expand? If so, to how many spots and for how long?

3. Who gets the extra eligibility?

Restoring an additional year of eligibility to all parties is going to be a challenging puzzle to solve. Would restoring the year to only seniors be a possibility? What about the MLB Draft? If a player is selected this year and opts not to return to school, does that extra year of eligibility disappear? Could the school allocate it to another player?

4. What about the winter sports?

The spring sports are in their initial weeks, but most school’s basketball seasons were in their final days, some down to a final game. Is it “fair” to restore eligibility to those players who were denied NCAA Tournament berths? I’m sure there would be seniors that would much rather get another shot at March Madness than start working a nine-to-five.

5. What about school?

And that brings us to school. These are student athletes we’re talking about and several players in this sample were graduates already. Would they have to enroll in a master’s program to maintain their additional season of eligibility and if they’ve finished a degree would they have to start another?

We have more questions than answers right now, by a wide margin. The NCAA is routinely dragged through the mud for making comical decisions, but this cause is much more commendable. Executing this recommendation is going to be the hard part. Just like the concerns over the pandemic that forced these questions, things might get more complicated before any answers emerge.

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