The 2026 Rice Football Schedule runs 12 regular-season games with six home matchups at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. Rice opens the season at home against Houston Christian on Saturday, September 5 at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN+, then heads on the road for back-to-back high-profile matchups at Notre Dame (3:30 PM ET on NBC/Peacock) and Fresno State (10:00 PM ET on CW). The American Conference announced kickoff times and television assignments for the first three weeks and key prime-time games on May 27, with conference games landing on CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN networks, and ABC.
2026 Rice Owls Football Overview
Scott Abell enters his second season as the Rice head coach in 2026. The Owls compete in the American Conference (AAC) with a bye on Saturday, October 31 on the slate and a regular season that closes with the home finale vs Army on Saturday, November 28.
2026 Rice Football Schedule
| Wk | Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat, Sep 5 | vs Houston Christian Huskies | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| 2 | Sat, Sep 12 | @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 3:30 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| 3 | Sat, Sep 19 | vs Western Michigan Broncos | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| 4 | Sat, Sep 26 | @ Fresno State Bulldogs | 10:00 PM | CW |
| 5 | Sat, Oct 3 | vs UTSA Roadrunners | TBD | TBD |
| 6 | Sat, Oct 10 | @ East Carolina Pirates | TBD | TBD |
| 7 | Sat, Oct 17 | vs Tulsa Golden Hurricane | TBD | TBD |
| 8 | Sat, Oct 24 | @ Florida Atlantic Owls | TBD | TBD |
| BYE | Sat, Oct 31 | Open Date – Bye Week | – | – |
| 10 | Sat, Nov 7 | @ North Texas Mean Green | TBD | TBD |
| 11 | Sat, Nov 14 | vs Tulane Green Wave | TBD | TBD |
| 12 | Thu, Nov 19 | @ Temple Owls | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| 13 | Sat, Nov 28 | vs Army Black Knights | TBD | TBD |
All times Eastern. Bold entries are network-confirmed from the May 27, 2026 American Conference broadcast release. Most remaining games will be announced about 12 days before kickoff. The conference’s Black Friday flex window (Nov 27/28) finalizes specific game selections by October 11.
More 2026 College Football Resources
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub (printable PDFs by team and conference)
- All American Conference Team Schedule PDFs
2026 Rice Football FAQ
Who is Rice’s head coach in 2026?
Scott Abell enters his second season as the Rice head coach in 2026.
How many home games does Rice have in 2026?
Rice Owls have six home games on the 2026 schedule, all played at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.
When is Rice’s bye week in 2026?
Rice has a bye on Saturday, October 31 on the 2026 schedule.
When will Rice’s remaining game times and TV channels be announced?
Remaining American Conference game times and TV assignments are announced about 12 days before each game. CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN family, ABC, and the league’s Thursday and Friday primetime slots are already locked in from the May 27 broadcast release.
When does Rice play Notre Dame in 2026?
Rice travels to Notre Dame on Saturday, September 12 at 3:30 PM ET on NBC/Peacock, the first time the Owls have visited South Bend in program history.
