A home opener against HCU, then a trip to Notre Dame in Week 2. A late-night road game at Fresno State that kicks off at 10:00 p.m. ET. And a Thursday night road trip to Temple in November. The Rice Football Schedule 2026 front-loads real difficulty before conference play settles in.
Rice Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | HCU Huskies | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Sat, Sep 12 | at Notre Dame Fighting Irish | Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN | 3:30 PM | NBC/Peacock |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Western Michigan Broncos | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | 7:00 PM | ESPN+ |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at Fresno State Bulldogs | Valley Children’s Stadium, Fresno, CA | 10:00 PM | The CW |
| Sat, Oct 3 | UTSA Roadrunners | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | at East Carolina Pirates | Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Greenville, NC | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | Tulsa Golden Hurricane | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | at Florida Atlantic Owls | Flagler CU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 31 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | at North Texas Mean Green | DATCU Stadium, Denton, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Tulane Green Wave (Homecoming) | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Thu, Nov 19 | at Temple Owls | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA | 7:30 PM | ESPN |
| Sat, Nov 28 | Army Black Knights | Rice Stadium, Houston, TX | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Dec 5 | American Championship | Site, City TBD | 8:00 PM | ABC |
A Home Opener, Then a Trip to Notre Dame
Rice Football Schedule 2026 opens against HCU before one of the toughest non-conference road tests in the country arrives immediately — a trip to Notre Dame on September 12. Western Michigan gives Houston a home date before a late-night road trip to Fresno State closes out an unusually demanding opening month.
UTSA at Home, Then a Road Trip to East Carolina
UTSA visits Rice Stadium before the Rice AAC schedule 2026 sends the Owls on the road to East Carolina. Tulsa returns Rice home before a road trip to Florida Atlantic closes out October, followed by a bye week on Halloween.
North Texas on the Road, Then Tulane for Homecoming
A road trip to North Texas opens November before Tulane visits for Homecoming on November 14. Rice vs Notre Dame 2026’s earlier difficulty is echoed by a Thursday night road trip to Temple just five days later — another short-week turnaround.
Closing at Home Against Army
The regular season closes at Rice Stadium against Army on November 28. If Rice qualifies for the American Championship, that game lands December 5.
The Bottom Line
Between Notre Dame, the late-night trip to Fresno State, and the Tulane-Temple short week, Rice faces a schedule that tests travel and conditioning as much as talent. The Rice football home games in 2026 offer real support, but how the Owls handle the November stretch through North Texas, Tulane, and Temple will decide how the season ends.
FAQ
Q: When does Rice football play its first game in 2026?
A: Rice opens the Rice Football Schedule 2026 at home against HCU on Saturday, September 5, at Rice Stadium.
Q: When is Rice vs Notre Dame 2026?
A: Rice vs Notre Dame 2026 is set for Saturday, September 12, on the road at Notre Dame Stadium, kickoff at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC/Peacock.
Q: How many home games does Rice play in 2026?
A: Rice has seven Rice football home games in 2026 at Rice Stadium: HCU, Western Michigan, UTSA, Tulsa, Tulane, and Army.
Q: What is Rice’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Tulane (home, Homecoming) through Temple (road, Thursday) — November 14 and November 19 — is the toughest short-week stretch on the Rice AAC schedule 2026, alongside the season-opening trip to Notre Dame.
