2018 Rice Owls football team


The 2018 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at the Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA. They were led by first-year head coach Mike Bloomgren. They finished the season 2–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the West Division.

Previous season

The Owls finished the 2017 season 1–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in sixth place in the West Division.
On November 27, head coach David Bailiff was fired. He finished at Rice with an 11-year record of 57–80.

Preseason

Preseason All-CUSA team

Conference USA released their preseason all-CUSA team on July 16, 2018, with the Owls having one player selected.
Special teams
Jack Fox – P

Preseason media poll

Conference USA released their preseason media poll on July 17, 2018, with the Owls predicted to finish in a tie for sixth place in the West Division.
West Division

Schedule

Game summaries

Prairie View A&M

Houston

at Hawaii

at Southern Miss

at Wake Forest

UTSA

UAB

at FIU

at North Texas

UTEP

at Louisiana Tech

at LSU

Old Dominion