2019 Rice Owls football team


The 2019 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Owls played their home games at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA. They were led by second-year head coach Mike Bloomgren. They finished the season 3–9, 3–5 in C-USA play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place in the West Division. Notably, they started the season on a nine-game losing streak before closing out the season by winning their final three games.

Previous season

The Owls finished the 2018 season 2–11, 1–7 in C-USA play to finish in a tie for sixth place in the West Division under first year head coach Mike Bloomgren. They were not invited/did not qualify for any postseason play. Despite the record, the Owls retained Bloomgren along with a majority of his staff.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released
Wuerffel TrophyNick LeverettOGSR

References:

C-USA media poll

The preseason poll was released prior to the Conference USA media days on July 17–18, 2019. The Owls were predicted to finish in sixth place in the C–USA West Division.
West Division

Preseason All–C-USA teams

The Owls were the only team in the West Division that had no players selected to the preseason All−Conference USA teams.

Recruiting class

References:

Personnel

Schedule

Source:

Game summaries

at Army

StatisticsWake ForestRice
First downs1920
Total yards513321
Rushing yards20167
Passing yards312254
Turnovers01
Time of possession23:4636:14

Wake Forest

vs. Texas

Baylor

Louisiana Tech

at UAB

StatisticsRiceUTSA
First downs2119
Total yards369361
Rushing yards146149
Passing yards223212
Turnovers41
Time of possession34:4425:16

at UTSA

Southern Miss

Marshall

at Middle Tennessee

North Texas

StatisticsRiceUTEP
First downs1618
Total yards371312
Rushing yards25699
Passing yards115213
Turnovers20
Time of possession27:2732:33

at UTEP

;Source: