Rice strength of schedule
2026 weekly schedule
H · 1 
A · 2 
H · 3 
A · 4 
H · 5 
A · 6 
H · 7 
A · 8 
A · 10 
H · 11 
A · 12 
H · 13 Tougher than average Easier than average · number = opponent's win total
Rice 2026 opponents
| Wk | Opponent | Site | Opp wins | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Christian | vs | 0 | Played |
| 2 | Notre Dame | @ | 10 | Played |
| 3 | Western Michigan | vs | 10 | Played |
| 4 | Fresno State | @ | 9 | Played |
| 5 | UTSA | vs | 7 | Played |
| 6 | East Carolina | @ | 9 | Upcoming |
| 7 | Tulsa | vs | 4 | Upcoming |
| 8 | Florida Atlantic | @ | 4 | Upcoming |
| 10 | North Texas | @ | 12 | Upcoming |
| 11 | Tulane | vs | 11 | Upcoming |
| 12 | Temple | @ | 5 | Upcoming |
| 13 | Army | vs | 7 | Upcoming |
Opponent strength = each opponent's win total in 2025, its last full season (records-based, no betting win totals are used). Schedule and records from CollegeFootballData. See the full conference strength-of-schedule ranking.
Rice Owls 2026 opponents by win total, week by week. Bars above the 6.4-win FBS average are tougher than average.
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Frequently asked questions
How hard is the Rice schedule in 2026?
Rice faces a tougher than average schedule in 2026. Its opponents averaged 7.3 wins in 2025, above the 6.4-win FBS average.
How is Rice strength of schedule measured?
Each opponent is rated by its 2025 win total (a full season, so early-season results don't skew it) and averaged across the Rice 2026 schedule.