2021 Rice Owls football team

2021 Rice Owls football
Conference	Conference USA
Division	West Division
Record	4–8 (3–5 C-USA)
Head coach	Mike Bloomgren (4th season)
Offensive coordinator	Marques Tuiasosopo (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Brian Smith (4th season)
Base defense	Multiple 3–4
Home stadium	Rice Stadium

2021 Conference USA football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Western Kentucky xy		7	–	1					9	–	5
Marshall		5	–	3					7	–	6
Old Dominion		5	–	3					6	–	7
Middle Tennessee		4	–	4					7	–	6
Florida Atlantic		3	–	5					5	–	7
Charlotte		3	–	5					5	–	7
FIU		0	–	8					1	–	11
West Division
UTSA xy$		7	–	1					12	–	2
UAB		6	–	2					9	–	4
North Texas		5	–	3					6	–	7
UTEP		4	–	4					7	–	6
Rice		3	–	5					4	–	8
Southern Miss		2	–	6					3	–	9
Louisiana Tech		2	–	6					3	–	9
Championship: UTSA 49, Western Kentucky 41
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

The 2021 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University in the 2021 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 (C–USA). They were led by fourth-year head coach Mike Bloomgren.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	1:00 p.m.	at Arkansas*	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	ESPN+/SECN+	L 17–38	60,065
September 11	5:30 p.m.	Houston*	Rice Stadium Houston, TX (rivalry)	CBSSN	L 7–44	26,253
September 18	7:00 p.m.	at Texas*	Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX (rivalry)	LHN	L 0–58	91,978
September 25	5:30 p.m.	Texas Southern*	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN3	W 48–34	18,326
October 2	5:30 p.m.	Southern Miss	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN3	W 24–19	16,031
October 16	5:00 p.m.	at UTSA	Alamodome San Antonio, TX	ESPN+	L 0–45	27,515
October 23	2:30 p.m.	at UAB	Protective Stadium Birmingham, AL	ESPN+	W 30–24	24,845
October 30	1:00 p.m.	North Texas	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN3	L 24–30 OT	17,354
November 6	2:30 p.m.	at Charlotte	Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte, NC	ESPN+	L 24–31 OT	16,050
November 13	1:00 p.m.	Western Kentucky	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN+	L 21–42	17,883
November 20	3:00 p.m.	at UTEP	Sun Bowl El Paso, TX	ESPN+	L 28–38	10,097
November 27	12:00 p.m.	Louisiana Tech	Rice Stadium Houston, TX	ESPN+	W 35–31	15,832
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time