The Rice University football team will take its 2026 season to one of the most iconic settings in college athletics Sept. 12, when the Owls travel to South Bend, Indiana, to face the University of Notre Dame.
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Stadium, with the game to be televised nationally on NBC.
For Rice, the matchup is about more than football. It brings together two storied universities known for academic excellence, proud traditions and close-knit residential communities.
“Playing at Notre Dame on national television is an incredible opportunity to showcase our amazing university and elevate our brand nationally,” said Eric George, Rice’s interim athletic director. “It will be a great experience and a big test for our football student-athletes, and it is a ‘bucket list’ trip for our fans. We are excited for the opportunity and the platform it will provide for Rice University and Rice Athletics.”
Rice and Notre Dame share meaningful connections beyond the field with key research collaborations spanning fields including biosciences, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, physics and astronomy, religion, sociology and statistics. Both universities also place a distinctive emphasis on the residential college experience, where students build lasting communities and traditions alongside their academic pursuits.
“Everybody grows up thinking, ‘Man, I’m going to play at Notre Dame,’ or, ‘I’m going to coach on that field one day,’” Rice head coach Scott Abell said. “For our players, what a great opportunity, and that’s what’s exciting.”
The opportunity isn’t lost on the players, either.
Senior quarterback Jacurri Brown said the atmosphere and setting are part of what makes college football special — but once the game begins, the focus remains on the team.
“Everybody dreams of these moments, going into these stadiums and playing these games,” Brown said. “So it’s time to put your money where your mouth is — like, let’s go.”
Rice enters the matchup after opening the season with a 31-3 win over Houston Christian University, while third-ranked Notre Dame opened with a 41-13 win against the University of Wisconsin. Rice and Notre Dame have squared off on the gridiron five times from 1915 to 2014 with the Fighting Irish winning all five. The Owls will have a chance to not only test themselves but to make history against one of the country’s top and most recognizable programs.