The 2023 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University and competed in their first season as members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by head coach Mike Bloomgren, who was coaching his sixth season with the team. The Owls played their home games at the Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Rice Owls football team drew an average home attendance of 20,542 in 2023.
Preseason Media poll The American Athletic Conference preseason poll was released on July 25. The Owls were predicted to finish twelfth in the conference.
Media poll 1 Tulane 457 (20) 2 UTSA 440 (9) 3 SMU 397 (3) 4 Memphis 362 (1) 5 Florida Atlantic 312 6 East Carolina 303 7 North Texas 261 8 UAB 209 (1) 9 Navy 199 10 Temple 182 11 Tulsa 160 12 Rice 138 13 South Florida 86 14 Charlotte 64
Schedule Rice and the American Athletic Conference (AAC) announced the 2023 football schedule on February 21, 2023.
Game summaries At No. 11 Texas
Statistics RICETEX First downs 8 24 Total yards 176 458 Rushing yards 27 158 Passing yards 149 300 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 28:24 31:36 Team Category Player StatisticsRice Passing JT Daniels 14/26, 149 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Dean Connors 8 rushes, 23 yards Receiving Braylen Walker 2 receptions, 47 yardsTexas Passing Quinn Ewers 19/30, 260 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jaydon Blue 10 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Xavier Worthy 7 receptions, 90 yards
Houston
Statistics HOURICE First downs 27 24 Total yards 443 470 Rushing yards 183 69 Passing yards 260 401 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 28:10 31:50 Team Category Player StatisticsHouston Passing Donovan Smith 24/42, 260 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Tony Mathis Jr. 8 rushes, 60 yards Receiving Samuel Brown 9 receptions, 138 yardsRice Passing JT Daniels 28/42, 401 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Dean Connors 8 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Luke McCaffrey 7 receptions, 99 yards, 2 TD
Texas Southern
Statistics TXSORICE First downs 10 23 Total yards 185 485 Rushing yards 81 231 Passing yards 104 254 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 24:26 35:34 Team Category Player StatisticsTexas Southern Passing Jace Wilson 9/19, 104 yards, TD Rushing Ladarius Owens 11 rushes, 48 yards Receiving Jace Johnson 4 receptions, 49 yards, TDRice Passing JT Daniels 11/17, 255 yards, 4 TD Rushing Dean Connors 8 rushes, 66 yards, TD Receiving Kobie Campbell 1 reception, 70 yards, TD
At South Florida
Statistics RICEUSF First downs 19 25 Total yards 492 597 Rushing yards 1 162 Passing yards 491 435 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:27 27:33 Team Category Player StatisticsRice Passing JT Daniels 27/40, 432 yards, 3 TD Rushing Juma Otoviano 4 rushes, 12 yards Receiving Luke McCaffrey 9 receptions, 199 yardsSouth Florida Passing Byrum Brown 22/29, 435 yards, 2 TD Rushing Byrum Brown 14 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Naiem Simmons 8 receptions, 272 yards, TD
East Carolina
Statistics ECURICE First downs 25 14 Total yards 391 277 Rushing yards 145 37 Passing yards 246 240 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:58 25:02 Team Category Player StatisticsEast Carolina Passing Alex Flinn 21/44, 246 yards, INT Rushing Javious Bond 7 rushes, 72 yards Receiving Chase Sowell 7 receptions, 88 yardsRice Passing JT Daniels 18/32, 232 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Chase Jenkins 4 rushes, 27 yards, TD Receiving Landon Ransom-Goelz 2 receptions, 54 yards, TD
UConn
Statistics CONNRICE First downs 12 26 Total yards 319 474 Rushing yards 104 112 Passing yards 215 362 Turnovers 0 4 Time of possession 29:03 30:57 Team Category Player StatisticsUConn Passing Ta'Quan Roberson 15/19, 215 yards, 2 TD Rushing Victor Rosa 18 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Justin Joly 7 receptions, 96 yards, TDRice Passing JT Daniels 33/49, 362 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Juma Otoviano 6 rushes, 51 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luke McCaffrey 7 receptions, 100 yards, 2 TD
At Tulsa
Statistics RICETLSA First downs 24 14 Total yards 512 294 Rushing yards 170 156 Passing yards 342 138 Turnovers 0 3 Time of possession 33:48 26:12 Team Category Player StatisticsRice Passing JT Daniels 24/37, 342 yards, 2 TD Rushing Dean Connors 9 rushes, 120 yards, 3 TD Receiving Luke McCaffrey 6 receptions, 99 yards, TDTulsa Passing Cardell Williams 7/14, 101 yards, TD Rushing Braylon Braxton 12 rushes, 89 yards Receiving Kamdyn Benjamin 3 receptions, 48 yards, TD
No. 22 Tulane
Statistics TULNRICE First downs 24 15 Total yards 457 271 Rushing yards 194 82 Passing yards 263 189 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 36:05 23:55 Team Category Player StatisticsTulane Passing Michael Pratt 22/30, 263 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Makhi Hughes 23 rushes, 153 yards Receiving Chris Brazzell II 5 receptions, 75 yardsRice Passing JT Daniels 18/29, 189 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Juma Otoviano 9 rushes, 38 yards, 2 TD Receiving Luke McCaffrey 5 receptions, 79 yards, TD
SMU
Statistics SMURICE First downs 28 13 Total yards 477 290 Rushing yards 223 124 Passing yards 254 166 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:31 28:29 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 15/28, 217 yards, 2 TD Rushing Preston Stone 8 rushes, 81 yards, TD Receiving Jake Bailey 4 receptions, 73 yardsRice Passing Chase Jenkins 10/16, 85 yards, INT Rushing Dean Connors 7 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Rawson MacNeill 2 receptions, 68 yards
At UTSA
Statistics RICEUTSA First downs 17 23 Total yards 229 381 Rushing yards 47 199 Passing yards 182 182 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:49 30:11 Team Category Player StatisticsRice Passing A. J. Padgett 17/28, 182 yards, 2 TD Rushing Dean Connors 8 rushes, 34 yards Receiving Luke McCaffrey 6 receptions, 68 yards, TDUTSA Passing Frank Harris 15/24, 175 yards, TD Rushing Rocko Griffin 12 rushes, 81 yards, TD Receiving Joshua Cephus 5 receptions, 53 yards, TD
At Charlotte
Statistics RICECLT First downs 16 11 Total yards 380 158 Rushing yards 240 84 Passing yards 140 74 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:41 26:19 Team Category Player StatisticsRice Passing A. J. Padgett 13/21, 140 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Dean Connors 19 rushes, 184 yards Receiving Luke McCaffrey 5 receptions, 54 yards, TDCharlotte Passing Trexler Ivey 8/19, 51 yards Rushing Hashaun Watson 14 rushes, 47 yards Receiving Randy Fields Jr. 2 receptions, 18 yards
Florida Atlantic
Statistics FAURICE First downs 14 32 Total yards 279 465 Rushing yards 151 211 Passing yards 128 254 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 20:18 39:42 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Atlantic Passing Daniel Richardson 8/9, 93 yards, TD Rushing Kobe Lewis 7 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Tony Johnson 2 receptions, 49 yards, TDRice Passing A. J. Padgett 24/37, 255 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Dean Connors 14 rushes, 75 yards Receiving Luke McCaffrey 12 receptions, 141 yards, TD
Vs. Texas State (First Responder Bowl)
Statistics TXSTRICE First downs 15 16 Total yards 300 197 Rushing yards 148 85 Passing yards 152 112 Turnovers 0 6 Time of possession 30:17 29:43
Team Category Player StatisticsTexas State Passing T. J. Finley 15/29, 152 yards Rushing Ismail Mahdi 24 rushes, 122 yards Receiving Ashtyn Hawkins 3 receptions, 55 yardsRice Passing A. J. Padgett 10/21, 85 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Dean Connors 15 rushes, 64 yards, 2 TD Receiving Elijah Mojarro 3 receptions, 35 yards
References