Rice and Notre Dame to Meet in 2026
7/3/2025 9:32:00 AM | Football
Sixth meeting between schools
Houston-Rice Football will face Notre Dame for the sixth time in school history when the Owls travel to South Bend, Indiana, to play the Fighting Irish on September 12, 2026. The game with Notre Dame, which completes the Owls' 2026 non-conference schedule, was announced by both schools on Thursday.
"Playing Notre Dame is a tremendous opportunity for our program to compete against another that places academic excellence at the core of its mission, while giving our student-athletes the experience of playing at one of college football's most hallowed venues," Rice Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland said. "It provides us with a chance to promote our program and university on a national stage and continue to build our brand."
Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Scott Abell added, "Notre Dame is one of the true blue bloods of college football. As we build Rice football, we are excited to have the opportunity to elevate our program against one of the nation's best."
Rice and Notre Dame have squared off on the gridiron five times from 1915 to 2014, with the Fighting Irish winning each of the first five. The series began in 1915 when the Irish defeated Rice 55-2 in Houston, and did not meet again until 1973, when Notre Dame blanked Rice 28-0 in the only game of the series played at Rice Stadium. The following year, Rice held the Fighting Irish to a season-low 10 points, but that was enough for a 10-3 win thanks to a touchdown with less than three minutes remaining. Notre Dame won the most recent meeting, 48-17, in 2014.
Rice opens the 2026 season on September 5 at home vs. Houston Christian and will host Western Michigan at Rice Stadium on September 19 before wrapping up its non-conference on the road at Fresno State on September 26.
"Playing Notre Dame is a tremendous opportunity for our program to compete against another that places academic excellence at the core of its mission, while giving our student-athletes the experience of playing at one of college football's most hallowed venues," Rice Vice President and Director of Athletics Tommy McClelland said. "It provides us with a chance to promote our program and university on a national stage and continue to build our brand."
Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Scott Abell added, "Notre Dame is one of the true blue bloods of college football. As we build Rice football, we are excited to have the opportunity to elevate our program against one of the nation's best."
Rice and Notre Dame have squared off on the gridiron five times from 1915 to 2014, with the Fighting Irish winning each of the first five. The series began in 1915 when the Irish defeated Rice 55-2 in Houston, and did not meet again until 1973, when Notre Dame blanked Rice 28-0 in the only game of the series played at Rice Stadium. The following year, Rice held the Fighting Irish to a season-low 10 points, but that was enough for a 10-3 win thanks to a touchdown with less than three minutes remaining. Notre Dame won the most recent meeting, 48-17, in 2014.
Rice opens the 2026 season on September 5 at home vs. Houston Christian and will host Western Michigan at Rice Stadium on September 19 before wrapping up its non-conference on the road at Fresno State on September 26.
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