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Rice University Athletics
FOOTBALL GAME-BY-GAME PROMOTIONS
TAILGATE OWLEY
Join fellow Rice Alumni, students, and fans every home football game day at Tailgate Owley outside of Rice Stadium! Tailgate Owley has everything you need to get ready for kickoff including food trucks, merchandise at the team shop, tailgate games, freebies from sponsors, a giant LED Videoboard to keep up with the action around the country, Owl Walk and Tailgate Owley Live.
- Opens: 3 Hours before kickoff
- Tailgate Owley Live Pre-game Show featuring JP Heath, TBA & Abby Mahoney
- Start time: 2 hours and 45 minutes out from kickoff
- Owl Walk
- Start time: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes out from kickoff
- Show your support by greeting your Owls as they get off the team bus and walk down Tailgate Owley to head into Rice Stadium!
- Tailgate Owley Live Pre-game Concert Series
- Start time: 2 hours out from kickoff
- 2026 concert lineup includes the Kyle Garrett Band, Shekere, The Damn Torpedoes, The Slags, Davey J and the Bourbon Street Band, and the Texas Eagles.
SAMMY'S KIDS ZONE
All kids 12 and under are welcome to stop by the new and improved Sammy's Kids Zone inside Rice Stadium! The kids zone will feature inflatables, photo ops, face painter, balloon artists, Kona Ice, and more!
- Open: 1 hour and 30 minutes before kickoff (Gates Open)
- Closes: 15 minutes before kickoff
- Location: Inside Gate 3 near section 110
HOME OPENER | RICE RODEO
- Game Sponsor: Houston Methodist
- Tailgate Owley Live: Kyle Garrett Band
- Student Giveaway: Cowboy Hat to the first 250 Rice students in attendance.
- Pre-game: Mechanical Bull in Tailgate Owley
- National Anthem: The Mob
H-TOWN HEROES DAY
- Game Sponsor: TBA
- Tailgate Owley Live: Shekere
- Ticket Promotion: Discounted ticket to first responders, educators, and members of the military.
- Halftime: Performance by The Mob
- Other: Stemletics Camper Reunion
SPACE CITY OWLS | FAMILY WEEKEND
- Game Sponsor: H-E-B
- Tailgate Owley Live: The Damn Torpedoes
- Student Promotion: Space City Owls Bowling Shirt to the first 250 students in attendance
- National Anthem: TBA
- Halftime: Performance by The Mob
OWLTOBERFEST | RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE CHALLENGE
- Game Sponsor: TBA
- Tailgate Owley Live: The Slags
- Giveaway: Sammy The Owl Bobblehead to the first 1,000 fans in attendance
- Student Giveaway: TBA
- Student Promotion: Residential College Attendance Challenge
- Halftime: Performance by The Mob
ALUMNI WEEKEND | RICE RALLY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION | FIGHT HUNGER
- Game Sponsor: TBA
- Tailgate Owley Live: Davey J and the Bourbon Street Band
- Pregame: Food Drive at the Rice Stadium entrances
- Student Promotion: TBA
- Halftime: Performance by The Mob | Cheer for America
SENIOR DAY | SALUTE TO SERVICE
- Game Sponsor: TBA
- Tailgate Owley Live: The Texas Eagles
- Pre-game: 2026 Rice Football Senior Ceremony
- Ticket Promotion: Discounted ticket to veterans and active duty members of the military
- National Anthem: TBA
- Halftime: Performance by The Mob