List of Rice Owls football seasons

The following is a list of Rice Owls football seasons for the football team that has represented Rice University in NCAA competition.[1]

Seasons

Year Coach Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Philip Arbuckle (Independent) (1912)
1912 Philip Arbuckle 3–2
Philip Arbuckle (Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1913–1914)
1913 Philip Arbuckle 4–0
1914 Philip Arbuckle 3–2–3
Philip Arbuckle (Southwest Conference / Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1915–1917)
1915 Philip Arbuckle 5–3 1–2 6th
1916 Philip Arbuckle 6–1–2 2–1 T–3rd
1917 Philip Arbuckle 7–1 1–1 T–3rd
John E. Anderson (Southwest Conference) (1918)
1918 John E. Anderson 1–5–1 1–1 T–3rd
John E. Anderson: 1–5–1 1–1
Philip Arbuckle (Southwest Conference / Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1919–1923)
1919 Philip Arbuckle 8–1 3–1 2nd
1920 Philip Arbuckle 4–2–2 2–2–1 4th
1921 Philip Arbuckle 4–4–1 1–2–1 / 3–0 6th / 1st
1922 Philip Arbuckle 4–4 1–4 / 1–0 7th
1923 Philip Arbuckle 3–5 1–4 / 2–1 7th / T–3rd
Philip Arbuckle: 51–25–8 18–18–2
John Heisman (Southwest Conference / Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association) (1924)
1924 John Heisman 4–4 2–2 / 2–1 T–3rd / T–3rd
John Heisman (Southwest Conference) (1925–1927)
1925 John Heisman 4–4–1 1–2–1 5th
1926 John Heisman 4–4–1 0–4 7th
1927 John Heisman 2–6–1 1–3 6th
John Heisman: 14–18–3 6–12–1
Claude Rothgeb (Southwest Conference) (1928)
1928 Claude Rothgeb 2–7 0–5 7th
Claude Rothgeb: 2–7 0–5
Jack Meagher (Southwest Conference) (1929–1933)
1929 Jack Meagher 2–7 0–5 7th
1930 Jack Meagher 8–4 2–4 6th
1931 Jack Meagher 6–4 3–3 4th
1932 Jack Meagher 7–3 3–3 3rd
1933 Jack Meagher 3–8 1–5 7th
Jack Meagher: 26–26 9–20
Jimmy Kitts (Southwest Conference) (1934–1939)
1934 Jimmy Kitts 9–1–1 5–1 1st 12
1935 Jimmy Kitts 8–3 3–3 T–3rd
1936 Jimmy Kitts 5–7 1–5 T–6th
1937 Jimmy Kitts 6–3–2 4–1–1 1st W Cotton 18
1938 Jimmy Kitts 4–6 3–3 4th
1939 Jimmy Kitts 1–9–1 0–5–1 7th
Jimmy Kitts: 33–29–4 16–18–2
Jess Neely (Southwest Conference) (1940–1966)
1940 Jess Neely 7–3 4–2 T–3rd
1941 Jess Neely 6–3–1 3–2–1 4th
1942 Jess Neely 7–2–1 4–1–1 2nd
1943 Jess Neely 3–7 2–3 T–3rd
1944 Jess Neely 5–6 2–3 T–4th
1945 Jess Neely 5–6 3–3 T–3rd
1946 Jess Neely 9–2 5–1 T–1st W Orange 10
1947 Jess Neely 6–3–1 4–2 3rd 18
1948 Jess Neely 5–4–1 3–2–1 T–3rd
1949 Jess Neely 10–1 6–0 1st W Cotton 5
1950 Jess Neely 6–4 2–4 T–5th
1951 Jess Neely 5–5 3–3 T–3rd
1952 Jess Neely 5–5 4–2 2nd
1953 Jess Neely 9–2 5–1 T–1st W Cotton 6 6
1954 Jess Neely 7–3 4–2 T–3rd 19 19
1955 Jess Neely 2–7–1 0–6 7th
1956 Jess Neely 4–6 1–5 5th
1957 Jess Neely 7–4 5–1 1st L Cotton 7 8
1958 Jess Neely 5–5 4–2 T–2nd
1959 Jess Neely 1–7–2 1–4–1 6th
1960 Jess Neely 7–4 5–2 T–2nd L Sugar
1961 Jess Neely 7–4 5–2 3rd L Bluebonnet
1962 Jess Neely 2–6–2 2–4–1 6th
1963 Jess Neely 6–4 4–3 3rd
1964 Jess Neely 4–5–1 3–3–1 T–4th
1965 Jess Neely 2–8 1–6 T–7th
1966 Jess Neely 2–8 1–6 8th
Jess Neely: 144–124–10 86–75–6
Bo Hagan (Southwest Conference) (1967–1970)
1967 Bo Hagan 4–6 2–5 7th
1968 Bo Hagan 0–9–1 0–7 8th
1969 Bo Hagan 3–7 2–5 T–6th
1970 Bo Hagan 5–5 3–4 T–4th
Bo Hagan: 12–27–1 7–21
Bill Peterson (Southwest Conference) (1971)
1971 Bill Peterson 3–7–1 2–4–1 6th
Bill Peterson: 3–7–1 2–4–1
Al Conover (Southwest Conference) (1972–1975)
1972 Al Conover 5–5–1 3–4 T–4th
1973 Al Conover 5–6 4–3 3rd
1974 Al Conover 2–8–1 2–5 7th
1975 Al Conover 2–9† 1–6 T–7th
Al Conover: 14–28–2† 10–18
Homer Rice (Southwest Conference) (1976–1977)
1976 Homer Rice 3–8 2–6 T–7th
1977 Homer Rice 1–10 0–8 9th
Homer Rice: 4–18 2–14
Ray Alborn (Southwest Conference) (1978–1983)
1978 Ray Alborn 2–9 2–6 8th
1979 Ray Alborn 1–10 0–8 9th
1980 Ray Alborn 5–6 4–4 T–4th
1981 Ray Alborn 4–7 3–5 T–6th
1982 Ray Alborn 0–11 0–8 9th
1983 Ray Alborn 1–10 0–8 9th
Ray Alborn: 13–53 8–40
Watson Brown (Southwest Conference) (1984–1985)
1984 Watson Brown 1–10 0–8 9th
1985 Watson Brown 3–8 2–6 7th
Watson Brown: 4–18 2–14
Jerry Berndt (Southwest Conference) (1986–1988)
1986 Jerry Berndt 4–7 2–6 7th
1987 Jerry Berndt 2–9 0–7 8th
1988 Jerry Berndt 0–11 0–7 8th
Jerry Berndt: 6–27 2–20
Fred Goldsmith (Southwest Conference) (1989–1993)
1989 Fred Goldsmith 2–8–1 2–6 T–7th
1990 Fred Goldsmith 5–6 3–5 T–5th
1991 Fred Goldsmith 4–7 2–6 8th
1992 Fred Goldsmith 6–5 4–3 T–2nd
1993 Fred Goldsmith 6–5 3–4 T–4th
Fred Goldsmith: 23–31–1 14–24
Ken Hatfield (Southwest Conference) (1994–1995)
1994 Ken Hatfield 5–6 4–3 T–1st
1995 Ken Hatfield 2–8–1 1–6 7th
Ken Hatfield (Western Athletic Conference) (1996–2004)
1996 Ken Hatfield 7–4 6–2 T–2nd (Mountain)
1997 Ken Hatfield 7–4 5–3 T–2nd (Mountain)
1998 Ken Hatfield 5–6 5–3 T–3rd (Mountain)
1999 Ken Hatfield 5–6 4–3 4th
2000 Ken Hatfield 3–8 2–6 T–6th
2001 Ken Hatfield 8–4 5–3 T–4th
2002 Ken Hatfield 4–7 3–5 T–6th
2003 Ken Hatfield 5–7 5–3 T–4th
2004 Ken Hatfield 3–8 2–6 9th
Ken Hatfield (Conference USA) (2005)
2005 Ken Hatfield 1–10 1–7 T–5th (West)
Ken Hatfield: 55–78–1 43–50
Todd Graham (Conference USA) (2006)
2006 Todd Graham 7–6 6–2 2nd (West)
Todd Graham: 7–6 6–2
David Bailiff (Conference USA) (2007–2017)
2007 David Bailiff 3–9 3–5 5th (West)
2008 David Bailiff 10–3 7–1 T–1st (West) W Texas
2009 David Bailiff 2–10 2–6 T–5th (West)
2010 David Bailiff 4–8 3–5 T–4th (West)
2011 David Bailiff 4–8 3–5 4th (West)
2012 David Bailiff 7–6 4–4 T–3rd (West) W Armed Forces
2013 David Bailiff 10–4 7–1 1st (West) L Liberty
2014 David Bailiff 8–5 5–3 T–2nd (West) W Hawaii
2015 David Bailiff 5–7 3–5 5th (West)
2016 David Bailiff 3–9 2–6 T–5th (West)
2017 David Bailiff 1–11 1–7 6th (West)
David Bailiff: 57–80 40–48
Mike Bloomgren (Conference USA) (2018–2022)
2018 Mike Bloomgren 2–11 1–7 T–6th (West)
2019 Mike Bloomgren 3–9 3–5 T–4th (West)
2020 Mike Bloomgren 2–3 2–3 5th (West)
2021 Mike Bloomgren 4–8 3–5 5th (West)
2022 Mike Bloomgren 5–8 3–5 T–7th L LendingTree
Mike Bloomgren (American Athletic Conference) (2023–2024)
2023 Mike Bloomgren 6–7 4–4 T–5th L First Responder
2024 Mike Bloomgren / Pete Alamar 4–8 3–5 T–9th
Mike Bloomgren: 24–52 17–32
Pete Alamar: 2–2 2–2
Scott Abell (American Athletic Conference) (2025–present)
2025 Scott Abell 0–0 0–0
Scott Abell: 0–0 0–0
Total: 496–660–32 (.431)
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

† 3–8 in 1975 and 15–27–2 overall per NCAA due to forfeit win over Mississippi State.[2]

References

  1. ^ "2024 Factbook" (PDF). Rice University Athletics. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
  2. ^ "Al Conover Coaching Record | College Football at Sports-Reference.com".