Rice Uniform Schedule 2026: Every Jersey and When the Owls Wear It

Rice is back in Nike for the first time since 2011, and four games into the new deal the Owls have already worn four different combinations. This is the full Rice 2026 uniform schedule: the new blue home set, the white and gray road looks, the blue and silver helmets, every game played so far and the expected uniform for the rest of the season, starting with UTSA at Rice Stadium on October 3. We update this page as each combination is confirmed.

The Rice 2026 Uniform Sets

The big change is the maker. Adidas dressed Rice from 2012 through 2025, and on July 1 the Owls officially moved to Nike under a seven-year deal. Rice introduced the new look with a promotional video that showed only one combination, the all-blue set, and the program's own post is the cleanest look at it.

This is not a rebrand. The Old English R stays on the helmet and the hip, the colors are the same, and the gray RICE wordmark on the chest keeps its font at a slightly smaller size. What moved is the detailing. The gray-white-gray stripes left the sleeves for the shoulders, the numbers moved down onto the sleeves, and the numerals themselves switched from a traditional block to the style Rice uses on its practice jerseys. It is a subtle update, which suits a school whose uniform identity has always been about restraint.

The Full Rice 2026 Uniform Schedule, Week by Week

September 5 vs. Houston Christian. ★ Confirmed from the broadcast: blue helmet, blue jersey, blue pants, the exact all-blue set Rice used to launch the Nike era, and the debut of the new uniforms at Rice Stadium. The Owls won 31-3.

September 12 at Notre Dame. ★ Confirmed from Rice's own game photography, dated to the day of the game: silver helmet with the WE bumper, white jersey, white pants. Notre Dame wore navy over gold at home. The broadcast was on NBC and fed no usable frames, so the school's photo is the evidence here. It was a rough afternoon in South Bend: Notre Dame scored 14 seconds in on a scoop-and-score and won 52-0. Our Notre Dame 2026 uniform schedule has the Irish side.

September 19 vs. Western Michigan. ★ Confirmed from the broadcast: blue helmet, blue jersey, white pants, the first time this season Rice broke up the all-blue look at home. Western Michigan wore white over gold. The Broncos scored twice in the fourth quarter and won 28-21.

September 26 at Fresno State. ★ Confirmed from the broadcast: silver helmet with the blue Old English R, light gray jersey, gray pants, all gray and the first appearance of the gray set in 2026. Fresno State answered in all red. Rice led 17-14 at halftime, and an 88-yard touchdown from Ben Grice was the highlight, but Fresno State pulled away to win 38-24. More on our Fresno State 2026 uniform schedule.

October 3 vs. UTSA. Blue expected. Rice opens American Conference play at home for the first time since joining the league, 7 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+. UTSA should be in white, and it has worn the white helmet on the road in both of its away games this year. See our UTSA 2026 uniform schedule for the other side.

October 10 at East Carolina. White or gray expected. Rice's first trip to Greenville since 2009, a 3 p.m. Central kickoff on ESPN+. ECU has worn purple at home, and our East Carolina 2026 uniform schedule tracks the Pirates.

October 17 vs. Tulsa. Blue expected. Kickoff time still to be set. Tulsa debuted a red throwback this season, which makes the Tulsa 2026 uniform schedule worth a look before this one.

October 24 at Florida Atlantic. White or gray expected. Kickoff time still to be set.

October 31. Bye. Rice's only open date.

November 7 at North Texas. White or gray expected. This is North Texas's Homecoming, and the Mean Green are expected in green at home. More on our North Texas 2026 uniform schedule.

November 14 vs. Tulane. Blue expected. The centerpiece of Rice's Alumni Weekend Homecoming and Reunion, November 12 to 15, and the home date most likely to bring something extra if the Owls have it. Our Tulane 2026 uniform schedule has the Green Wave.

November 19 at Temple. White or gray expected. A Thursday night on ESPN and Rice's first-ever trip to Philadelphia, at Lincoln Financial Field. It is the Owls' only weeknight game of the season. See our Temple 2026 uniform schedule.

November 28 vs. Army. Blue expected. The regular season finale at Rice Stadium, with Army expected in its road whites. Our Army 2026 uniform schedule has the Black Knights.

White or Gray on the Road?

This is the real question for the back half of the Rice schedule. The Owls have taken two road trips and worn two different sets: white with white pants at Notre Dame, then gray head to toe at Fresno State, both under the silver helmet. Rice has not published a season uniform grid, so we will not guess which one goes where. The pattern we can see is that the silver helmet has been the road helmet both times and the blue helmet has been the home helmet both times.

The Bottom Line

Four games into the Nike era, Rice has worn the blue helmet at home and the silver helmet on the road, with blue, white and gray jerseys all already on the field. The update from Adidas is quiet, new numerals and moved stripes rather than a new identity, and that is the right call for a program built on the Old English R. The questions left are which road set shows up in Greenville, Boca Raton, Denton and Philadelphia, and whether Homecoming against Tulane gets anything special. The grid above has every date, and we add a star as each uniform is confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What jersey is Rice wearing this week?

Rice hosts UTSA on Saturday, October 3, and the blue home jersey is expected. The Owls wore the blue helmet and blue jersey in both home games so far, with blue pants against Houston Christian and white pants against Western Michigan. Rice has not announced its combination for the UTSA game.

Did Rice get new uniforms in 2026?

Yes. Rice switched from Adidas to Nike on July 1, 2026, the first time the Owls have worn Nike since 2011. The new uniforms keep the colors, the Old English R and the RICE wordmark, but move the stripes to the shoulders, put the numbers on the sleeves and use a new number font taken from the practice jerseys.

What are Rice's football uniforms for 2026?

A blue home jersey, a white road jersey and a light gray alternate, with blue, white and gray pants. There are two helmets: a blue shell with the Old English R and a gray facemask, and a silver shell. Both carry the WE bumper on the front.

What does WE on the Rice helmet mean?

It is head coach Scott Abell's mantra, which the program describes as win everything, win everywhere and with everyone. It sits on the front bumper of the Rice helmets in 2026.

When does Rice play UTSA in 2026?

Saturday, October 3 at 7 p.m. Eastern at Rice Stadium in Houston, on ESPN+. It is the American Conference opener for both teams and the first time Rice has opened league play at home since joining the conference.

What is Rice's homecoming game in 2026?

Tulane on Saturday, November 14 at Rice Stadium, as part of the Alumni Weekend Homecoming and Reunion that runs November 12 to 15. Rice is expected in its blue home set.