The Houston Cougars have amended their future football series with the Rice Owls and have also scheduled games against two Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponents, FBSchedules.com has learned.
Back in September, we reported that Houston and Rice had extended their “Bayou Bucket” football series through the 2027 season. Per the copy of the contract, games were slated to be played at Houston on Sept. 14, 2024 and Sept. 19, 2026 and at Rice on Sept. 13, 2025 and Sept. 11, 2027.
The series is still scheduled to begin this fall with Houston hosting Rice at TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas, on Sept. 14, 2024.
According to a copy of an amendment to the contract obtained from the University of Houston via a state public records request, the game in 2025 at Rice Stadium in Houston has been moved up one week and will now be played on Sept. 6 that season.
Additionally, Houston and Rice have agreed to cancel the football games that were scheduled for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. Neither school will pay a fee to the other as a result of the cancellation. However, the amendment does stipulate that Houston will pay Rice a $50,000 guarantee for the game at TDECU Stadium this fall, an increase of $20,000 from the terms of the original contract.
The University of Houston and Rice University, separated by only five miles, first met on the gridiron in 1971 and have played 45 times overall. Houston leads the Bayou Bucket series 33-12 and had won seven-consecutive games until falling on the road last season, 43-41 in double-overtime.
Future FCS opponents that Houston has scheduled include the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks in 2025 and Prairie View A&M Panthers in 2027.
Stephen F. Austin, a member of the Southland Conference, will visit TDECU Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Houston will pay Stephen F. Austin a $400,000 guarantee for the game, per the contract copy.
With the addition of Stephen F. Austin, Houston has tentatively completed its non-conference schedule for the 2025 season. The third and final non-conference contest for the Cougars is a trip to take on Oregon State on Sept. 27.
The Prairie View A&M Panthers of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) are slated to visit Houston on Sept. 11, 2027. The Panthers will receive a $425,000 guarantee for their efforts, according to the copy of the contract.
Houston is scheduled to open the 2027 season on Sept. 4 against the LSU Tigers at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Cougars are also slated to host the Georgia Southern Eagles on Sept. 18 that season.
Football Schedules