HOUSTON – The Houston Football program announced future non-conference series with Rice and University of Texas at San Antonio.
Houston’s 2017 non-conference schedule is now complete. In addition to games with Arizona, Texas Tech and Rice, the Cougars will open the UTSA series on Sept. 2, 2017, in San Antonio.
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UTSA will make return trips to Houston on Sept. 23, 2022, and Aug. 31, 2024, with Houston making a second trip to San Antonio on Sept. 2, 2023.
Houston will face Rice at TDECU Stadium on Sept. 5, 2020, and travel 5 miles to Rice Stadium on Sept. 11, 2021. The two Bayou Bucket showdowns with the Owls are in addition to previously announced meetings on Sept. 16, 2017, at TDECU Stadium, and Sept. 1, 2018, at Rice Stadium.
Houston owns a 29-11 advantage over its crosstown rival, with wins in each of the last three meetings, the last coming in 2013.
“It’s obvious that this series is something that both fan bases feel strongly about and I am glad we have been able to add these two additional games,” Rice Director of Athletics Joe Karlgaard said.
“Rivalry games such as this are one of the things that makes college football so special and I know sports fans in Houston will look forward to each game.”
Houston and UTSA have split their previous two meetings, with Houston claiming a 59-28 win in 2013 and UTSA a 27-7 win in 2014.
In addition to the 2017 non-conference schedule being finalized, Houston’s non-conference schedules in 2018 and 2021 have just one spot remaining, as the Cougars are currently scheduled to face Arizona, Texas Tech and Rice in 2018, and Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and Rice in 2021.
Following a previously announced model, Houston has committed to scheduling two autonomous 5 opponents and two group of 5 opponents per season with at least two non-conference home games each year. This fall’s game vs. Lamar marks the final FCS opponent on Houston’s future non-conference schedules and is joined in 2016 by showdowns with Oklahoma, Louisville and Texas State.