text: Houston Rice participates in a crosstown rivalry with Houston. UH and Rice play annually for the Bayou Bucket, a weathered bucket found by former Rice guard Fred Curry at an antique shop. Curry had it designed into a trophy for $310. The two universities are separated by five miles in Houston. Despite being in separate conferences, the two teams still play as non-conference foes as future schedules allow.
  Houston leads the series 33–12 as of 2023.
  Texas
  Rice and Texas have maintained a largely one-sided rivalry beginning in the early days of the Southwest Conference. Texas' 28 consecutive victories from 1966 to 1993 represents the sixth longest single-opponent winning streak in college football history.  In 1994, in a nationally televised ESPN game, Rice scored a major upset win over Texas, but since then Texas has resumed series dominance.  Despite the dissolution of the Southwest Conference, Texas and Rice still play on a "near annual" basis, allowing the Longhorns to keep a high profile in the state's largest city and the fourth largest city in the United States.
  Texas leads the series 72–21–1 as of the conclusion of the 2017 season.
  College Football Hall of Fame
  Eight former Rice players and coaches have been inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame.
  All-Americans
  As of 2017, the following 18 players have been named All-America with 6 selection being consensus.
  † Consensus selection
  Other notable players
  Tony Barker, LB Washington Redskins
  Chris Boswell, K Pittsburgh Steelers