2026 Rice vs 2026 Tulsa

Rice
1–5 · −13.4 (120th of 138)
vs
Tulsa
3–3 · SP+ −5.1 (93rd of 138)

Hypothetical

Tulsa by 4.7

63% to win

High confidence — 5 games in — see our accuracy

Hypothetical forecast · SBR sbr-2r

Why this number

RicePreseason baseline −9.9In-season results 0.0
TulsaPreseason baseline −7.9In-season results +2.6
Neutral site

How they're built

0–100 percentile · higher is stronger

Compare the whole profile, then explore each dimension.

2026 Rice Offense · SP+ 2026: 16.5, 10th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Rice Defense · SP+ 2026: 29.8, 28th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Rice Special teams · SP+ 2026: −0.1, 28th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Rice Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 176.0 pts, 25th percentile (2026 signing class)2026 Rice Experience · returning production 2026: 39% returning, 50th percentile (2026 roster)2026 Tulsa Offense · SP+ 2026: 22.9, 31st percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Tulsa Defense · SP+ 2026: 28.1, 36th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Tulsa Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Tulsa Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 179.4 pts, 33rd percentile (2026 signing class)2026 Tulsa Experience · returning production 2026: 41% returning, 53rd percentile (2026 roster)0100Offense · SP+ 2026Defense · SP+ 2026Special teams · SP+ 2026Recruiting · 2026 signing classExperience · returning production 2026
  • 2026 Rice Offense · SP+ 2026: 16.5, 10th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Tulsa Offense · SP+ 2026: 22.9, 31st percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Rice Defense · SP+ 2026: 29.8, 28th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Tulsa Defense · SP+ 2026: 28.1, 36th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Rice Special teams · SP+ 2026: −0.1, 28th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Tulsa Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Rice Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 176.0 pts, 25th percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 Tulsa Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 179.4 pts, 33rd percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 Rice Experience · returning production 2026: 39% returning, 50th percentile (2026 roster)
  • 2026 Tulsa Experience · returning production 2026: 41% returning, 53rd percentile (2026 roster)
Emphasize a team

Offensive production relative to that season’s field. Compare an offense with the opposing defense in the scouting report.

Recruiting and experience add context; the five axes aren't equal weights in the forecast.

The numbers behind the profiles

Measure2026 Rice2026 Tulsa
Offensive / play−0.038th percentile0.1446th percentile
PPA allowed / play0.0936th percentile0.0361st percentile
Points per game17.07th percentile6 games27.542nd percentile6 games
per game27.526th percentile6 games23.352nd percentile6 games

Programs don't stand still

SP+ percentile among FBS teams, by season. The marked point is each compared season.

2026 Rice2026 Tulsa
Rice 2026: 13th percentileTulsa 2026: 33rd percentile2000200520102015202020250255075100

Momentum

Rice→ steady (−6 pctl over 3 seasons)
Tulsa↗ rising (+28 pctl over 3 seasons)

Talent in, results out

Recruiting-class percentile feeding each roster, compared with its SP+ result.

2026 Rice
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
24th percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
13th percentile
Underperforming its talent (−11)
2026 Tulsa
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
32nd percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
33rd percentile
Matching its talent (+1)

Campus distance

445 miles apart

There's more to the matchup.

Supporting context, ready when you want it.

In the trenches · both directions
MatchupO-lineD-line
2026 Rice OL vs 2026 Tulsa DL307.7 lbs263.8 lbs
2026 Tulsa OL vs 2026 Rice DL301.3 lbs265.6 lbs

2026 Rice line yards 2.90 · 2026 Tulsa stuff rate 16.8%

2026 Tulsa line yards 3.20 · 2026 Rice stuff rate 19.1%

Fans swear big lines win games. They're half right — big-line teams do win more, but only because good programs recruit big linemen. Once we account for talent and last season, line size adds nothing to the prediction. Across 11 seasons, no measurable effect on margin.

Roster size is context. It isn't a forecast advantage.

Backtested effect: 0.42 pts at 1σ.

Head-to-head · Tulsa leads 10–5 since 2000

Rice has won 2 straight

SeasonScoreVenue
2023Rice 42–10 TulsaChapman Stadium · Tulsa home
2013Rice 30–27 TulsaChapman Stadium · Tulsa home
2012Rice 24–28 TulsaChapman Stadium · Tulsa home
2011Rice 20–38 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2010Rice 27–64 TulsaChapman Stadium · Tulsa home
2009Rice 10–27 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2008Rice 28–63 TulsaChapman Stadium · Tulsa home
2007Rice 43–48 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2006Rice 41–38 TulsaTulsa home
2005Rice 21–41 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2004Rice 22–39 TulsaTulsa home
2003Rice 28–31 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2002Rice 33–18 TulsaTulsa home
2001Rice 59–32 TulsaRice Stadium · Rice home
2000Rice 16–23 TulsaRice home
Coaching & program context
2026 Rice

HC

  • Scott Abell

OC

  • Vince Munch

career average +17.7 SP+ offense

Scheme: Spread option (listed on Wikipedia, 2025 listing)

Style: Run-heavy, grind-it-out (threw on 23% of its run–pass plays, 2nd percentile of 2026 FBS; 63.8 plays a game, 23rd percentile)

DC

  • Jon Kay

career average +33.9 SP+ defense

Scheme: 3–4 (listed on Wikipedia, 2025 listing)

2026 Tulsa

HC

  • Tre Lamb

OC

  • Kevin Barbay
  • Ty Darlington (co-OC)

career average +25.0 SP+ offense

Scheme: Spread (listed on Wikipedia)

Style: Pass-heavy, average pace (threw on 49% of its run–pass plays, 68th percentile of 2026 FBS; 67.5 plays a game, 51st percentile)

DC

  • Josh Reardon
  • Mike Gray (co-DC)

career average +33.1 SP+ defense

Scheme: 4–2–5 (listed on Wikipedia)

A new coordinator feels like it should swing a game. Across 11 seasons, the change doesn't move the final margin beyond what the roster already tells us. Shown as context, not a factor in our number.

Run-heavy team meets a defense that can't stop the run — feels like extra points waiting. Across 7 seasons the matchup adds nothing beyond what the two ratings already say; if anything the point estimate leans the other way.

Watching the next one?

Tulsa at Rice · October 17, 2026

View scouting report

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