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The Bayou Bucket

vs.

Houston vs. Rice. First played in 1971.

Houston leads 35–12 in the Bayou Bucket through 2025. Houston won the last meeting, 35–9, in 2025.

All-time35–12Houston's record, 47 meetings
Last 109–1Houston's record
Since 200015–6Houston's record
Current streak2Houston wins in a row
First meeting1971Houston 23–21

What's the Bayou Bucket trophy?

Bayou Bucket: a full-sized trophy with a golden bucket on top.

How did the Bayou Bucket start?

Houston beat Rice 23-21 at Rice Stadium on September 11, 1971, in front of about 62,000 fans, still the biggest crowd in the series. Houston joined the Southwest Conference that year, where Rice was a charter member, and the two played as league opponents until the SWC broke up in 1995; their 18-17 Houston win that December was the last football game in SWC history. They were Conference USA rivals again starting in 2005, then split when Houston joined the American. Now Houston is in the Big 12 and Rice is in the American, so they play as non-conference opponents when schedules allow.

What are the most famous Bayou Bucket games?

  • 1995: Last SWC gameHouston won 18-17 in the final football game in Southwest Conference history.Final: Houston 18–17
  • 2011: Keenum's recordCase Keenum threw nine touchdown passes in a 73-34 Houston win and set the Division I record for career touchdown passes.Final: Houston 73–34
  • 2023: Double overtimeRice won 43-41 in double overtime after blowing a 21-point lead, its first win in the series since 2010.Final: Rice 43–41

How has the Bayou Bucket series swung?

565628281971: Houston 23–211972: Rice 14–131973: Houston 24–61974: Houston 21–01975: Rice 24–71976: Houston 42–201977: Houston 51–211978: Houston 49–251979: Houston 63–01980: Rice 35–71981: Houston 40–31982: Houston 28–211983: Houston 45–141984: Houston 38–261985: Houston 24–201986: Rice 14–131987: Houston 45–211988: Houston 45–141989: Houston 64–01990: Houston 24–221991: Houston 41–211992: Houston 61–341993: Rice 37–71994: Rice 31–131995: Houston 18–171999: Houston 28–32000: Rice 30–272001: Rice 21–142002: Houston 24–102003: Houston 48–142004: Rice 10–72005: Houston 35–182006: Houston 31–302007: Houston 56–482008: Rice 56–422009: Houston 73–142010: Rice 34–312011: Houston 73–342012: Houston 35–142013: Houston 31–262017: Houston 38–32018: Houston 45–272021: Houston 44–72022: Houston 34–272023: Rice 43–412024: Houston 33–72025: Houston 35–919801990200020102020 Houston won ↑Rice won ↓ 565628281971: Houston 23–211972: Rice 14–131973: Houston 24–61974: Houston 21–01975: Rice 24–71976: Houston 42–201977: Houston 51–211978: Houston 49–251979: Houston 63–01980: Rice 35–71981: Houston 40–31982: Houston 28–211983: Houston 45–141984: Houston 38–261985: Houston 24–201986: Rice 14–131987: Houston 45–211988: Houston 45–141989: Houston 64–01990: Houston 24–221991: Houston 41–211992: Houston 61–341993: Rice 37–71994: Rice 31–131995: Houston 18–171999: Houston 28–32000: Rice 30–272001: Rice 21–142002: Houston 24–102003: Houston 48–142004: Rice 10–72005: Houston 35–182006: Houston 31–302007: Houston 56–482008: Rice 56–422009: Houston 73–142010: Rice 34–312011: Houston 73–342012: Houston 35–142013: Houston 31–262017: Houston 38–32018: Houston 45–272021: Houston 44–72022: Houston 34–272023: Rice 43–412024: Houston 33–72025: Houston 35–9198020002020 Houston won ↑Rice won ↓

Each bar is one meeting. Bars above the line are Houston wins and bars below it are Rice wins; the taller the bar, the bigger the margin (bars stop at 56 points). Over the last 10 meetings Houston is 9–1. The widest margins are Houston 64–0 in 1989 and Rice 37–7 in 1993.

What are the records in the Bayou Bucket?

Biggest Houston win
1989, 64–0
Biggest Rice win
1993, 37–7
Longest streaks
Houston, 7 straight (2011–2022); Rice, 2 straight (1993–1994)
Most points
Houston, 73 in 2009
Ties
None

Every Bayou Bucket result

YearWinnerScoreHome
2025Houston35–9Rice
2024Houston33–7Houston
2023Rice43–41Rice
2022Houston34–27Houston
2021Houston44–7Rice
2018Houston45–27Rice
2017Houston38–3Houston
2013Houston31–26Neutral
2012Houston35–14Neutral
2011Houston73–34Houston
2010Rice34–31Rice
2009Houston73–14Houston
2008Rice56–42Rice
2007Houston56–48Houston
2006Houston31–30Rice
2005Houston35–18Houston
2004Rice10–7Rice
2003Houston48–14Houston
2002Houston24–10Rice
2001Rice21–14Houston
2000Rice30–27Rice
1999Houston28–3Houston
1995Houston18–17Rice
1994Rice31–13Houston
1993Rice37–7Rice
1992Houston61–34Houston
1991Houston41–21Rice
1990Houston24–22Houston
1989Houston64–0Rice
1988Houston45–14Houston
1987Houston45–21Rice
1986Rice14–13Houston
1985Houston24–20Rice
1984Houston38–26Houston
1983Houston45–14Rice
1982Houston28–21Houston
1981Houston40–3Rice
1980Rice35–7Houston
1979Houston63–0Rice
1978Houston49–25Houston
1977Houston51–21Rice
1976Houston42–20Rice
1975Rice24–7Houston
1974Houston21–0Rice
1973Houston24–6Houston
1972Rice14–13Rice
1971Houston23–21Rice

Results from CollegeFootballData.com. The schools' official series records can differ by a game or two (vacated wins, disputed early games).

Questions about the Bayou Bucket

Who leads the Bayou Bucket series?

Houston leads 35–12 through the 2025 game, in the 47 meetings on record since 1971.

Who won the last Bayou Bucket?

Houston beat Rice 35–9 on Sep 6, 2025 at Rice Stadium.

When was the first Bayou Bucket?

1971. Houston won 23–21.

What's the trophy for the Bayou Bucket?

Bayou Bucket: a full-sized trophy with a golden bucket on top.

What's the biggest win in the Bayou Bucket?

Houston won by 64 in 1989, 64–0. Rice won by 30 in 1993, 37–7.

What's the longest winning streak in the Bayou Bucket?

Houston won 7 straight from 2011 to 2022. Rice won 2 straight from 1993 to 1994.

Related

History and trophy sources: en.wikipedia.org.

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