No, Rice University is not traditionally considered a big football school in the conventional sense of major collegiate sports powerhouses. Competing as a member of the American Athletic Conference within the Football Bowl Subdivision, Rice maintains a strong commitment to academic excellence and student-athlete welfare over commercialized athletic largesse. While the program features a proud history, historic conference titles, and modern competitive moments, its student body size and private research focus mean its football culture is much smaller and more intimate compared to massive state flagship universities.