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Rice’s loss at UConn has led to a coaching change.
Coach Mike Bloomgren has been fired after a 17-10 defeat to UConn on Saturday dropped Rice to 2-6 on the season. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported the firing Sunday afternoon, shortly before Rice issued a statement.
“I want to express my sincere appreciation to Coach Bloomgren. Over his seven seasons of service as our head football coach, he has represented our university and football program with the utmost class and integrity,” Rice athletic director Tommy McClelland said in a statement. “However, as I evaluated our program and compared our current and desired trajectory, I determined new leadership is necessary to guide us into the future.”
Rice went to bowl games in 2022 and 2023, though the Owls won six games just once in Bloomgren’s tenure. Last season, Rice went 6-6 before a 45-21 loss to Texas State in the First Responder Bowl. The season before, Rice got to a bowl game despite a 5-7 season because there weren’t enough 6-6 teams and the Owls’ had one of the best Academic Progress Rates of any 5-7 team.
Overall, the Owls went 24-52 since Bloomgren was hired in 2018. The team was 2-11 in his first season and improved incrementally during his tenure. However, the Owls took a step back this season in their second year in the AAC. Rice’s only win over an FBS opponent so far this season is a 29-27 win over UTSA. The team has been outscored 193-104 by FBS opponents.
The school said associate head coach and special teams coordinator Pete Alamar will be the team’s interim coach.