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Sources: Rice fires coach Mike Bloomgren following loss at UConn

Mike Bloomgren head coach of the Rice Owls looks on against the Houston Cougars during the first half at TDECU Stadium on September 14, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Rice’s loss at UConn has led to a coaching change.

Sources told Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger that coach Mike Bloomgren has been fired. The 17-10 defeat dropped Rice to 2-6 on the season.

Rice has fired coach Mike Bloomgren, sources tell @YahooSports. He was 24-52 and the Owls are 2-6 in his seventh season. A team meeting is being held now.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 27, 2024

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.