| Year: | 1942 |
| Team: | Rice Owls |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southwest Conference |
| Short Conf: | SWC |
| Record: | 7–2–1 |
| Conf Record: | 4–1–1 |
| Head Coach: | Jess Neely |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Stadium: | Rice Field |
The 1942 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1942 college football season. In its third season under head coach Jess Neely, the team compiled a 7–2–1 record (4–1–1 against SWC opponents) and outscored opponents by a total of 177 to 74.[1] [2]
Rice was ranked at No. 21 (out of 590 college and military teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score System for 1942.[3]