| Year: | 1948 |
| Team: | Rice Owls |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Southwest Conference |
| Short Conf: | SWC |
| Record: | 5–4–1 |
| Conf Record: | 3–2–1 |
| Head Coach: | Jess Neely |
| Hc Year: | 9th |
| Stadium: | Rice Field |
The 1948 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University during the 1948 college football season.[1] The Owls were led by ninth-year head coach Jess Neely and played their home games at Rice Field in Houston, Texas. Rice competed as a member of the Southwest Conference, finishing tied for third.
Rice was ranked at No. 38 in the final Litkenhous Difference by Score System ratings for 1948.[2]