| Year: | 1996 |
| Team: | Rice Owls |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Western Athletic Conference |
| Division: | Mountain Division |
| Short Conf: | WAC |
| Record: | 7–4 |
| Conf Record: | 6–2 |
| Head Coach: | Ken Hatfield |
| Hc Year: | 3rd |
| Oc Year: | 3rd |
| Def Coach: | Wally Ake |
| Dc Year: | 3rd |
| Stadium: | Rice Stadium |
The 1996 Rice Owls football team was an American football team that represented Rice University in the Western Athletic Conference during the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their third year under head coach Ken Hatfield, the team compiled a 7–4 record.[1] [2]