Rice will pay LSU $3.5 million to play in Houston’s NRG Stadium in 2020 as part of a two-for-one deal announced by the schools Tuesday. Rice will play in Baton Rouge in 2018 and 2024.
The 2020 game will serve as a Rice home game, though it will be played in the venue that is home to the NFL’s Houston Texans. A source said Tuesday that the game cannot be moved off the September 19 date because of logistics involving the Texans. That means there can be no alternate date to accommodate TV. Conference USA signed a new rights deal this summer with four networks including ESPN and CBS Sports.