The team was led by seventh-year head coach David Bailiff and played its home games at Rice Stadium.

The team was a member of the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA).

They finished the season 10–4 overall, 7–1 in C-USA play, which was good for first place in the West Division.

They won the C-USA championship by beating Marshall, the first-place team in the East Division, 41–24 in the C-USA conference championship game.

They were invited to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where they lost to Mississippi State, 44–7.