The Rice–SMU football rivalry is an American college football rivalry[citation needed] between the Rice University Owls and Southern Methodist University Mustangs.

In 1918, both schools joined the Southwest Conference, and from 1926 they played every year except for 1987 and 1988, after the NCAA gave SMU's football program the "death penalty" following a cheating scandal.

[1] In 1998 a traveling trophy, the "Mayor's Cup", was introduced to the series, and has been awarded to the winner each year.

On June 15, 2022, Rice announced they would be officially joining the American for the 2023 season, renewing the series.

[3] However, on September 1, 2023, SMU accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Coast Conference starting in 2024, which once again puts the future of the Mayor's Cup in doubt.