Rice and Charlotte met four times as long-distance members of the CUSA, and now the series comes with AAC designation for the first time ever. It hasn’t been the most seamless transition for the Owls (4-6, 2-4 AAC) or 49ers (3-7, 2-4 AAC) which both wield losing records — overall and in conference play.
But one of these teams is still hanging onto bowl hopes. Rice qualified for bowl season short of six wins last year due to having the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) among 5-7 teams. The Owls could punch a ticket to bowl season using the same method this year, but they’re striving for their first 6-win season since 2014.