Rice wins its 2nd Southwest Conference championship and plays in its 1st Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day, defeating Colorado 28-14.

Bowl games while members of the Southwest Conference include:

1947: Orange Bowl (January 1), Rice 8, Tennessee 0

1950: Cotton Bowl (January 2), Rice 27, North Carolina 13

1954: Cotton Bowl (January 1), Rice 28, Alabama 6

1958: Cotton Bowl (January 1), Rice 7, Navy 7

1961: Sugar Bowl (January 2), Mississippi 14, Rice 6

1961: Bluebonnet Bowl (December 16), Kansas 33, Rice 7 (Rice led 7-6 late in the 2nd quarter