The 1988 Rice Owls football team represented Rice University as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by Jerry Berndt in his third and final season as head coach, the Owls compiled an overall record of 0âÂÂ11, with a mark of 0âÂÂ7 in conference play, placing last out of eight teams in the SWC. Rice played home games at Rice Stadium in Houston.