Rice University's football team may be technically closer to home in this Reliant Stadium matchup, but this figures to be one big University of Texas party. Orange will be the dominant color and Hook 'em Horns finger signs will be flashing often as the Longhorn faithful take over the home of the NFL's Houston Texans. Playing its first game since that loss to Alabama in the national championship game last January, Texas (ranked fifth in the Associated Press Poll) figures to roll (Las Vegas has the Longhorns as more than 28-point favorites) in a party atmosphere.

More than 60,000 fans are expected.

This is the college football season opener for both schools, but these are Texas teams headed in different directions. Rice went 2-10 last season and its best player (defensive lineman Scott Solomon) is out with a broken foot. Texas beat the Owls by a combined 100-14 margin in the school's two previous Reliant Stadium meetings (in 2003 and 2006). The intrigue for Longhorns fans will center on how good a revamped running game looks.