Depending on traffic, the University of Houston and Rice are separated by roughly seven miles.

It's that proximity that makes the Bayou Bucket one of the unique rivalry games in college football, joining UCLA-Southern California as the only two feature two FBS schools from the same city.

After a three-year hiatus, the Bayou Bucket returns Saturday at TDECU Stadium.

"It's for bragging rights," UH coach Major Applewhite said.

"It would be great to get the Bucket back in the locker room," Rice coach David Bailiff said.

UH has won the last three meetings and holds a 29-11 edge overall.

Here are some of the memorable games in the previous 40 meetings:

Nov. 27, 1976: Houston 42, Rice 20

Location: Rice Stadium

Alois Blackwell scored three touchdowns as the Cougars clinched the Southwest Conference crown in in their first season as a member. UH went on to beat Maryland in the Cotton Bowl to finish 10-2 with a No. 4 ranking.

Dec. 2, 1989: Houston 64, Rice 0

Location: Rice Stadium

With the Cougars on probation and ineligible for the postseason, Andre Ware put on a final show in a record-setting season as the Cougars cruised to the most lopsided win in the Bayou Bucket series. Ware was 36-of-51 for 400 yards and two touchdowns, capping off a season in which he threw for 4,699 yards and broke 16 NCAA records. Shortly after the game, Ware won the Heisman Trophy in a close ballot over Indiana running back Anthony Thompson.

Nov. 29, 1986: Rice 14, Houston 13

Location: Astrodome

The Owls scored 14 points in the final 5 minutes, 36 seconds to spoil the final game for UH coach Bill Yeoman. Rice's win - under first-year coach Jerry Berndt - snapped a five-game losing streak to UH.

Sept. 29: 1990: Houston 24, Rice 22

Location: Astrodome

Roman Anderson kicked a 32-yard field goal with 10 seconds left as the No. 13 Cougars avoided the upset. Rice led 22-7 in the third quarter before UH quarterback David Klingler tossed two touchdowns to begin the comeback.

Nov. 26, 1994: Rice 31, Houston 13

Location: Astrodome

Backup quarterback Chad Nelson, playing for injured starter Josh LaRocca, rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown as the Owls clinched a share of the Southwest Conference title with Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and Texas. It was the Owls' first shared or outright conference championship since 1957.

Dec. 2, 1995: Houston 18, Rice 17

Location: Rice Stadium

Down 17-3, the Cougars rallied for two fourth-quarter touchdowns - the last coming on a 43-yarder from Chuck Clements to Larkay James with 1:19 remaining - in the final game in Southwest Conference history. Even then the game was not decided until Rice kicker Mike Ruff's 38-yard field goal attempt missed wide right.

Nov. 29, 2008: Rice 56, Houston 42

Location: Rice Stadium

The legend of 'Thor' was born, as multi-talented Owls star James Casey had 12 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns, ran for a fourth score and threw for another. Rice quarterback Chase Clement tossed five touchdowns as the Owls went on to the Texas Bowl and finished with 10 wins for just the second time in school history.

Sept. 5, 2004: Rice 10, Houston 7

Location: Reliant Stadium

In the lowest-scoring game in the rivalry's history, defensive end John Syptak had a pair of sacks and the Owls just missed a shutout. The Cougars were held to 212 yards total offense, 99 coming on the final drive as Kelvin Kolb hooked up with Vincent Marshall for a 33-yard touchdown with 9 seconds left.

Nov. 2, 2000: Rice 30, Houston 27 (OT)

Location: Rice Stadium

The Owls celebrated the 50th birthday of Rice Stadium with the only overtime game in the rivalry. UH tied the game with 39 seconds left in regulation and went ahead on a field goal to begin OT. Aided by a pass interference call in the end zone, the Owls had the ball at the goal line and needed four chances before Robbie Beck plunged in for the winning touchdown.

Oct. 27, 2011: Houston 73, Rice 34

Location: Robertson Stadium

After erasing a 10-point deficit, it was the Case Keenum Show. The Cougars' star quarterback (opposite page) threw for 534 yards and nine touchdowns as the Cougars piled up 73 points on the Owls for the second time in three years. Tyler Smith (170) and Turner Petersen (140) accounted for most of the Owls' 359 rushing yards.

Sept. 14, 1974: Houston 21, Rice 0

Back to Gallery Revisiting the Bayou Bucket rivalry's memorable games 30 1 of 30 Photo: Smiley N. Pool, Houston Chronicle 2 of 30 Photo: LM Otero, Associated Press 3 of 30 Photo: Diamond Images, Diamond Images/Getty Images 4 of 30 Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press 5 of 30 Photo: VERNON BRYANT, MCT 6 of 30 7 of 30 Photo: Karl Gehring, Denver Post via Getty Images 8 of 30 Photo: David Purdy, Getty Images 9 of 30 10 of 30 Photo: Matthew Sharpe, Getty Images 11 of 30 Photo: David Purdy, Getty Images 12 of 30 13 of 30 Photo: Leon Halip, Getty Images 14 of 30 Photo: Mark Cunningham, Getty Images 15 of 30 Photo: Jeff Gross, Getty Images 16 of 30 Photo: Damian Strohmeyer, Sports Illustrated/Getty Images 17 of 30 Photo: U.S. Navy, Getty Images 18 of 30 19 of 30 20 of 30 21 of 30 Photo: Todd Rosenberg, Sports Illustrated/Getty Images 22 of 30 23 of 30 24 of 30 Photo: Stephen Brashear, Getty Images 25 of 30 Photo: The State, MCT via Getty Images 26 of 30 Photo: Chris Graythen, Getty Images 27 of 30 Photo: JOHN F. RHODES/Staff Photographe, 144930 28 of 30 Photo: Rob Carr, Getty Images 29 of 30 Photo: Collegiate Images, Collegiate Images/Getty Images 30 of 30 Photo: Collegiate Images, Collegiate Images/Getty Images































































Location: Rice Stadium

In the first 'official' game in the rivalry, the Cougars held the Owls to four first downs and scored three touchdowns, including a school-record 91-yard run by Donnie McGraw.