Stanford to play Rice in Australia pending NCAA approval

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) Stanford is planning to open next football season in Australia against Rice.

The school said Sunday the game still must be formally approved by the NCAA next month before it can be finalized. ESPN and The Mercury News of San Jose first reported the story.

The schools are currently slated to play on Sept. 2 in Houston but would move the game a week earlier to play it in Sydney if it is approved.

This would mark the second straight season a Pac-12 team went to Australia. California played its 2016 opener in Sydney against Hawaii.