SERVPRO First Responder Bowl : NEWS FIRST
SERVPRO extends title sponsorship of First Responder Bowl
DALLAS, Texas – SERVPRO, the title sponsor of college football’s First Responder Bowl since 2018, has agreed to a three-year extension, continuing its commitment through the 2026 bowl game.
“It is such a privilege to continue our sponsorship of the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, honoring those that put their lives on the line for service and community,” SERVPRO Chief Operating Officer John Sooker said. “The heroes we recognize, not only today but every day, wear badges, scrubs and uniforms. This game highlights those heroes in every community across the country.”
SERVPRO Industries, LLC is a leading property restoration and construction franchise company. SERVPRO was recently inducted into Entrepreneur Magazine’s prestigious Franchise 500 Hall of Fame. Named to the Franchise 500 list 38 consecutive years, it was ranked No. 16 in 2023.
“We are thrilled to have SERVPRO’s continued support of the First Responder Bowl as our title sponsor,” said Brant Ringler, the bowl’s executive director. “SERVPRO’s association is a perfect match for our game which honors everyday heroes who are called to deal with extraordinary circumstances.”
In December 2014, the bowl began honoring first responders, including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents and military personnel who have specialized training and are the first to arrive and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency. In 2018, the game was renamed to reflect the efforts to show appreciation to first responders.
The 2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played Tuesday, Dec. 26, at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff time is set for 4:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
Since 2019, Ford Stadium has served as the host site. The game, previously known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl and TicketCity Bowl, was originally contested at Cotton Bowl Stadium. Previous teams selected for the bowl include Air Force, Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, UTSA, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky.
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. For additional information, please visit FirstResponderBowl.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more information on SERVPRO, visit www.Servpro.com.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2023, the 33-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, nine college basketball events, a college softball event and the inaugural Band of the Year National Championship, in addition to a new a college gymnastics event coming in 2024. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, while reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube pages.
SERVPRO
For more than 50 years, SERVPRO has been a trusted leader in fire and water cleanup and restoration services, construction, mold mitigation, biohazard and pathogen remediation. SERVPRO’s professional services network of more than 2,200 individually owned and operated franchises spans the United States and Canada, responding to property damage emergencies large and small – from million-square-foot commercial facilities to individual homes. When disaster strikes, homeowners, business owners and major insurance companies alike rely on SERVPRO to make it “Like it never even happened.”
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2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl to be played December 26
DALLAS, Texas – The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played Tuesday, Dec. 26, at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff time is set for 4:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.
“We are excited to have another tremendous opportunity to express our appreciation for our everyday heroes,” said Brant Ringler, executive director of the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. “These men and women truly deserve our thanks, and for our community to be able to honor them in front of a national television audience on ESPN is truly special.”
In December 2014, the bowl began honoring first responders, including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents and military personnel who have specialized training and are the first to arrive and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency. In 2018, the game was renamed to reflect the efforts to show appreciation to first responders.
Ford Stadium has served as the site of the last four contests, three of which have been decided by a touchdown or less. The game, previously known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl and TicketCity Bowl, was originally contested at Cotton Bowl Stadium.
Previous teams selected for the bowl include Air Force, Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, UTSA, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky.
Seventy-nine bowl alumni have been drafted into the National Football League, led by two-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas (Southern Miss). Of the draftees, five were first-round picks and 10 were selected in the second round.
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. For additional information, please visit FirstResponderBowl.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2023, the 32-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, nine college basketball events, and a college softball event, in addition to a new a college gymnastics event coming in 2024. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, while reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube pages.
Memphis Ends Season With Dominating 38-10 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl Win Over Utah State
By Troy Phillips
Bowl performances aren’t always indicative of how a team will fare the next season, but the Memphis Tigers must have some idea that things could bounce their way in 2023.
Memphis and the rest of the American Athletic Conference welcome six new members next season, and odds are, the Tigers will be ready.
On Tuesday, Memphis (7-6) snuffed the candle on the 2022 college football season, lifting the 13th SERVPRO First Responder Bowl trophy after a 38-10 victory over Utah State (6-7) at SMU’s Ford Stadium.
The Tigers are set – at least by the current roster – to return their quarterback, Tuesday’s top running back, at least two top receivers, their starting tight end and a host of ball-hawking defenders next season.
It shapes up to potentially spell trouble for most of the AAC, including newcomers North Texas, Rice, Charlotte, FAU, UAB and UTSA.
“I can finally exhale,” Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield said. “I don’t try to hide from it. College football is quite different. It’s a different job from year to year.
“To get to a bowl and win as champions, there are only so many teams that can end the year as champions. The guys here in the locker room know we have bright days ahead.”
Memphis’ Seth Henigan completed 20 of 29 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. Jevyon Ducker had 83 yards rushing and two scores, averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Eddie Lewis had five catches for 83 yards and two scores.
Tight end Caden Prieskorn added another touchdown. Cornerbacks Sylvonta Oliver (two) and Joel Williams combined for three Memphis interceptions of three different Utah State quarterbacks.
Memphis never trailed but was tied briefly, 3-3, in the second quarter after Utah State’s Connor Coles nailed a 53-yard field goal. The Aggies’ Cooper Legas, who began the season as a backup to senior Logan Bonner before the latter’s season-ending injury, was sacked twice on that drive.
Little else went Utah State’s way from there, save for a crossing route by backup Bishop Davenport that wideout Brian Cobbs took 44 yards to the house. By then, Memphis still led, 24-10.
That score wouldn’t have happened had a Memphis defender been able to hold on to a bobbled interception attempt-turned-Utah State first down on the deflection.
Ducker’s two touchdowns from 1 and 48 yards followed, and Memphis was clearly enjoying Bowl Season from a creative, celebratory standpoint.
“Just the inability to create anything,” Utah State coach Blake Anderson said. “Other than the first drive, and the one where we got the touchdown, there wasn’t any rhythm.”
Utah State’s two scores came from outside the Memphis red zone, and the Aggies didn’t otherwise reach there. It was a rough ending for the Aggies after a bumpy ride in 2022 that started 1-4 before a 5-2 finish to the regular season that ensured their bowl eligibility.
A year ago, Utah State won the Mountain West and defeated Oregon State in the Los Angeles Bowl, but foot surgery and a final re-injury to veteran Bonner, who was never fully healthy, proved difficult to overcome.
Fort Worth-based freelance writer Troy Phillips has covered eight SERVPRO First Responder Bowls.
2022 SFRB Postgame Player Quotes
2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Postgame quotes
Dec. 27, 2022 – Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Memphis Sophomore QB Seth Henigan
On what he saw today…
“All of our offensive skilled players played well today. We had a spark in the second quarter. I am just proud of the way we finished the season. Whatever team wanted it more was going to win the game. We had a bunch of players make plays.”
About the SMU game effect today…
“No not really. It is the same stadium obviously, but I put the past in the past and was focused on Utah State.”
Looking ahead to next year and how exciting it is to see who is coming back…
It is really exciting. We have all been capable about it. I am happy that a lot of guys are coming back. In this day and age, there is the transfer portal and all that goes with that. I am grateful with what I know that most of our guys are coming back. We are losing some great seniors.”
On what he wants to focus on for 2023…
There is more than one thing for sure. I want to steady my feet down and trust the pocket. That has been one of the things for me and caused issues and negative plays. I just need to relax a little bit. We’ll get more into that when we break down the games and self-analysis.”
On the second-quarter spark…
“I took a couple of sacks early that stalled out plays. We had a lot of penalties. Coming into the game we were one of the least penalized teams. We had a lot of flagged plays that stalled our drives. In the second quarter, the spark really helped us win the game. The rest of the game and second half, we just wanted to maintain clock management.”
Memphis Senior DB Quindell Johnson
On the physicality of the game…
“We knew that their offense was a fast-tempo team so we practiced tempo a lot. We came out and did a great job of sticking with the game plan. We came out with a great attitude. His message to us was that energy was going to win this game. And the team with the most energy would win. We accomplished that goal. The guys in the front gave a lot of trouble to force a lot of sacks and interceptions tonight. We came out with a lot of energy.”
Success in the return to Dallas…
“There were a few seniors that went to the Cotton Bowl, but that didn’t really cross our mind. We wanted to focus on this game and go out the right way as champions.”
On the thoughts of the career coming to an end…
“It is crazy because I really didn’t. I just felt I knew that it was coming to an end, but I just went day-by-day to enjoy my brothers and enjoy everybody. That whole process was just being where my feet are. I knew the end was coming. I didn’t really have any emotions the last two weeks. I did reflect on the great things that I have done here at Memphis, it is going to be bittersweet. I thank Memphis for giving me the opportunity to play here.”
On how it started to how it ended emotionally…
“When we played Mississippi State we had prepared and felt confident going into the game. We went into the game a bit shell shocked. It was a wake-up call. We knew we had a lot of work to do. Then going through the season, we had teams where we were consistent and then times that we weren’t consistent. In the end to display that it is big to display how confident we are, with the guys we have. It will be a big point of emphasis.
Capping off the career with a win…
“The grind, the blond sweat and tears you have with those guys. All of those late nights and early mornings all pay off at the end. Hoisting the trophy up at the end puts the cherry on top. I love the guys, and I told them after the game I love and appreciate everything they have done and to continue to follow the process.”
Utah State Senior RB Calvin Tyler Jr
About what it was like playing today…
“First off, I have to thank the lord above. It has been a blessing playing college football. Emotions, yeah I had a lot of them. I want to be a good teammate to my guys and I don’t want to them to see me down. I just have to keep those guys up. I have to be a leader when I win or lose.”
Lasting memory from time at Utah State…
“Winning a championship. You can’t take a championship away and winning a bowl game. The opportunity to play football. This was my last college game, I got another change to play college football and it is just a blessing.”
About the future of Utah State football
“They are coming. They are young and hungry. This loss will be bitter, and they know what they have to do and build off of. The season happened like it was supposed to. You can’t question how it happened. I do not doubt them at all. The Aggies 20223 season is going to be a good one to watch.”
What did Memphis do tonight against you…
“They did what we thought they would do. They started twisting in the second half. We knew they would be physical. We just have to execute. That is all it would take. They were a better team today, we knew they would be tough. Things happen and they didn’t go our way.”
On the return to Texas
“It is a blessing to play in front of those guys. It was cool to play in front of them. It was another opportunity to play football and play in front of my fans. I am just thankful.”
Utah State Senior LB AJ Vongphachanh
What did Memphis do against you today…
“I think they just took advantage of the one-on-ones that we had. We beat our selves down the stretch. I don’t think it wasn’t anything special they were doing just what we did. It didn’t have to do with the X’s and O’s. We have to play to our standard and not anyone else’s standard. We have to play our brand of football.”
About the time between the end of the season and a bowl game…
“It is my first time in a bowl game like this. It was definitely different. Speaking for myself, not having a hit in more than a week, it was a little different.”
What are you taking away from today…
“Regardless of if I was over there or not, I take a lot of responsibility to help the guys out and I felt that I could have done more, put myself in better position. I have to see where I can get better and improve on.”
On what to expect next year…
“It will be a lot of the guys third year, third year in the system we expect a big jump in the front. If everyone does return as planned, we should be really good.”
Thoughts on the season…
“Early on it was tough going into 1-4. The transition from that stage to turning it around and being bowl eligible is an accomplishment. It is a testament of the guys being willing to fight.”
2022 SFRB Postgame Coaches Quotes
2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Postgame quotes
Dec. 27, 2022 – Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield
Opening Statement…
“I want to thank the city of Dallas and what gracious hosts they have been. It has been a wonderful trip for us and a great way to cap off a season filled with ups and downs. It was a great moment for our program. I am so proud of our resiliency today and leading up today. We are going to celebrate this and be proud of the moment. I am proud of our guys, and our seniors. That win was for them. Thanks to all of the great fans from the city of Memphis. I am honored to coach this team. There are bright days ahead of us.”
What do you see out of this locker room…
“I can tell you every single moment the way it went against Miss State. And then against Navy, and against Houston. The game didn’t go the way we wanted against EC. Throughout the season, this team has never given up. That locker room is full of high-character guys, and I have their back for life. There was no doubt in my mind that they were going to come out ready to play. Utah state is a heck of a ball club and they have done a fantastic job. Our resiliency just hasn’t wavered.”
On ending the season with a win…
“I can finally exhale. I don’t try to hide from it. College football is quite different. The job is different year to year. To get a bowl win and end as a champion, there are only so many teams that can end the year as champions. The guys in the locker room know that we have bright days ahead. We are going to enjoy this for the next couple of hours and then I’m sure we’ll be back preparing for the 2023 football season.”
How did it feel getting that first win of the season…
“It is about our ball clue and the program. You think about the covid year, and the cotton bowl game and the end result of that, it was a great moment in program history. In the Covid year we lost in the last second. You think about the last time in this stadium and that is the story of our season. I think the bounce back by guys like Seth shows you what the resiliency is all about. It is all about the team and it is an honor to be their head coach.”
Looking ahead to 2023…
“That is such a unique thing. There is no way I can portray the bond that we have in that locker room. They understood how close we are and what we are capable. My job is about getting across that finish line and compete for championships, because that is what we expect. The guys on the roster understand that there are bright things ahead. We are looking forward to 2023 and beyond.”
On the interception in the second half…
“I had a big lump in my throat. He had two picks where one bounced off his facemask and you wonder what you did wrong. But the guys knew we aren’t letting this happen again. We tightened the ship and made sure we’d sure the win.”
About the physicality today…
“That is one of the things we want to hang our hat on. Was it perfect? No. It is about showing up down in and down out. The way the guys showed up, was it perfect, heck no, but we are going to hang our hat on a team that is going to come after you. We have to build off that physicality.”
Utah State coach Blake Anderson
Opening Statement…
First off, thank you to the folks that ran this bowl. The kids had a blast this week. You can tell that they put a lot of time and energy to make sure it was a great experience. It was an awesome week for us. Thank you to the first responders that are listening or paid attention this week. We get to play ball because of so many that put their lives on the line for us. We talked so much this week how much we need to honor that.
“I am disappointed in the outcome. I would have liked to play better. We had a terrible second quarter and couldn’t overcome it. I was pleased in how we came out in the second half and were able to get back in the game to some degree. We got into the endzone and did some positive things. We did not play our best ball. We could not create enough offense to give us a chance to win. I am proud of this group to battle back from 1-4 to get bowl eligible.”
On the teams overall play…
“We did not cover well. They had some explosive throws, and we could not get anything generated at all, especially in the second quarter. We gave up explosive throws and didn’t cover well in one-on-one situations and couldn’t get anything offensive going at all.”
What do you attribute to the play against Memphis…
“Just the inability to create anything. Other than the first drive, and the one we got the touchdown there just wasn’t any rhythm. We looked confused at times. We struggled to protect at times and there was no consistently. We have to get better to compete at the level that we want.”
On what to take from this season…
“There were a lot of young guys that got reps this year. We will learn from those. They weren’t fun to watch at times. It was forced reps, forced experienced, hopefully that pays big dividends next year. Most of the team is going to be back. To go from 1-4 to 6-6 takes a lot of grit. There was a level in there in the middle of the season where there was a lot there. We have 16 new bodies in January to add to the team that we have coming back. This team can be exactly what they want to be. We have to attack it in some areas, but we have to play better ball than we did.”
On playing against Memphis…
“They have a well-built football team. We knew that coming in. they recruit big. They got big in the area. They are long outside, and we knew that was going to be a challenge and it was a challenge we couldn’t overcome. In spurts we played really, really well. Offensively, there wasn’t a lot of positive. We struggled up front to sustain on the run and a lot of that comes back to the size and power they are built with.”
2022 SFRB Postgame Notes
SFRB Game Notes – Dec. 27, 2022
First trip for both teams to the First Responders Bowl
8th meeting between Memphis and Utah State
Utah State used three different quarterbacks in today’s contest.
FIRST QUARTER
Memphis opening drive – 6 plays 35 yds; 25 yd punt by J. Doyle
Utah St. opening drive – 8 plays 25 yds; 42 yd punt by S. Kotsanlee returned by E. Lewis of 7 yds
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 12 plays 64 yds 5:14; C. Howard 26 yd field goal GOOD! UM 3 US 0
SECOND QUARTER
UTAH STATE SCORING DRIVE – 9 plays 37 yds 3:47; C. Coles 53 yd field goal GOOD! UM 3 US 3
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 8 plays 72 yds 4:43; S. Henigan pass to E. Lewis 15yds TD Pass! PAT Good! UM 10 US 3
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 5 plays 50 yds 2:26; S. Henigan pass to E. Lewis 22 yd TD Pass! PAT Good! UM 17 US 3
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 10 plays 52 yds 1:38; S. Henigan pass to C. Prieskorn 3 yd TD pass! PAT Good! UM 24 US 3
HALFTIME STATS
MEMPHIS UTAH STATE
Total Yds 273 89
Pass Yds 217 33
Rush Yds 56 56
1st Downs 16 6
Total Plays 43 29
Time of Poss. 19:01 10:59
THIRD QUARTER
UTAH STATE opening drive – C. Legas pass intercepted by S. Oliver at the US 48yd line. UM Ball!
SUDDEN CHANGE! Sack/Fumble! D. Grzesiak sacks S. Henigan recovered by B. Vaughn’s at the UM36!
MEMPHIS 42 yd pass from S. Henigan to B. Vaughns – Longest pass of game!
FOURTH QUARTER
UTAH STATE SCORING DRIVE – 5 plays 92 yds 1:48; B. Davenport 44yd TD pass to B. Cobbs! PAT Good! UM 24 US 10!
That TD pass was the first of Bishop Davenports career!
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 7plays 47 yds 3:41; J. Ducker 1 yd run! PAT Good! UM 31 US 10!
SUDDEN CHANGE! B. Davenports pass intercepted by S. Oliver return of 35 yds! UM Ball!
MEMPHIS SCORING DRIVE – 5 plays 58 yds 1:54; J. Ducker 48 yd TD run! PAT Good! UM 38 US 10!
SUDDEN CHANGE! L. Williams pass intercepted by J. Williams (Touchback) UM Ball!
FINAL STATS
MEMPHIS UTAH STATE
Total Yds 430 261
Pass Yds 284 135
Rush Yds 146 126
1st Downs 26 15
3rd Downs 7-14 5-13
4th Downs 0-0 0-1
Total Plays 76 58
Time of Poss. 36:06 23:54
Red Zone 4-4 0-0
Turnovers 1 3
Sacks 4 5
TFL 7 14
Bo's Bits: Reaping the Fruits of the Bowls
By Bo Carter
Memphis and Utah State have played a combined 31 bowl games since 1946, but to say the teams have had some interesting encounters in the postseason might be a gross understatement.
Now as they prepare for the 12th annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (plus the 2018 contest that was played for seven game clock minutes between Boise State and Boston College before severe storms over several hours ended the clash prematurely) on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at Dallas’ Ford Stadium, the two teams are anticipating another barn-burner if the 2022 season or past bowls involving them are any indication.
For starters, the Aggies got into fruits and vegetables in their first two bowl appearances. San Jose State edged the Ags 20-0 in the Jan. 1, 1947, appropriately-named Raisin Bowl in rich fruit producing Fresno, Calif. A year later, USU ventured to the famed wine country in Lodi, Calif., and fell to then-powerhouse Pacific (Calif.) 35-21 in the 1948 Grape Bowl.
Utah State voyaged into a more conventional postseason clash with the 1960 Sun Bowl and a 20-13 setback to New Mexico State in a tussle of two Aggies. NMSU closed the year with its best record in school history at 11-0 while USU dropped to a respectable 9-2 and a then-school-record victories year. That was eclipsed later by the 2012 squad that reeled off 11 wins in 13 games.
The Aggies finally broke into the bowl win column in 1993 with a convincing, 42-33 show on offense against Mid-American Conference stalwart Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Since that time, Utah State is 6-6 in postseason play since that triumph 29 years ago.
Memphis, by the same token, broke into bowl game history with a 1956 Burley Bowl (played from 1945-56 in Johnson City, Tenn., on Thanksgiving in conjunction with the annual Tobacco Festival) win 32-12 over host East Tennessee State.
The Tigers later played in the Rose Bowl – in this case the 1971 Pasadena Bowl contested at Rose Bowl Stadium – with a 28-9 verdict over San Jose State – a popular mutual bowl opponent for the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl competitors. NFF College Hall of Fame Tigers head coach, World War II hero and former Mississippi State standout Billy Jack Murphy retired as Memphis’ winningest head coach after that encounter.
UM then embarked on what is now a string of 15 bowl games or invitations over a 20-year span from 2003-2022 with a 27-17 win over North Texas in the 2003 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl for a school-best winning streak in three postseason tests.
Some of Memphis’ recent memorable bowl wins came over Akron 38-21 in the 2005 Motor City Bowl, over BYU (55-48) in the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl and over Florida Atlantic (25-10) in the 2020 Montgomery Camellia Bowl. The Tigers made a once-in-a-lifetime trek to the Goodyear Cotton Bowl to meet Penn State on Dec. 28, 2019. The Tigers presented themselves well in a traditional New Year’s Bowl tussle during a 53-39 loss to the Nittany Lions. That showing also helped Memphis RB/WR Tony Pollard gain an early-round draft selection in 2020 and continued play at AT&T Stadium with the NFL Dallas Cowboys.
Utah State also ran off an impressive three-victory skein in the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl over Toledo (41-15), in the 2013 Poinsettia Bowl over Northern Illinois (21-14) and in the 2014 New Mexico Bowl over UTEP (21–6). The Aggies also prevailed over Pac-12 Conference contender Oregon State in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl to gain some postseason momentum prior to the ’22 campaign.
Interestingly, this is USU’s second postseason trip in four seasons to the Dallas-Fort Worth area after being edged 51-41 by Kent State in the 2019 Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas, and the Golden Flashes won their first bowl skirmish in school history.
For additional information, pregame pageantry and ticket purchases, please access Firstresponderbowl.com.
-www.firstresponderbowl.com-
Bo's Bits: The Ties of Texas Are Upon Us
By Bo Carter
Remember the famed movie “Six Degrees of Separation?”
That definitely is the case when Memphis and Utah State tangle in the 12th annual SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Dec. 27 at Ford Stadium on the SMU campus.
First, there are the obvious geographical connections for both teams with the state of Texas.
Current Memphis QB Seth Henigan has starred for the Tigers for two years after a stellar career at suburban Dallas-Fort Worth powerhouse Denton Ryan HS where he was a three-year regular and netted statewide honors for his father and DRHS head coach Dave Henigan.
The two-season starter for the Tigers has amassed 6,609 net passing yards in 25 starts for the Tigers on 501-of-810 passing with 44 touchdown tosses and 16 interceptions. He also has rushed for 462 net yards on 215 attempts with four infantry scores.
The Denton standout is no stranger to Ford Stadium partisans after throwing for 287 yards on 27-of-44 passes and rushing for another score in the Tigers 34-31 loss to home-standing SMU on Nov. 26. Henigan engineered a last-minute drive that came up just short in the squeaker against the Mustangs.
Utah State QB Logan Bonner also starred at nearby Rowlett has had the rare opportunity to play six seasons in the COVID-19 expanded eligibility realm.
He used that time to his advantage with staggering career numbers of 596-of-1,008 passing for a 59.1 percent completion rate, 7,531 career yards and 72 TD passes before his 2022 campaign ended in late September with an injury. Still, he will be returning to the Dallas area for the holidays and cheering on new starting QB Cooper Legas from Orem, Utah, after Legas stepped in and was 128-of-209 passing for 1,495 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022.
The other obvious Lone Star State tie-ins with these first-time bowl opponents playing their eighth all-time series clash are such performers as Memphis DL Jaylon Allen of Humble, DL Dedrick Smith of Houston, OL Austin Myers of Houston, and OL Michael Henson of Rockwall.
Ample talent from Texas dots the Aggies roster as well with Bonner, RB Calvin Tyler Jr. of Beaumont, QB Bishop Davenport of Spring, DE Byron Vaughns of Fort Worth, CB Ajani Carter of Houston, QB Levi Williams of Canyon Lake, RB Robert Briggs of Bellville, RB Bailee Davenport of Spring, LB Josh Williams of Mesquite, CB Jaden Smith of Richmond, DT Tavian Coleman of Humble, and DT Poukesi Vakauta of Euless.
And incidentally, Tigers head coach Ryan Silverfield, a Jacksonville, Fla., native coached his first college game in the Dec. 28, 2019, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas, as Penn State outlasted Memphis 53-39.
Utah State head coach Blake Anderson also maintains numerous Texas ties as a native of Hubbard, Texas (famed for its fellow favorite son and National Baseball Hall of Fame member Tris Speaker who starred in football and baseball at Texas Wesleyan) and as an assistant coach at Trinity Valley College and Howard Payne.
No, they won’t play “The Eyes of Texas” before the 21 student-athletes from both teams race onto the Ford Stadium turf, but fans can be certain that numerous friends and family will be in the audience cheering on their favorites when the Aggies and Tigers tangle.
-Firstresponderbowl.com-
Bo’s Bits: Expect Points When These Teams Visit Texas
By Bo Carter
Anyone who has seen Memphis and Utah State play in 2022 or over the last three decades-plus knows that there should be ample scoring in the Dec. 27 SERVPRO First Responder at 2:15 p.m. (CST) at Gerald Ford Stadium on the Dallas campus of SMU.
Memphis, in fact, is all too familiar to DFW area football connoisseurs after taking homestanding American Athletic Conference opponent SMU down to the final seconds on Nov. 26 at Ford Stadium before falling to the Mustangs 34-31.
The Tigers were driving for a possible tying field goal or winning TD and got stopped by a pass interception in the end zone. That concluded a regular season where the Tigers, paced by Denton Ryan (Texas) QB Seth Henigan (who has told UM coaches he will return for 2023), closed 22nd nationally in team passing offense with 3,345 yards on 270-of-425 passing with 20 touchdowns and just eight interceptions (two against SMU).
Utah State has been just as potent behind starting QBs Cooper Legas and Logan Bonner, who hails from Rowlett, Texas, and came to the Beehive state via Arkansas State. Utah State has the nation’s 48th-leading passing attack with 3,282 yards on 270-of-406 via the air and a sterling total of 29 TD passes.
The Aggies made their presence felt in nearby Frisco, Texas, in 2019 with a 51-41 offense fest and setback to air-minded Kent State, which captured its first bowl victory in the Tropical Smoothie Café Frisco Bowl with 1,056 combined yards of total offense – 317 passing by the Utes – and 92 points.
USU is a frequent visitor to the Lone Star State with past games against Texas State, Texas Tech, UTSA, UTEP, North Texas, TCU, Texas, and West Texas A&M and utilizes the Southwest area as a key recruiting pipeline.
And the two opponents played seven times from 1965-77 with the Tigers winning four of the seven contests with such personalities as National Football Foundation Hall of Fame head coach Billy Jack Murphy guiding the Tigers, Chuck Mills and Bruce Snyder coaching Aggies teams, and multiple All-America or All-South Independent teams playing in these seven tussles.
Now they bring their combined 12 triumphs, 700 composite team points and 9,284 yards of total offense in ’22 into the Dec. 27 encounter and promise to light up the Ford Stadium scoreboard during the nationally-televised (ESPN) clash.
Utah State also is coming off the 2021 Mountain West Conference championship, a 10-3 record and 24-13 Jimmy Kimmel Los Angeles Bowl win over Oregon State of the Pac-12 Conference and used that as a springboard to a third bowl trek over a four-year period from 2019-22.
Memphis as well is coming off its most productive span of postseason play with nine straight bowl invitations– three consecutive under current head coach Ryan Silverfield. Silverfield was chief mentor in his first game in the 2020 Goodyear Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas – the Tigers’ first trek to a traditional New Year’s Day/New Year’s Six Bowl in school history against Big Ten Conference powerhouse Penn State.
For tickets, the new and improved Bowl Tailgate Party on bowl day and related game activities, please access Firstresponderbowl.com.
Bowl a Just Reward for Utah State and Memphis
by Art Garcia
The Utah State Aggies weren’t focused on bowl destinations back in late September. A 1-4 start tends to change priorities in a hurry.
But the Aggies started winning, slowly turning things around despite the team being decimated by injuries. Utah State coach Blake Anderson estimates that at least 25 players have missed games, many with season-ending injuries.
So the chance to continue on after reaching six wins is a sweet reward for Anderson and the Aggies, who will face the Memphis Tigers in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Both programs are in the Dallas-based bowl at SMU’s Ford Stadium for the first time.
“Excited to get the news to be going to Dallas ... and love the matchup against Memphis,” said Anderson, in his second year at Utah State said. “There are a lot of positives about this particular game for us and this matchup. But mainly (excited) about the opportunity itself, to be bowl eligible two years in a row and to add to a wonderful bowl history here at Utah State over the last 15 years. And the possibility to get win No. 7.”
Anderson is from Hubbard, Texas, so the trip to Dallas represents a sort of homecoming. He’s led his teams to eight bowls in nine seasons as coach.
The Aggies won five of their last seven games to finish 6-6, and posted a 5-3 league mark to tie for second in the Mountain West’s Mountain Division.
“7-6 would feel much better for this group than 6-7,” Anderson said. “That’ll be a huge challenge. I expect us to be an underdog. I love the matchup against Memphis. Really good football team.
“I’m familiar with those guys, having played them and been in that footprint during my time at Arkansas State. I’ve watched them several times this year and know what kind of challenge they’ll be.”
The Tigers (6-6) are making their ninth consecutive bowl trip, the longest active streak among non-Power Five schools. Memphis tied for eighth in the American Athletic Conference at 3-5.
Memphis also ended the regular season with a heartbreaking 34-31 loss at SMU. Returning to the same stadium just weeks later isn’t an issue for Tigers coach Ryan Silverfield. It’s more of a blessing.
“Just getting back (to Dallas) will be a wonderful opportunity,” Silverfield said. “We know what a great host city it is. The experience I had as my first time as a head coach down there at one of our bowl games, I’m just excited to get back down that way.”
The Tigers played in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in nearby Arlington in 2019 in Silverfield’s first game as head coach. His first home game the following season was against Arkansas State, which was coached by Anderson.
Utah State had nine football players earn various all-Mountain West accolades, including offensive lineman Alfred Edwards on the first team. Three earned second-team honors: receiver Brian Cobbs, running back Calvin Tyler Jr. and safety Ike Larsen. Honorable mentions went to safety Hunter Reynolds, offensive lineman Chandler Dolphin, junior defensive end Daniel Grzesiak, linebacker MJ Tafisi and receiver Terrell Vaughn.
Six Tigers earned all-AAC honors, led by defensive back Quindell Johnson and kicker Chris Howard on the first team. Tight end Caden Prieskorn and linebacker Xavier "Zay" Cullens were on the second team, while defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and defensive back Davion Ross were named honorable mention.