2021 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl to be Played December 28

DALLAS, Texas – The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played Tuesday, Dec. 28, at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff is set for 2:15 p.m. CT on ESPN.

“We are excited to once again honor our first responders during the holiday season in front of a national television audience,” said Brant Ringler, executive director of the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.

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 two contests, marking the first time that the game, previously known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl and TicketCity Bowl, was contested at a site other than Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Previous teams selected to compete include: Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, UTSA, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky.

Sixty-seven 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 eight were selected in the second round.

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl has been decided by a touchdown or less two years in a row and three times in the last four editions. Two of those games were determined on the final play.

The SERVPRO First Responder bowl has been played post-Christmas Day since its inception. It is the first time that the game has been played on Dec. 28.

For additional information about the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, please visit FirstResponderBowl.comand follow on Facebook and Twitter.

ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 34 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes five early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events and a college softball event, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets 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 or YouTube pages.

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Media Contacts

Drew Harris, SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

(254) 716-8573 | drew@firstpitchpr.com

Anna Negron, ESPN

(860) 766-2233 | anna.m.negron@espn.com