2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl to feature Texas State and Rice

DALLAS, Texas (Dec. 3, 2023) – The Texas State Bobcats (7-5, 4-4 Sun Belt) and Rice Owls (6-6, 4-4 American Athletic) have officially accepted invitations to play in the 2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. It will be the fifth meeting between the two schools and the first since 1987.

This marks the first appearance in the First Responder Bowl for both teams. It is the first-ever bowl game for the Bobcats, while Rice is 7-6 in previous postseason games. The 14th edition of the bowl game will be played Tuesday, Dec. 26, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN and simulcast on ESPN+. It is the first time that two schools in the state of Texas have faced each other in the bowl’s history.

“We’re extremely excited to have two in-state schools, Rice and Texas State, playing in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl,” Executive Director Brant Ringler said. “We are eager to host the Owls and Bobcats and look forward to having their fan bases join us in Dallas as we honor our first responders.”

First-year head coach G.J. Kinne led Texas State to its first-ever win over a Power 5 Conference team in the season opener, a 42-31 win at Baylor. Texas State scored 36.0 points per game and averaged 471.8 yards per contest. Defensively, the Bobcats surrendered 33.8 points and 414.3 yards per game. Seven Bobcats were named first- or second-team All-Sun Belt.

The Owls are playing in a bowl game for the second straight year under sixth-year coach Mike Bloomgren. Rice, which closed the regular season with back-to-back wins, had five players collect American Athletic Conference honors. Offensively, Rice averaged 30.3 points and 376.8 yards per game. On the defensive side, the Owls allowed 26.7 points and 370.1 yards per outing.

First played following the 2010 season, the annual bowl game in Dallas began honoring first responders for the 2014 game. First responders include 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 officially renamed the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl to reflect the efforts to show appreciation to first responders. Tickets for first responders are underwritten by corporate partners.

Schools that have competed in the First Responder Bowl, which was previously known as the TicketCity Bowl and the Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl, include: Air Force, Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Memphis, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, UTSA, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky. Three of the last four games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including two games determined on the final play.

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. For additional information about the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, please visit FirstResponderBowl.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter.

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, X/Twitter, Instagram or YouTube pages.

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