Texas State will play in their first ever bowl game as the Bobcats take on the Rice Owls in the 14th Servpro First Responder Bowl in Dallas, Texas. This will be the fifth ever meeting between Texas State and Rice with the all-series tied at 2-2.
Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
The First Responder Bowl will mark the first time in the bowl’s history that two Texas FBS programs will meet. It is also the first bowl where two FBS Texas programs will meet in a bowl game since 2008.
Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
BOWL GAME PREVIEW
A game 11 years in the making as Texas State takes on Rice in Bobcats first ever bowl game
It will be a historic moment for Texas State as the Bobcats will play in their first ever bowl game against the Rice Owls in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
The bowl will conclude an exciting 2023 season for the Bobcats who finished the regular season with a 7-5 record marking the first time since 2014 that the Bobcats have won seven games in a season.
A bowl win for the Bobcats would be the first time Texas State has eight games at the FBS level with the last eight-win season coming in 2008 when the ‘Cats won the Southland Conference Championship.
This will be the fourth ever meeting between Rice and Texas State with the bowl game becoming the first time the Owls and the Bobcats have met as FBS opponents.
The all-time series is tied at 2-2 with Rice winning in 1920, and 1987 and Texas State winning in 1923 and 1986.
Rice comes into the First Responder Bowl with a 6-6 record marking the first time the Owls have won more than five games since 2014 under former Head Coach now Special Assistant to the Head Coach at Texas State David Bailiff.
In one of their six wins, Owls defeated the Houston Cougars for the first time since 2010 and captured the Bayou Bucket.
This will be Rice’s second consecutive bowl appearance as the Owls will look for their first bowl win since 2014.
The Owls are led by wide receiver Luke McCaffery, brother of San Fransisco running back Christian McCaffery.
The quarterback now turned wide receiver has been an offensive weapon for Rice catching 68 passes for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Rice will be without their starting quarterback JT Daniels, who was forced to medically retire due to multiple concussions.
This will be the 14th First Responder Bowl with first taking place in 2011.
This year’s First Responder Bowl will be the first time the bowl has featured two teams from the Lone Star State.
The last time two Texas FBS programs met in a bowl game came in 2008 when TCU and Houston faced off in the Texas Bowl.
Texas State will take on Rice in the First Responders Bowl December 26 in the program’s first ever bowl game.
Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. at Gerald R. Ford Stadium in Dallas.
cmcwilliams@ sanmarcosrecord.om Twitter: @ColtonBMc
