2023 First Responder Bowl
{{short description|Postseason college football bowl game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game
| game_name = First Responder Bowl
| subheader = 14th First Responder Bowl
| title_sponsor = Servpro
| image =
| caption =
| date_game_played = December 26
| year_game_played = 2023
| football_season = 2023
| stadium = Gerald J. Ford Stadium
| city = University Park, Texas
| visitor_school = Texas State University
| visitor_name_short = Texas State
| visitor_nickname = Bobcats
| visitor_record = 7–5
| visitor_conference = Sun Belt
| visitor_rank_AP =
| visitor_rank_coaches =
| visitor_rank_CFP =
| visitor_coach = G. J. Kinne
| visitor_1q = 14
| visitor_2q = 10
| visitor_3q = 14
| visitor_4q = 7
| home_school = Rice University
| home_name_short = Rice
| home_nickname = Owls
| home_record = 6–6
| home_conference = The American
| home_rank_AP =
| home_rank_coaches =
| home_rank_CFP =
| home_coach = Mike Bloomgren
| home_1q = 7
| home_2q = 14
| home_3q = 0
| home_4q = 0
| MVP = Brian Holloway (LB, Texas State){{cite tweet |user=JacobHRichman |number=1739839398567387343 |title=And Brian Holloway is indeed the MVP of the First Responder Bowl. |date=December 26, 2023|accessdate=December 26, 2023}}
| odds = Texas State by 4.5{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/betting/college-football-bowl-season-schedule-games-odds-point-spreads|title=College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24|publisher=Sports Illustrated|first=James|last=Parks|date=December 11, 2023|access-date=December 13, 2023}}
| anthem =
| halftime =
| referee = Ed Ardito (CUSA){{cite news|url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/12/2023-24-bowl-officiating-assignments/|title=2023-24 bowl officiating assignments|website=footballzebras.com|first=Ben|last=Austro|date=December 3, 2023|accessdate=December 6, 2023}}
| payout =
| us_network = ESPN
| us_announcers = Dave Neal (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Morgan Uber (sideline)
| ratings =
| intl_network = ESPN Deportes
| intl_announcers =
| different_next = 2025
}}
The 2023 First Responder Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 26, 2023, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas. The 14th annual First Responder Bowl featured the Texas State Bobcats of the Sun Belt Conference and the Rice Owls of the American Athletic Conference (The American). The game began at approximately 4:30 p.m. CST and was aired on ESPN. It was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. Sponsored by cleanup and restoration company Servpro, the game was officially known as the Servpro First Responder Bowl.
Teams
The game featured the Texas State Bobcats of the Sun Belt Conference and the Rice Owls of the American Athletic Conference (The American).
This was the fifth meeting between Texas State and Rice; the series was tied at 2–2 entering the game.{{cite web |title=Winsipedia – Texas State Bobcats vs. Rice Owls |url=https://www.winsipedia.com/texas-state/vs/rice |website=Winsipedia.com |access-date=December 8, 2023}} This was the first appearance in a First Responder Bowl for both teams.
=Texas State Bobcats=
{{main|2023 Texas State Bobcats football team}}
The Bobcats entered the game with a 7–5 record (4–4 in the Sun Belt), tied for second place in their conference's West Division. After starting their season with four wins in their first five games, the Bobcats lost four of their final seven games.
This was the first bowl game in the football program history of Texas State.{{cite web |publisher=KXAN-TV |last=Gates |first=Billy |url=https://www.kxan.com/sports/texas-state-selected-to-play-in-servpro-first-responder-bowl-1st-bowl-game-in-program-history/ |title=Texas State selected to play in Servpro First Responder Bowl, 1st bowl game in program history |date=December 3, 2023 |access-date=December 5, 2023}}
=Rice Owls=
{{main|2023 Rice Owls football team}}
The Owls entered the game with a 6–6 record (4–4 in The American), tied for fifth place in the conference. After starting their season 4–3, the Owls had a three game losing streak, then won their final two games to become bowl eligible.
JT Daniels began the season as Rice's starting quarterback, but left the Owls' week nine game against SMU on November 1 with a concussion after taking a shot to the helmet in the second quarter.{{cite news |newspaper=Houston Chronicle |last=Dean |first=Richard |url=https://www.houstonchronicle.com/texas-sports-nation/college/article/rice-owls-fall-short-smu-jt-daniels-concussion-18469018.php |title=Rice falls short against SMU, lose QB JT Daniels to injury |date=November 1, 2023 |access-date=December 27, 2023 |url-access=subscription}} A month later, on December 1, Daniels announced that he would be retiring from football due to the multiple concussions he sustained during his career.{{cite web|title=Rice QB JT Daniels to medically retire from football|url=https://247sports.com/article/rice-qb-jt-daniels-to-medically-retire-from-football-221954693/amp/|website=247Sports.com|date=December 1, 2023}}{{cite web|title=Ex-USC, Georgia QB JT Daniels Retires from Football Due to Concussion History|url=https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/10099448-ex-usc-georgia-qb-jt-daniels-retires-from-football-due-to-concussion-history.amp.html|website=Syndication.BleacherReport.com|date=December 1, 2023}}{{cite web|title=Breaking: Former Bulldogs Quarterback JT Daniels Medically Retires From Football|url=https://www.si.com/college/georgia/football/breaking-former-bulldogs-quarterback-jt-daniels-medically-retires-from-football|website=SI.com|date=December 1, 2023}}
Game summary
{{Americanfootballbox
|titlestyle= background:#FF6600; color:#1F3D7C; border: 2px solid #1F3D7C; text-align:center;
|state=uncollapsed
|bg=#fff
|bg2=#eee
|title=2023 Servpro First Responder Bowl
|date=Tuesday, December 26, 2023
|time=4:30 p.m. CST
|road=Texas State
|R1=14 |R2=10 |R3=14 |R4=7
|home=Rice
|H1=7 |H2=14 |H3=0 |H4=0
|stadium= Gerald J. Ford Stadium • Dallas, Texas
|attendance=26,542
|weather=Sunny • Temperature: {{convert|55|F|C}} • Wind: {{convert|11|mph|kph|abbr=on}} SW
|referee=Ed Ardito
|TV=ESPN
|TVAnnouncers=Dave Neal (play-by-play), Aaron Murray (analyst), and Morgan Uber (sideline)
|reference=[https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401551748 Box score]
|scoring=
;First Quarter
- (13:25) TXST – Jahmyl Jeter 29 yard run, Mason Shipley kick (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 1:35; Texas State 7–0)
- (6:54) RICE – Luke McCaffrey 7 yard pass from A. J. Padgett, Tim Horn kick (Drive: 8 plays, 42 yards, 3:38; Tied 7–7)
- (3:22) TXST – Jahmyl Jeter 1 yard run, Mason Shipley kick (Drive: 8 plays, 85 yards, 3:32; Texas State 14–7)
;Second Quarter
- (14:36) TXST – Brian Holloway 36 yard interception return, Mason Shipley kick (Texas State 21–7)
- (6:07) RICE – Dean Connors 3 yard run, Tim Horn kick (Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:47; Texas State 21–14)
- (3:40) RICE – Dean Connors 28 yard run, Tim Horn kick (Drive: 3 plays, 58 yards, 1:24; Tied 21–21)
- (0:00) TXST – Mason Shipley 31 yard field goal (Drive: 15 plays, 61 yards, 3:40; Texas State 24–21)
;Third Quarter
- (9:57) TXST – Nash Jones 3 yard run, Mason Shipley kick (Drive: 10 plays, 30 yards, 5:03; Texas State 31–21)
- (8:16) TXST – Brian Holloway 48 yard interception return, Mason Shipley kick (Texas State 38–21)
;Fourth Quarter
- (2:01) TXST – Jahmyl Jeter 1 yard run, Mason Shipley kick (Drive: 3 plays, 38 yards, 1:14; Texas State 45–21)
}}
{{AmFootballGameStatistics
| Float = left
| Visitor = Texas State Bobcats
| VisitorDisplay = TXST
| Home = Rice Owls
| HomeDisplay = RICE
| VisFirsts = 15
| VisPlaysYds = 71–300
| VisRushing = 42–148
| VisPassYds = 152
| VisPassing = 15–29–0
| VisTOP = 28:45
| HomeFirsts = 18
| HomePlaysYds = 57–197
| HomeRushing = 31–82
| HomePassYds = 112
| HomePassing = 13–26–5
| HomeTOP = 28:31
}}
{{AmFootballGameTopPlayers
| Float = right
| Visitor = Texas State Bobcats
| VisitorDisplay = Texas State
| Home = Rice Owls
| HomeDisplay = Rice
| VisPasser = T. J. Finley
| VisPassStats = 15/29, 152 yards
| VisRusher = Ismail Mahdi
| VisRushStats = 24 carries, 122 yards
| VisReceiver = Ashtyn Hawkins
| VisReceivingStats = 3 receptions, 55 yards
| HomePasser = A. J. Padgett
| HomePassStats = 10/21, 85 yards, TD, 3 INT
| HomeRusher = Dean Connors
| HomeRushStats = 15 carries, 64 yards, 2 TD
| HomeReceiver = Elijah Mojarro
| HomeReceivingStats = 3 receptions, 35 yards
}}
{{clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/index.html?id=497017 Game statistics] at statbroadcast.com
{{2023 bowl game navbox}}
{{First Responder Bowl navbox}}
{{Rice Owls bowl game navbox}}
{{Texas State Bobcats football navbox}}