SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL
NORTH TEXAS vs. TEXAS STATE
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
(32,000/FieldTurf)
Dallas, Texas
Television
ESPN
Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic
Live Statistics
StatBroadcast
THE GAME
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl has been based in the Dallas area since its debut in the 2010 season … The game was played at the Cotton Bowl from until it moved to SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in 2019 … The bowl began honoring first responders in 2014 as an effort to show appreciation to police officers, firefighters, EMS workers and others … Tickets for first responders are underwritten by the bowl’s corporate partners … The year’s game will mark the second consecutive time that the First Responder Bowl hosts two teams from the state of Texas … The game was previously known as the TicketCity Bowl and the Heart of Dallas Bowl before taking on its current namesake in 2018 … The 2018 game between Boise State and Boston College was canceled due to inclement weather … North Texas plays in the First Responder Bowl for the third time, while Texas State is making its second consecutive appearance … North Texas and Texas State will meet for the 40th time overall and the first time since 1994 … North Texas has played more games against Texas State than it has against any other opponent except for SMU (43) … The series traces its roots to 1915 … The Mean Green holds a 29-7-3 series lead and has won the last three meetings … Texas State’s last victory against North Texas was in 1991.
NORTH TEXASS
6-6, 3-5 American
Head Coach
Eric Morris (Texas Tech ’08)
11-13, second season at North Texas
35-31, sixth season as collegiate head coach
North Texas stood on the precipice of bowl eligibility through six games of the 2024 season, but the Mean Green had to win its regular-season finale against Temple to earn its place in Bowl Season … North Texas is making its 15th bowl appearance in program history and its seventh postseason trip in the last nine years … The Mean Green looks to snap a six-game slide in bowl games as North Texas looks for its first bowl win since 2014 in the Heart of Dallas Bowl (now the First Responder Bowl) … North Texas is 3-11 all-time in Bowl Season … The Mean Green finished the regular season ranked third nationally in total offense (488.7 yards per game) and sixth in passing offense (322.8 ypg) … North Texas has gained at least 500 yards of total offense in 13 of Eric Morris’ 24 games as head coach … QB Chandler Morris, who was The American’s all-conference second team selection at quarterback, entered the transfer portal at the end of the regular season and will not play in the First Responder Bowl … Morris led The American with 3,774 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in the regular season … QB Drew Mestemaker, a true freshman, is slated to make his first career start against Texas State … Mestemaker was the Mean Green’s primary backup through the 2024 season and would make his first start at quarterback since his freshman year of high school … North Texas has had 21 players catch at least one pass in 2024, tying for the most in FBS … RB Shane Porter has rushed for 643 yards and five touchdowns … WR Blair Conwright has 40 catches for 542 yards and seven TDs, while WR Damon Ward Jr. has 36 receptions for 622 yards and four TDs … LB Jaylen Smith, a third-team all-conference selection, has team highs with 97 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss … DE Roderick Brown has 4.5 sacks … CB Ridge Texada also earned third-team all-conference accolades … Texada is North Texas’ career leader with 37 passes defended, which ranks ninth among active FBS players … K Kali Nguma has made 11 of 16 field goal attempts, while P Sawyer Evans has averaged 40.9 yards on 44 punts.
TEXAS STATE
7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt
Head Coach
GJ Kinne (Tulsa ’12)
15-10, second season at Texas State
27-12, third season as collegiate head coach
Texas State is playing in a bowl game for the second consecutive year and just the second time in program history with the Bobcats’ selection to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl … The Bobcats are in their 13th season as an NCAA FBS program and have clinched their third season with a winning record, including back-to-back winning seasons under second-year head coach GJ Kinne … Texas State will have back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2008 and 2009 … Texas State is 1-0 against American Athletic Conference teams this season with a 49-10 win against UTSA in Week 2 … The Bobcats average 37.1 points (ninth nationally) and 474.3 yards per game (fifth nationally) … Texas State has outscored its opponents 155-55 in the first quarter and 261-161 in the first half … The catalyst on offense is QB Jordan McCloud, the former South Florida, Arizona and James Madison signal-caller who has thrown for 2,920 yards and a school-record 29 touchdowns against 12 interceptions … McCloud enters Bowl Season ranked fifth nationally in touchdown passes and seventh in completion percentage (69.6%) … McCloud, who also has a team-high seven rushing touchdowns, was the 2023 Sun Belt Player of the Year at James Madison … RB Ismail Mahdi, a first-team All-Sun Belt pick, has rushed for 991 yards and four touchdowns on 183 carries, while RB Lincoln Pare has 411 yards and six touchdowns on 74 attempts … The Bobcats have three receivers with at least 600 yards and four touchdowns, led by WR Joey Hobert, a second-team All-Sun Belt choice who has team highs with 66 catches, 661 yards and eight TDs … WR Kole Wilson averages a team-best 14.7 yards per reception … The defense is led by LB Jordan Polk, who has a team-high 60 tackles with three forced fumbles … DE Kalil Alexander has 5.5 sacks ad 9.0 tackles for loss, while DE Steven Parker has 5.0 sacks and 9.0 TFL … K Mason Shipley has made 12 of 16 field goal attempts, ,while P Lars Rau (35.9 avg.) and P David Nunez (39.4 avg.) have shared the punting duties … Wilson is averaging 22.4 yards on kickoff returns and 6.9 yards on punt returns.