First Responder Bowl Odds: Texas State Vs. Rice Spread, Total, More

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is scheduled to kick off on Jan. 3 at 4 p.m. ET during the 2024-25 College Football Bowl Season. The game is held at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas near Dallas, making it one of 12 bowl stadiums to be a primary home of an FBS team (SMU). This season, the Texas State Bobcats (7-5) face the North Texas Mean Green (6-6) in the game. Below, we'll look at First Responder Bowl odds and bowl history.

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First Responder Bowl odds

To place a bet on the First Responder Bowl, click on the odds in the table below. Toggle between spread, moneyline, total, or a blended view using the dropdown menu.

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Texas State opened a -7.5 favorite over North Texas. The over/under opened at a lofty 66.5 points.

Texas State Team Notes

• Won this bowl game last year over Rice and covered -3 easily (45-21)
• Offensive coordinator Mack Leftwhich leaves for Texas Tech after finishing 11th in points per drive
• Star RB Ismail Mahdi, starting center Tyler Mercer, and CB Josh Eaton all hit the transfer portal
• Stud DE Ben Bell suffered a season-ending injury earlier this year and entered his name in the transfer portal
• In total, six starters could miss to the portal and injury

North Texas Team Notes

• Only travel 40 miles to this bowl game
• Starting QB Chandler Morris transferred to Virginia after finishing third in passing yards and throwing 31 touchdowns.
• Top WR D.T. Sheffield, starting center Tyler Morris both hit the transfer portal
• Could be without six starers, three along the offensive line, to injury and transfer

First Responder Bowl betting

Last year, Texas State (-3.5) left no doubt in its first FBS bowl appearance against Rice, winning 45-21. Over 59.5 points cleared with 66 combined points. It was the second straight First Responder Bowl where the favorite rolled by 20+ points. Memphis beat Utah State, 38-10, as touchdown favorites.

Favorites and underdogs have traded off covers for the better part of the last six games. Before 2022, the favorite covered in 2021; in 2020, underdog UTSA (+14) covered, in 2019 the game was a push, and in 2018 bets were voided due to the game being cancelled. Favorites have covered nine times in 13 played games, including five straight times from 2011-15.

Point totals are evenly split, with overs being 6-6-1 in this bowl game.

History

Below are historical results of the First Responder Bowl.

The first First Responder Bowl was played in 2011 between Texas Tech and Northwestern, where the Red Raiders won 45-38. While the game weathered the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and was played, it was cancelled in 2018 due to inclement weather.

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