Watch Texas State vs. Rice live stream, on TV, forecast, choose, and get the First Responder Bowl odds and spread.
Texas State takes on Rice at the First Responder Bowl in Dallas on Tuesday, a matchup of Sun Belt and AAC rivals.
The Bobcats ended a losing streak that included two games and gained some momentum going into their initial bowl game when they defeated South Alabama at a track meet on the last weekend of their regular season.
In the victory, quarterback TJ Finley passed for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Finley exceeded the 360-yard mark via the air for the second straight game.
After Week 11, Rice starting quarterback JT Daniels “medically” announced his retirement from collegiate football, forcing backup quarterback AJ Padgett to step in.
The Owls defeated Florida Atlantic at home and Charlotte on the road in their final two games to get to 6-6 and qualify for bowl games.
Since 2014, when the Owls finished 7-5 and won the Hawaii Bowl, Rice has not ended the regular season wih a record of.500 or better.
One of the easier bowl games to handicap during the holidays is the First Responder Bowl, which pits the 7-5 Texas University Bobcats against the 6-6 Rice Owls on the day after Christmas.
Together, both teams’ two players—both for Texas State—entered the transfer portal, and their coaching staffs are still in place. All all, there are two fully constituted squads, with one significant exception.
The 7-5 Texas State Bobcats vs Rice Owls are two Texas teams competing in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. As kickoff draws near, Texas State displays Rice points on betting boards.
This year, Texas State is 6-6 vs the spread. The Bobcats had a good first half of the season, finishing 4-1 both against and overall. However, they struggled in their final seven games, going 3-4 and covering the spread just once.
The seasoning of the rice was much more even. They scored 6-6 overall, having finished 3-3 in their previous six games before 3-3 in the initial six. The Owls were an excellent spread wagerer this season, going 8-4 versus the spread.
Rice covered four of their final six games to finish the season strong. Both teams’ betting point totals were tied after hitting the over and under six times in their respective 12 games.
With four straight victories, the Bobcats looked poised to qualify for a bowl game and possibly challenge for a spot in the Sun Belt Conference. The season got off to a great start for the team.
However, Texas State would finish 3–4 with multiple lopsided losses. They did close the season strong, defeating South Alabama as 6.5-point underdogs, and they will want to defeat Rice to gain confidence heading into the summer break.
TJ Finley, the sophomore quarterback, needs to play at his peak. Finley has played well this season and has a powerful arm. Regrettably, turnovers have been an issue and have contributed to a portion of the Bobcats’ defeats.
Texas State is 4-0 when Finley throws for 250 yards or more without any interceptions. They are down 0-2 when Finley passes two or more interceptions.
At 276 yards on 18 receptions, he is also the fourth-leading receiver for the club. Finley has a strong trio of receivers in front of him as well.
But Finley has a fantastic running back to shoulder the weight, so he doesn’t have to do it by himself. This season, Ismail Mahdi has amassed 1,209 yards and 10 touchdowns as the team’s top rusher.
This season, Ashtyn Hawkins (52, 819), Joey Hoberty (71 receptions, 847 yards), and Kole Wilson (61, 697) have accounted for a total of 19 receiving touchdowns.
With all three located within 150 yards of one another, it will be difficult to thwart the Bobcats’ aerial assault.