2025 First Responder Bowl Lines - North Texas vs. Texas State

First Responder Bowl Lines - North Texas vs. Texas State Odds

Two Texas teams, the North Texas Mean Green and Texas State Bobcats, won’t even have to leave the Lone Star State for their Jan. 3 bowl game. They’ll meet in the Servpro First Responder Bowl that Friday, set in Dallas on SMU’s campus. This will be the first meeting between North Texas and Texas State at the FBS level. The programs historically squared off 39 times, with the Mean Green leading the series 29-7-3. North Texas won the latest matchup in 1994 in San Marcos, and the First Responder Bowl will represent the first battle between the programs in 30 years. North Texas is bowling for the fourth time in five years and for the seventh time since 2016. Texas State is slated for its second bowl game in program history.

2025 First Responder Bowl at a Glance

Date: Friday, January 3, 2025

Time (ET) / TV: 4:00 PM / ESPN

Venue: Gerald J Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas

Matchup: North Texas Mean Green vs. Texas State Bobcats

College Football Betting Lines

North Texas Mean Green +9.5

Texas State Bobcats -9.5

Over/Under: 64.5

First Responder Bowl Preview

Last game, the North Texas Mean Green won 24-17 against the Temple Owls as 11.5-point road favorites. The game went under the total of 63. North Texas has a record of 6-6 straight up, 4-8 against the spread, and 8-4 over/under the total. North Texas ranks 3rd for total offense, 6th for passing, 61st for rushing and 23rd for scoring. Defensively they rank 127th overall, 122nd against the pass, 116th against the rush, and 121st for points allowed. Also, North Texas ranks 92nd for fewest turnovers lost and 67th for takeaways.

Last game, the Texas State Bobcats won 45-38 against the USA Jaguars as 2.5-point road favorites. The game went over the total of 61. Texas State has a record of 7-5 straight up, 6-6 against the spread, and 8-4 over/under the total. Texas State ranks 5th for total offense, 29th for passing, 15th for rushing and 10th for scoring. Defensively they rank 48th overall, 40th against the pass, 66th against the rush, and 62nd for points allowed. Also, Texas State ranks 111th for fewest turnovers lost and 104th for takeaways.

First Responder Bowl Prediction

In this situation, Texas State has the firepower to deliver.

First Responder Bowl Format

The First Responder Bowl, formerly known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl, began in 2011. The matchup has conference tie-ins with the ACC, AAC, Big 12, and CUSA. It occurs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas.

First Responder Bowl Past Results

Western Kentucky -3 rallied past Western Michigan for a 23-20 win in the 2019 edition, and bettors wagering on either side likely earned a push while the 'under' (56) was never in doubt.

In 2020, a heavily-favored Louisiana posted a 31-24 victory, but UTSA grabbed the cover as a 14-point underdog as the total ended up a push at most books. Louisiana used its bowl win as a springboard to the 2021 Sun Belt Conference championship. And Ragin Cajun head coach Billy Napier was rewarded for building Louisiana into a consistent winner by getting the Florida Gators job. Meanwhile, UTSA won the 2021 CUSA championship in the greatest season in program history. In the 2020 First Responder Bowl, Louisiana running back Elijah Mitchell won Most Valuable Player honors. Mitchell ran for 127 yards and a touchdown while catching two passes for 45 yards.

The game went off on Dec. 28, 2021, despite the COVID-19 global pandemic, and Air Force -1 posted an impressive 31-28 win over Louisville, a Power 5 team, after using a surprising blend of passing and rushing. Normally, the Falcons are a heavy ground-based attack. The favorite cashed for the first time since Utah's victory in 2017.

The most lopsided game in this bowl’s history was Oklahoma State’s 58-14 beatdown of Purdue at the end of the 2012 season. The Cowboys were 16-point favorites per the college football betting odds, and they had no trouble covering the number. They were up 45-0 before taking their foot off the gas pedal, allowing the Boilermakers to score a pair of consolation touchdowns.

In 2022, Memphis routed Utah State 38-10. MVP QB Seth Henigan of Memphis passed for 284 yards and three TDs.

In 2023, Linebacker Brian Holloway returned two interceptions for touchdowns, Jahmyl Jeter ran for three scores, and Texas State beat Rice 45-21 in the First Responder Bowl in the Bobcats’ first bowl appearance as an FBS program.

Holloway had a 36-yard pick-6 early in the second quarter and returned his second interception 48 yards for a TD in the third that made it 38-21. Both picks came against AJ Padgett, who was intercepted three times overall. Shawqi Itraish relieved Padgett in the fourth quarter and threw two more picks as Texas State forced seven turnovers.

Holloway, one of 56 transfers on Texas State’s roster, played his final two seasons for the Bobcats after three for SMU. The game was played at SMU's home venue, Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

Jeter had a 29-yard touchdown run and two scores from 1 yard out. Nash Jones, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive tackle, scored on a 3-yard run for the Bobcats, who are in their 12th FBS season.

Dean Connors scored on runs of 3 and 28 yards for the Owls, who fell short of their first winning season and first bowl victory since 2014.

Ismail Mahdi rushed for 122 yards on 24 carries for the Bobcats.

2024-25 College Football Bowl Games

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