By DaVince “Dino” Wright
First Responder Bowl History
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl started in 2011 as the Heart of Texas Bowl the name change in 2018 to the current name that headlines the bowl today. It was once played at the Cotton Bowl at the Fair Park in Dallas and now is played on the campus of SMU. The bowl is owned and operated by ESPN Events and the bowl is being played to honor everyday heroes (police, EMS and fire fighters). There has been 10 different conference that has played in this bowl from Conference USA, Mountain West, Big10 and Big12 just to name a few. North Texas have played in this game twice and have a 1-1 record with a win in 2013 against UNLV and a loss in 2016 to Army. The Bobcats won this bowl game in 2023 with 24-point win against Rice.
Mean Green Bowl History
The Mean Green have played in 14 bowl games and have a record of 3-11. The last bowl win for UNT was the 2013 Heart of Dallas Bowl against UNLV. More than a decade. Think about it… this will be a much-needed win for North Texas moving forward. This team has been on the cusp of breaking through of becoming a prominent DFW household name but has failed to do so. A win changes perception and attitude of local athletes who could choose to go to UNT instead of a different school. Local talent for a local school?
Game Info
North Texas Mean Green vs Texas State Bobcats
Friday – January 3 – 3:00p.m.
TV: ESPN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, TX
North Texas Mean Green (6-6, 3-5 AAC)
In their last 5 games the Mean Green are 1-4 with their lone win came against Temple to get the much-needed 6th win to become bowl eligible. The Mean Green are led by junior quarterback Chandler Morris. He has 3774 passing yards with 12 interceptions this season. He will be the catalyst for a Mean Green win in this one. The offensive line will need to keep him upright so he can get the job done. The defense will need to pressure the Bobcats with blitzes and gang tackling to create turnovers. UNT will be ready to get after the Bobcats in Dallas and get a win. Players to watch: RB Shane Porter, WR DT Sheffield, LB Jaylen Smith and CB Brian Nelson II.
Texas State Bobcats (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt)
In their last 5 games, the Bobcats are 3 and 2 with wins over Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Mississippi and South Alabama. Texas State is one of those sneaky talented teams that no one knows about. The Bobcats are led by senior quarterback Jordon McCloud. He has 2920 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He will be the x-factor for a Bobcat win. Players to watch: RB Ismail Mahdi, WR Joey Hobert, CB Jordan Polk and CB Trez Moore.
Prediction
ESPN has the Bobcats with a 70.7% chance of winning this right in the “Heart of Texas”. This will be a close game from start to finish. The over/under is 63.5, so take the under in this one. I’m taking UNT by 4 with my pick. UNT has the better weapons and they will be put on full display.
Final Score
Mean Green – 33
Bobcats – 29
