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Rice and Texas State will play in 2023 First Responder Bowl

We’re bound for a Texas showdown we’ve never seen before at the FBS level.

The Rice Owls and Texas State Bobcats will stay in their home state and square off in the First Responder Bowl on Dec. 26.

Texas State (7-5, 4-4 Sun Belt) is bowl bound for the first time ever. The Bobcats are led by first-year head coach GJ Kinne who guided the Sun Belt program to their second winning season since joining the FBS. Texas State also secured a 7-5 record in 2012, but was not selected to participate in the postseason.

Rice (6-6, 4-4 Sun Belt) qualifies for its second-consecutive bowl appearance under head coach Mike Bloomgren.