Overview
- Kickoff is set for Friday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth.
- At 5-7, Rice was selected from the five-win pool based on having the highest NCAA APR among eligible teams.
- Rice will be without quarterback Chase Jenkins after he entered the transfer portal, with Lucas Scheerhorn or Patrick Crayton Jr. expected to start.
- Texas State enters 6-6 after three straight wins, led by dual-threat quarterback Brad Jackson and 1,000-yard rusher Lincoln Pare, as coach GJ Kinne highlights the bowl’s significance and prepares the program for a move to the Pac-12.
- The teams last met in the 2023 First Responder Bowl, a 45-21 Texas State win.