Overview
- Kickoff is 9 p.m. ET from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, with ESPN2 carrying the broadcast and Jorge Sedano, Rodney McLeod, and Victoria Arlen on the call.
- The game debuts at the Cowboys’ indoor practice venue, a 12,000‑seat stadium that offers a compact bowl setting without weather variables.
- Sportsbooks list a tight spread, generally Arkansas State by 1.5 to 2.5 points, with totals reported around 54.5 to 56.5 and moneylines near pick’em.
- Missouri State enters its first-ever bowl after receiving an NCAA eligibility waiver during its FCS-to-FBS transition, with Nick Petrino leading the Bears for the bowl following Ryan Beard’s move to Coastal Carolina.
- Key players to watch include Missouri State QB Jacob Clark and RB Shomari Lawrence, and Arkansas State QB Jaylen Raynor with WR Corey Rucker featured in a high-volume passing attack.