Two teams from the Great State of Texas will meet up in Dallas on Tuesday afternoon as Texas State takes on Rice in the 2023 First Responders Bowl. This is a historic game for Texas State (7-5) as they try to win the first ever bowl game in program history while Rice (6-6) is in a bowl game for the second straight season, trying to erase the memories of last year’s 38-24 loss to Southern Miss in the LendingTree Bowl.
Before Betting on Texas State vs Rice
This will be the first opportunity for a lot of people to see the high-powered Texas State Bobcats offense that ranked 17th in the country scoring 36 ppg. T.J. Finley commands that offense, and the former LSU and Auburn QB has seen plenty of big games from his time in the SEC. Finley has thrown for 24 TDs this season while completing 68.6% of his passes. Finley will have plenty of help here, as Ismail Mahdi is a 1,200+ yard rusher with 10 TDs on the season.
There is plenty on the line for Texas State on Tuesday as they play in the first bowl game in school history. The Bobcats have only been an FBS team since 2012 and coach G.J. Kinne can set the program record for wins in a season in only his first year at the helm.
One thing Rice has going for them is the familiarity of being in a bowl game after going to the LendingTree Bowl in 2022. A.J. Padgett was the QB in the loss to Southern Miss, and he’ll be under center once again after JT Daniels was advised to medically retire after multiple concussions. Padgett would be wise to find Luke McCaffrey early and often as the son of former Bronco Ed McCaffrey and brother of the 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey has 963 yards receiving this year with 12 TD grabs.
2023 First Responder Bowl Offshore Betting Odds
| Offshore Sportsbook | Moneyline | Total | Point Spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | TXST (1.58) | RICE (2.53) | 60 | TXST -3.5 (1.92) | RICE -3.5 (1.90) |
| MyBookie | TXST (1.45) | RICE (2.80) | 59 | TXST -5.5 (1.90) | RICE -5.5 (1.90) |
| BetUS | TXST (1.57) | RICE (2.51) | 60 | TXST -3.5 (1.90) | RICE -3.5 (1.90) |
| SportsBetting.ag | TXST (1.58) | RICE (2.53) | 60 | TXST -3.5 (1.92) | RICE -3.5 (1.90) |
| XBet | TXST (1.45) | RICE (2.80) | 59 | TXST -5.5 (1.90) | RICE -5.5 (1.90) |
First Responder Bowl Prediction & Pick
The Bobcats offense looks like it’s going to be too much for Rice here, as Finley has experience playing in big games while Mahdi might be one of the most underrated talents in college football.
