First Responder Bowl: What channel is Texas State vs. Rice on? Time, free stream

TJ Finley

Texas State quarterback TJ Finley (7) prepares to compete against Louisiana Monroe during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, in San Marcos Texas.Stephen Spillman | The Associated Press

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The Texas State Bobcats and Rice Owls meet at the 2023 Servpro First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas on Tuesday, Dec. 26 (12/26/2023) at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Texas State vs. Rice will air on ESPN, and can be streamed live on fuboTV (free trial), ESPN+ and other live TV services.

Stream the 2023 Servpro First Responder Bowl on fuboTV (free trial).

Texas State is making its debut bowl appearance since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision, despite being eligible in the 2013 and 2014 seasons. The Bobcats finished 7-5, and wrapped their regular season with a 52-44 win over South Alabama, in which TJ Finley went 19-28, throwing for 368 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

Rice is seeking its first bowl win since 2014. The Owls slid into bowl eligibility with a 24-21 win over Florida Atlantic (the other Owls) to bring them to 6-6 for the season. AJ Padgett went 24-37 and threw 255 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in the win.

These two teams have not squared off since 1987. Rice won that game 38-28 to tie the series 2-2. Here’s how to watch the game on Tuesday.

What: Servpro First Responder Bowl

Who: Texas State Bobcats vs. Rice Owls

When: Tuesday, December 26

Where: Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas

Time: 5:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Channel finder: Verizon Fios, Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum/Altice, Cox, DirecTV

Live stream: fuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial), Sling (half off first month), ESPN+, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV

Sign up for fuboTV (free trial), Sling (half off first month) or DirecTV Stream (free trial) to stream the game without cable.

Cable customers can login on ESPN.com or associated apps with their cable credentials to stream the game for free.

Can I bet on the game?

Yes, you can bet on the game from your phone in New York State, and we’ve compiled some of the best introductory offers to help navigate your first bets from BetMGM, FanDuel, DraftKings, Bet365 and more.

Texas State is -185 to win, according to DraftKings.

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