Texas State (6-6, 2-5 Sun Belt) vs Rice (5-7, 2-6 American)
Friday, January 2, 2025
Amon G. Carter Stadium (46,000) | Fort Worth, Texas
Kickoff: 12:00 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN
Lowell Galindo (Play-by-play)
Aaron Murray (Analyst)
Lauren Sisler (Sideline)
Radio: KTSW 89.9 &
Varsity Network (free app)
Clint Shields (Play-by-play)
Brant Freeman (Analyst)
X/Twitter Updates: @TXSTATEFOOTBALL
Opening Drive...
- Texas State is making its third consecutive Bowl appearance when it faces Rice on January 2 and is 2-0 all-time in those contests with back-to-back wins in the First Responder Bowl over North Texas (2024) and Rice (2023).
- TXST won its second straight bowl game and finished the 2024 slate 8-5 overall and 5-3 in conference play, winning the most Sun Belt league games for the program since 2014.
- Texas State drew a crowd of 28,725 at last year's First Responder Bowl, surpassing the record set at the 2023 event.
- The eight overall wins a season ago gave the Bobcats back-to-back seasons of reaching the mark, having not done so since the 1982-83 seasons.
- GJ Kinne became the first head coach to record consecutive eight-win seasons since Jim Wacker in 1981-82.
- TXST is in its final season in the Sun Belt, announcing on June 30 that it will transition to the Pac-12 conference on July 1, 2026.
- In January, Head Coach GJ Kinne announced a trio of football staff updates including the promotion of Landon Keopple to Offensive Coordinator and the hirings of Tanner Burns and Randy Martinez.
- Brad Jackson, Lincoln Pare, Dorion Strawn, Kalil Alexander, Ryan Nolan, Treylin Payne and David Nunez were voted on by their teammates as captains for the 2025 season.
- For the second consecutive season, and third in the last four, Texas State won the Sun Belt Conference's Vic Bubas Cup, which is presented annually to the league's top athletics department.
- TXST opened the Johnny and Nathali Weisman Football Performance Center this season, which includes coach's offices, athletic training facilities, the Trevillion Weight Room and team meeting rooms.
A Win vs Rice Means...
- Texas State wins its 3rd consecutive bowl game in as many tries.
- The Bobcats win 7+ games for the 3rd straight season having not done so since the 1982-84 stretch.
- GJ Kinne wins his 23rd game at the helm for the Bobcats, tying him for 4th all-time for DI (FBS/FCS) wins with the program. It also makes him 23-16 overall and the winningest DI coach (min. 3 seasons) at TXST at .590.
- The Bobcats close the season on a 4-game win streak, it's longest within a single season since 2011. TXST last won 4 straight closing out 2024 with 2 wins and opening 2025 with 2.
Inside the Series...
All-Time Record: TXST leads 3-2
In San Marcos: -
In Houston: Series is tied 2-2
Neutral Site: TXST leads 1-0
Postseason: TXST leads 1-0
Most points scored by TXST: 45 (2023)
Most points scored by Rice: 48 (1920)
Largest margin of victory by TXST: 25 (1986)
Largest margin of victory by Rice: 48 (1920)
Longest win streak by TXST: W2 (1923-1986)
Longest win streak by Rice: -
Last 5 Meetings
| Date |
S |
Res |
TXST |
RIC |
| 12/26/2023 |
N |
W |
45 |
321 |
| 9/26/1987 |
A |
L |
28 |
38 |
| 9/27/1986 |
A |
W |
31 |
6 |
| 10/27/1923 |
A |
W |
19 |
6 |
| 11/19/1920 |
A |
L |
0 |
48 |
Last Time Versus...
DALLAS (AP) — Linebacker Brian Holloway returned two interceptions for touchdowns, Jahmyl Jeter ran for three scores, and Texas State beat Rice 45-21 in the First Responder Bowl on Tuesday in the Bobcats' first bowl appearance as an FBS program.
Holloway had a 36-yard pick-6 early in the second quarter and returned his second interception 48 yards for a TD in the third that made it 38-21. Both picks came against AJ Padgett, who was intercepted three times overall. Shawqi Itraish relieved Padgett in the fourth quarter and threw two more picks as Texas State (8-5) forced seven turnovers.
Holloway, one of 56 transfers on Texas State's roster, played his final two seasons for the Bobcats after three for SMU. The game was played at SMU's home venue, Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Jeter had a 29-yard touchdown run and two scores from 1 yard out.
Nash Jones, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive tackle, scored on a 3-yard run for the Bobcats, who are in their 12th FBS season.
Dean Connors scored on runs of 3 and 28 yards for the Owls (6-7), who fell short of their first winning season and first bowl victory since 2014.
Ismail Mahdi rushed for 122 yards on 24 carries for the Bobcats.
Texas State led 14-7 when Holloway stepped in front of tight end Boden Green between the hash marks, and the senior ran in untouched.
Early in the third quarter, Jones caught T.J. Finley's lateral from the opposite side of the field and jogged in for a 31-21 lead.
Holloway's second score occurred less than two minutes later. He made the grab amid midfield traffic, ran toward the right sideline and raced in to become the first Texas State player with two interceptions for touchdowns in a game.
Finley was 15 of 29 for 152 yards.
Complete Notes Packet...
