First Responders Bowl Preview: North Texas Mean Green vs. Texas State Bobcats

The North Texas Mean Green (6-6) and Texas State Bobcats (7-5) will be gearing up for the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl on Friday, January 3 at 4:00 PM ET at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The Bobcats are moderately favored with a point spread at -13.5 (-110) at MYBOOKIE.

North Texas Mean Green Betting Preview

The Mean Green ended a five-game losing streak when they defeated the Temple Owls 24-17 in their most recent battle. Both teams scored all of their points in the first half, as the second half was an intense defensive battle.

They started off with a strong 17-3 lead after the first quarter, but they had issues slowing down the Owls in the second that made the game interesting. Chandler Morris pushed their offense with 21 of 40 completions for 180 yards and a touchdown. Makenzie McGill II was strong for their ground game as he had 14 carries amounting to 155 yards and two touchdowns.

Each team had two turnovers, but one difference that stood out was total yards. The Mean Green put up 433 yards while allowing the Owls to get 345.

The Mean Green are putting together 34.0 points a game and rank 23rd in the nation for this output. However, their defense is one of the worst in the nation as they allow 34.5 points from opponents per game and rank 121st.

Texas State Bobcats Betting Preview

The Bobcats have gone 3-2 in their last five games and are coming off of a 45-38 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars. This was an intense back and forth matchup, as both teams exchanged leads several times.

They had two consecutive quarters in the second half where they put up at least 10 points, with the fourth quarter being the decisive one to put them over the top with 14 points. Jordan McCloud completed 21 of 28 passes for 248 yards, a touchdown, and had two interceptions that almost put them in a bad spot.

Offensively they put up 530 yards and 28 first downs. Their defense held the Jaguars to 377 yards and 19 first downs. They will need to do a better job on both sides of the ball if they plan to win the First Responder Bowl.

The Bobcats are averaging 37.1 points a game and rank seventh for this level of production. On defense they have allowed 24.2 points a game and rank 61st. This is a great spread, but their defense has been volatile at times.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl betting odds have been provided by MyBookie, favoring the Bobcats by 13.5-points. Market predictions suggest the Bobcats have a 70.5 percent chance at winning. The Mean Green are without Morris since he transferred, making their offense a bit weaker than before, so look for the Bobcats to cover the spread.

Final Pick: Texas State Bobcats -13.5 (-110)