2020 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl to feature No. 19 Louisiana and UTSA
DALLAS, Texas (Dec. 20, 2020) – The No. 19 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and UTSA Roadrunners have officially accepted invitations to play in the 2020 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
The 11th edition of the bowl game will be played Saturday, Dec. 26, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. ET) on ABC.
“We’re excited to host Louisiana and UTSA in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl this year,” Executive Director Brant Ringler said. “Both teams certainly have enjoyed impressive seasons, and we are eager to see them compete in Dallas.”
Both schools are making their first appearances in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. In addition, this will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Louisiana is the Sun Belt Conference co-champion, and the Ragin’ Cajuns own a 9-1 overall record while going 7-1 in conference play. Louisiana began the season with a 31-14 victory over nationally-ranked Iowa State. The team is one of just nine in the country to win at least nine games in 2020.
Coach Billy Napier is 27-11 (.711) in three years at the helm of the Louisiana program, including 20-4 over the past two years. He has guided the team to bowl appearances in all three seasons. Overall, the Ragin’ Cajuns are officially 3-2 in previous bowl games.
The Roadrunners, who accepted an invitation on Tuesday, are 7-4 overall and finished second in Conference USA’s West Division with a 5-2 mark. UTSA ended the season with three straight victories and is one win shy of matching the program standard (8-4 in 2012). Running back Sincere McCormick ranks second nationally in rushing yards with 1,345.
First-year head coach Jeff Traylor directed the team to its second-ever bowl appearance. The Roadrunners are 0-1 all-time in bowl games. The team previously played in the 2016 New Mexico Bowl.
First played following the 2010 season, the bowl began honoring first responders, including police officers, firefighters, EMS workers, correctional officers, search and rescue, dispatchers, security guards, federal agents, border patrol agents and military personnel who have specialized training and are the first to arrive and provide assistance at the scene of an emergency in December of 2014. In 2018, the game was renamed to reflect the efforts to show appreciation to first responders.
Schools who have competed in the first decade of the First Responder Bowl include: Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Penn State, Purdue, Southern Miss, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky.
This is the fifth time in the last seven years that the game has been played on Dec. 26 (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020). Including last year, two of the bowl’s last three editions were determined on the final play.
This year’s SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be televised on ABC and air on FirstTeam Radio.
The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one of 17 bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. For additional information about the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, please visit FirstResponderBowl.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of 35 collegiate sporting events nationwide. The roster includes four early-season college football games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, a college softball event and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 400 hours of live programming, reaches nearly 64 million viewers and attracts over 800,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in more than 10 markets across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.
-30-