SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL TO BE PLAYED FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26

DALLAS, Texas (June 5, 2025) – The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played Friday, Dec. 26, at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff time for the 16th edition of the postseason college football game is set for 7:00 p.m. (CT) on ESPN. 

“We are excited to announce that the 2025 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be part of the extended Christmas holiday weekend,” Brant Ringler, the bowl’s executive director, said. “The men and women who serve as heroes each and every day deserve to be recognized and thanked, and for our community to be able to honor them on a national stage is truly special.”

This is the seventh time that the game has been played on Dec. 26, the most common date in the bowl’s annals. It also matches the earliest game date in the event’s history. On Dec. 26, 2023, the game between Texas State and Rice had an attendance of 26,542, which was the largest crowd at Ford Stadium during the 2023 season.

In December 2014, 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 2018, the game was renamed to reflect the efforts to show appreciation to first responders.

Ford Stadium has served as the site of the last six contests, four of which have been decided by a touchdown or less, including a thrilling 30-28 Texas State victory over North Texas last season. The game, previously known as the Heart of Dallas Bowl and TicketCity Bowl, was originally contested at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Previous teams selected for the bowl include Air Force, Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, Houston, Illinois, Louisiana, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Memphis, Penn State, Purdue, Rice, Southern Miss, Texas State, Texas Tech, UNLV, Utah, Utah State, UTSA, Washington, West Virginia, Western Michigan and Western Kentucky.

The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. For additional information, please visit FirstResponderBowl.com and follow on Facebook and Twitter/X. 

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube.