SERVPRO FIRST RESPONDER BOWL TO BE PLAYED SATURDAY, JANUARY 2

DALLAS, Texas (June 3, 2026) – The SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be played Saturday, Jan. 2, 2027, at SMU’s Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. Kickoff time for the 17th edition of the postseason college football game is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) on ABC.

“We are excited that the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl will be part of the New Year’s holiday weekend this year,” Brant Ringler, the bowl’s executive director, said. “We are looking forward to being able to say thank you and pay tribute to our first responders on a national stage.”

This is the second time in three seasons, and the sixth time overall, that the bowl has been played in the new calendar year. Its first four editions, when the game was known as the TicketCity Bowl (2010 and 2011 seasons) and Heart of Dallas Bowl (2012 and 2013 seasons), also saw games in January.

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 assist 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 seven contests, four of which have been decided by a touchdown or less. The game was originally contested at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Previous teams selected for the bowl include Air Force, Army West Point, Boise State, Boston College, FIU, 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 Kentucky and Western Michigan.

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.