Texas State football team heads to first-ever bowl game in Dallas
SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Texas State University football team heads to Dallas for the First Responder Bowl, the first bowl game in the school's history
The team loaded up the bus on Friday morning, and you could feel the rush of emotions building for the Texas State football team.
"We're excited to get on the road and have some fun on the buses," said TJ Finley, the Texas State quarterback. "You know, we have a couple of days before the bowl game, so to prepare and stuff like that. So once we lock in and get to the bowl side, then we'll lock in every practice, and we have different events."
"We are very proud of him. He's done a really extremely good job of just being a great man who God has called to be a great man and to be a heck of a football player," said Rod Jones, parent of one of the players. "And so as a dad, my heart is just really overwhelmed with what God is doing with him."
For the first time in school history, Texas State is playing in a bowl game. Former Texas State head coach David Bailiff is proud of the job Coach Kinne has done in his first year.
"There's so much pride in San Marcos right now and so much excitement about what's happening at Texas State football. It's really great to witness," former coach Bailiff said.
"It's going to be a lot of fun, but it's a business trip," said Texas State head coach GJ Kinne. "We're going down there to win, and our guys are excited. Our coaches are excited."
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Finley says they have been putting in the work at practice for the past week.
"I expect to come out with a win," Finley said. "We play fast, play hard, play physical. Throw the ball around, run the ball a lot and stuff like that. Just be a balanced offense. Nothing short of what we did this year."
"I think just staying focused and keeping the main thing, the main thing, and that's winning and sending these seniors out on the right note," Kinne said.
The Bobcats will take on Rice next Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. in Dallas at SMU's Ford stadium.