2019 First Responder Bowl

The 2019 First Responder Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 30, 2019, with kickoff at 12:30 p.m. EST (11:30 a.m. local CDT) on ESPN.^[5] It was the 10th edition of the First Responder Bowl (although only the ninth to be played, as the 2018 edition of the game was declared a no contest while the game was in the first quarter), and was one of the 2019–20 bowl games concluding the 2019 FBS football season. Sponsored by fire and water cleanup and restoration company Servpro, the game was officially known as the Servpro First Responder Bowl.

2019 Servpro First Responder Bowl
10th First Responder Bowl
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Western Michigan Broncos (8–4) (7–5) C-USA MAC 23 20 Head coach:  Tyson Helton Head coach:  Tim Lester
1 2 3 4 Total Western Kentucky 0 10 0 13 23 Western Michigan 3 7 7 3 20
Date	December 30, 2019
Season	2019
Stadium	Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Location	University Park, Texas
MVP	Lucky Jackson (WR, Western Kentucky)[1]
Favorite	Western Kentucky by 3[2]
Referee	Jeremy Parker (Sun Belt)[3]
Attendance	13,164
Payout	US$824,545[4]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN
Announcers	Dave Neal (play-by-play), DJ Shockley (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
First Responder Bowl  < 2018  2020 >

The 2019 First Responder Bowl was played in Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the campus of Southern Methodist University in University Park, Texas. The move was necessitated by the National Hockey League's announcement that the league's annual New Year's Day outdoor game would be played in the bowl's normal host stadium, Dallas' Cotton Bowl, which created a scheduling conflict. Ford Stadium previously hosted two editions of the Armed Forces Bowl due to construction at its host stadium, Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.^[6]

Teams

The game featured the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers of Conference USA (C-USA) and the Western Michigan Broncos of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). This was the 16th meeting between the two programs, and the first since 1947; Western Michigan led the all-time series, 11–3–1.^[7]

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Main article: 2019 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Western Kentucky entered the game with an 8–4 record (6–2 in conference). The Hilltoppers finished tied for second place with Marshall in the East Division of C-USA.

Western Michigan Broncos

Main article: 2019 Western Michigan Broncos football team

Western Michigan entered the game with a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference). The Broncos finished in second place of the West Division of the MAC. Each of their five losses during the regular season were away games.

Game summary

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Western Kentucky	0	10	0	13	23
Western Michigan	3	7	7	3	20

Game information

First Quarter (4:17) WMU – Thiago Kapps 30 yard field goal (Drive: 13 plays, 57 yards, 6:11; Western Michigan 3–0) Second Quarter (10:54) WKU – Ty Storey 17 yard pass to Jahcour Pearson, Cory Munson kick (Drive: 11 plays, 93 yards, 5:28; Western Kentucky 7–3) (2:22) WKU – Cory Munson 26 yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 68 yards, 5:25; Western Kentucky 10–3) (0:59) WMU – Kareem Ali 88 yard interception return, Thiago Kapps kick (Tied 10–10) Third Quarter (8:18) WMU – Jon Wassink 6 yard pass to DaShon Bussell, Thiago Kapps kick (Drive: 10 plays, 90 yards, 4:30; Western Michigan 17–10) Fourth Quarter (10:40) WKU – Ty Storey 5 yard pass to Lucky Jackson, Cory Munson kick (Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 6:32; Tied 17–17) (4:58) WMU – Thiago Kapps 20 yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 62 yards, 5:42; Western Michigan 20–17) (1:36) WKU – Cory Munson 31 yard field goal (Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:22; Tied 20–20) (0:00) WKU – Cory Munson 52 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 36 yards, 0:27; Western Kentucky 23–20)

2019 Servpro First Responder Bowl

at Gerald J. Ford Stadium • University Park, Texas

• Date: Monday, December 30, 2019
• Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST (11:30 a.m. CST)
• Game weather: Sunny • Temperature: 50 °F (10 °C) • Wind: WNW 12 mph
• Game attendance: 13,164
• Referee: Jeremy Parker
• TV announcers (ESPN): Dave Neal (play-by-play), DJ Shockley (analyst) and Dawn Davenport (sideline)
• ESPN game summary

Statistics

Statistics	WKU	WMU
First downs	28	19
Plays–yards	80–481	67–307
Rushes–yards	28–123	31–114
Passing yards	358	193
Passing: comp–att–int	35–52–2	19–36–1
Time of possession	32:01	27:59

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Western Kentucky	Passing	Ty Storey	35/51, 358 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
	Rushing	Gaej Walker	15 carries, 93 yards
	Receiving	Lucky Jackson	17 receptions, 148 yards, 1 TD
Western Michigan	Passing	Jon Wassink	19/36, 193 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	LeVante Bellamy	18 carries, 60 yards
	Receiving	Skyy Moore	4 receptions, 68 yards