As fans await the start of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Arkansas State and Missouri State will provide an appetizer Thursday night when the programs meet in the inaugural Xbox Bowl.

Arkansas State took on Missouri State in the Xbox Bowl in Frisco, Texas, as restaurants and bars around Jonesboro hosted watch parties for the game.

Another college football head coaching job is open, as Ohio has announced the firing of Brian Smith for cause.

The Xbox Bowl, which replaces the Bahamas Bowl in Nassau, Bahamas, joins the portfolio of 17 postseason college football games owned and operated by ESPN.

The bowl season gives scouts a chance to analyze NFL Draft prospects. Here are the NFL Draft prospects in the 2025 Frisco