The 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will pit the Mid-American Conference and a team from the Independent ranks against each other this season. Western Michigan will face BYU on Dec. 21 (4 p.m. ET, ESPN). Here is the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl preview:
It was two seasons ago that the Broncos went undefeated during the regular season then almost knocked off Wisconsin in the Cotton Bowl. Those days are gone as coach P.J. Fleck rowed his boat to Minnesota. WMU failed to earn a bowl bid in 2017, even with a 6-6 record, but it’s back this season.
Photo by mlive.com
While the Broncos don’t possess the stingiest in the country (allowed 51 or more points three times), they can run the ball. Western ranked third in the MAC, averaging 204.6 rushing yards with 30 touchdowns. LeVante Bellamy enters the bowl season ranked 18th nationally with 1,172 rushing yards while Jamauri Bogan (702 yards) is tied for eighth in the country with 15 rushing touchdowns.
Western Michigan’s recent bowl history has not been a good one. It’s won just one of its last six bowl appearances. That came in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl over Middle Tennessee. One year after losing to Air Force on the blue turf of Boise in the Potato Bowl.
Kalani Sitake’s job as BYU coach might be safer than it was at the beginning of the season, but a bowl victory would install more conference from the school. The Cougars bounced back from an awful 4-9 2017 season that ended the program’s 12-year bowl streak.
Photo by deseretnews.com
They were able to do so thanks to a defense led by linebacker Sione Takitaki that held four opponents to 16 or fewer points and stunned then-No.6 Wisconsin 24-21 at Madison on Sept. 15. The concern, however, for BYU comes on offense where it failed to reach double-digit points twice.
Despite the Cougars offensive shortcomings, freshman quarterback Zach Wilson threw four touchdowns and one interception in the last three games. They also averaged 230.0 rushing yards over those three contests.
BYU and Western Michigan are meeting for the sixth time, but first since 1970.
Both teams are glad to be back bowling. Western Michigan can run the ball, but its defense has been an issue all season. BYU has been inconsistent as well in 2018, but it’s the more complete team and actually played Boise State tough on this very field in early November.
BYU 24, Western Michigan 16
Make sure to check out our college football page for more updates and rankings.
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