2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
22nd Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Western Michigan Broncos BYU Cougars (7–5) (6–6) MAC Independent 18 49 Head coach:  Tim Lester Head coach:  Kalani Sitake
1 2 3 4 Total Western Michigan 0 10 0 8 18 BYU 7 0 28 14 49
Date	December 21, 2018
Season	2018
Stadium	Albertsons Stadium
Location	Boise, Idaho
MVP	Zach Wilson (QB, BYU)
Favorite	BYU by 12[1]
Referee	Jeremy Parker (Sun Belt)
Attendance	18,711
Payout	US$950,000 [2]
United States TV coverage
Network	ESPN and Gameday Radio
Announcers	Roy Philpott, Tom Ramsey and Alex Corddry (ESPN) Scott Garrard, Hans Olsen and Chris Lewis (Gameday Radio)

The 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 21, 2018.^[3] It was the 22nd edition of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, and one of the 2018–19 bowl games concluding the 2018 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission.

Western Michigan and BYU line up at BYU's goal line during the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Teams

The game matched the Western Michigan Broncos, from the Mid-American Conference, and the BYU Cougars, an independent team. The programs previously had met five times, most recently in 1970, with BYU holding a 3–2 edge.^[4]

Western Michigan Broncos

Main article: 2018 Western Michigan Broncos football team

Western Michigan received and accepted a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 2.^[5] The Broncos entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference). This was Western Michigan's second appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, having lost to Air Force in the 2014 edition.

BYU Cougars

Main article: 2018 BYU Cougars football team

BYU received and accepted a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 2.^[5] The independent Cougars entered the bowl with a 6–6 record. BYU became the first independent team to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Potato Bowl MVP

Zach Wilson won Potato bowl MVP after a stellar performance completing all 18 of his passes for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns.^[6]

Game summary

Scoring summary

Scoring summary

Quarter Time Drive Team Scoring information Score Plays Yards TOP WMU BYU 1 2:20 2 27 0:41 BYU Dylan Collie 26-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good 0 7 2 3:07 4 40 1:53 WMU Jamauri Bogan 33-yard touchdown run, Gavin Peddie kick good 7 7 2 0:24 11 51 1:14 WMU 37-yard field goal by Gavin Peddie 10 7 3 13:14 3 69 1:46 BYU Dylan Collie 8-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good 10 14 3 7:29 4 74 1:27 BYU Riley Burt 37-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good 10 21 3 5:04 2 63 0:45 BYU Aleva Hifo 70-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good 10 28 3 2:47 3 32 1:19 BYU Dayan Ghanwoloku 1-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good 10 35 4 11:38 4 54 1:47 BYU Dax Milne 5-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good 10 42 4 7:37 9 75 4:01 WMU Kaleb Eleby 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good (Kaleb Eleby to Jayden Reed) 18 42 4 4:07 7 75 3:30 BYU Brayden El-Bakri 1-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good 18 49 "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. 18 49

Statistics

	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	10	0	8	18
Cougars	7	0	28	14	49

Statistics	WMU	BYU
First downs	16	22
Plays–yards	76–313	52–490
Rushes–yards	39–138	33–132
Passing yards	175	358
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	20–37–1	19–19–0
Time of possession	35:21	24:39

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Western Michigan	Passing	Kaleb Eleby	20/36, 175 yds, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jamauri Bogan	13 car, 62 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	D'Wayne Eskridge	2 rec, 61 yds
BYU	Passing	Zach Wilson	18/18, 317 yds, 4 TD
	Rushing	Riley Burt	13 car, 110 yds, 1 TD
	Receiving	Dylan Collie	6 rec, 124 yds, 2 TD

References

1. Fawkes, Ben (December 10, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
2. "2018 Bowl Schedule". CFP.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
3. "2018-19 College Football Playoff and bowl schedule". ESPN. May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
4. "Western Michigan Broncos vs. BYU Cougars football series history game list". winsipedia.com. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
5. "BYU, Western Michigan to Meet in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl". famousidahopotatobowl.com (Press release). December 2, 2018.
6. https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2018/12/21/live-byu-takes-western/ Salt Lake Tribune. Taken March 18, 2020

External links

• Box score at ESPN