Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 2011, Utah State Vs. Ohio: Cats Take Blue Turf Tuber Battle, 24-23

Here’s the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl’s six-ton potato, making ready to be towed around the country by truck. The massive potato has made an appearance during this bowl since 2013.

So sexy. So Idaho.

1: Bowl wins in Ohio’s history. Frank Solich took over the Bobcats’ program in 2005 and has led them to their most sustained level of success. They had won nine games in a season just once before Solich, and they have done so three times in the last six years. But they couldn’t break through in the postseason. They were 0-6 in bowls and MAC championships under Solich, a run that included four double-digit losses and a blown 20-point lead in this year’s MAC title game. But they overcame a slow start and a 23-10 deficit to pull in their first bowl trophy. All you really want as a minor bowl is an exciting finish and an ecstatic winning team. I would say that Idaho’s potato commission got what they paid for this year. And yes, that was a fun sentence to write.

35: Bowls on the 2011-12 docket. Some of them will be completely and totally uninteresting (like, for instance, the Gildan New Mexico Bowl for non-Temple fans). But the more bowls you have, the more great finishes you’ll have. We got two in three games yesterday. Are there too many bowls? Probably. Did I care yesterday? Hell no. Did I love both the finish and the “Mr. Hankey” looking mascot in yesterday’s Idaho Potato Bowl? Hell yes. More, please.

ESPN’s announce crew sold that touchdown as hard as they could, saying for many minutes that Ohio’s offense had come alive. The Bobcats had 103 total yards for the game during the last assurance that their attack was finally on track. Let’s face it, this game isn’t quite as great as the bowl itself, which has giant fake potatoes all over the place!

The Aggies had a chance to make it 12-7, a confounding score, but pushed the field goal to the right. Reasonable football score preserved.

Utah State is outgaining Ohio, 119 yards to minus-one. Ten minutes of possession to one. It’s clear which team did not consume sufficient potatoes this morning, noon, afternoon, and right now while sitting on the sidelines.

We can learn things from the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Things besides just how healthy, efficient, enriching and enlivening potatoes are as a crop, food, and way of life. Like why it’s almost always a good idea to go for it at the goal line.

That’s two points to none, which is the number of potatoes each American should eat for breakfast, not including hash browns.

Working in Andersen’s favor is the fact that he and his team are familiar with the blue turf of Bronco Stadium. USU lost to Boise 50-14 last season. The team’s not sure the experience will help them one way or another.

This is his first bowl game as a head coach at Utah State, which could make bowl victory No. 8 his most special to date.

Saturday’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl between Ohio and Utah State will feature a 12,000-pound, world-travelin’ giant potato on site. Pretty sure ESPN will handle coverage of The Great Big Idaho Potato just fine, but your #OccupyPotatoes spirit is appreciated, Mr. Muir:

However, certain other college football broadcasters might not deal with the spud all that well.