LOGAN, Utah, Dec. 4, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah State is returning to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl for the fifth time to take on Georgia State on Dec. 23 in Boise, Idaho.
It’s the third straight bowl game for the Aggies (6-6 overall, 5-3 Mountain West Conference) under head coach Blake Anderson but the first in Boise since 2015. USU is 1-3 in its previous bowl games in Boise.
USU defeated Oregon State 24-13 in the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl after winning its first-ever Mountain West championship, then lost to Memphis 38-10 in the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Utah State’s five appearances in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, now in its 27th season, is the most by any team. In all, the Aggies have played in 16 bowl games, going 6-10 in those games.
Georgia State (6-6, 3-5 Sun Belt Conference) is playing in the Boise bowl game for the first time. USU has never faced a Sun Belt team in a bowl game.
The two teams had two common opponents this season and faired similarly: Both beat Connecticut but lost to James Madison.
Georgia State finished tied for fifth in the Sun Belt’s East Division with a 3-5 record. The Panthers enter the bowl game on a five-game losing streak.
After starting the season 1-3, Utah State closed the season by winning three of its final four games.
The Aggies are led by graduate senior quarterback Cooper Legas, who has completed 138 of 213 passes (64.8%) for 1,815 yards (201.7 yards per game) with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Junior running back Davon Booth leads USU’s rushing attack with 734 yards on 116 carries (66.7 yards per game, 6.3 yards per carry) with five TDs, and junior wide receiver Jalen Royals adds 68 receptions for 1,023 yards (85.3 yards per game, 15 yards per reception) and 14 TDs.
Defensively, graduate senior linebacker MJ Tafisi Jr. leads the Aggies with 131 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for a loss, while sophomore safety Ike Larsen adds 91 tackles, six pass breakups and four interceptions.
As a team, Utah State averages 34.1 points and 446.3 yards of total offense (259.8 passing, 186.6 rushing) per game, while allowing 33.8 points and 415.6 yards (216.5 passing, 199.1 rushing).
USU had nine players earn All-Mountain West honors this season, including three first-team selections: Royals, Tafusi and Larsen.
Senior wide receiver/kick returner Terrell Vaughn was named to the second team, while five other Aggies earned honorable mention: senior defensive tackle Hale Motu’apuaka, junior LB Anthony Switzer, junior WR/punt returner Michah Davis, junior tight end Broc Lane and sophomore safety Devin Dye.
Tickets for the 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl are available by contacting the USU ticket office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum or by phone by calling 888-USTATE-1 or 435-797-0305. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.UtahStateAggies.com.
Utah State bowl history
- 1946 — Raisin Bowl (Fresno, California): Lost to San Jose State, 20-0.
- 1947 — Grape Bowl (Lodi, California): Lost to Pacific, 35-21.
- 1960 — Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas): Lost to New Mexico State, 20-13.
- 1961 — Gotham Bowl (Upper Manhattan, New York): Lost to Baylor, 24-9.
- 1993 — Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas): Defeated Ball State, 42-33.
- 1997 — Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Lost to Cincinnati, 35-19.
- 2011 — Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Lost to Ohio, 24-23.
- 2012 — Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Defeated Toledo, 41-15
- 2013 — SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl (San Diego): Defeated No. 24 Northern Illinois, 21-14.
- 2014 — Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque): Defeated UTEP, 21-6.
- 2015 — Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Lost to Akron, 23-21.
- 2017 — NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Arizona): Lost to New Mexico State, 26-20 in OT.
- 2018 — New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque): Defeated North Texas, 52-13.
- 2019 — Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas): Lost to Kent State, 51-41.
- 2021 — Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl (Inglewood, California): Defeated Oregon State, 24-13.
- 2022 — SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dallas): Lost to Memphis, 38-10.
