When Washington State and Utah State take the field in Monday’s Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, it’ll be more than just a postseason matchup-it’s a sneak peek at a future conference rivalry. With Utah State set to join the reconfigured Pac-12, these two programs are about to get a lot more familiar with each other. But before they start trading punches on a yearly basis, there's a bowl game to settle.
Both teams come into Boise with identical 6-6 records, but their paths to .500 couldn’t have looked much different. Washington State ended the regular season with a statement, steamrolling Oregon State 32-8. Utah State, meanwhile, let a double-digit second-half lead slip away in a one-point heartbreaker to Boise State.
If history is any indication, the Cougars might hold a slight edge-they’ve won three of the last five meetings, including a convincing 49-28 win in Pullman last year. But bowl season has a way of leveling the playing field, especially when coaching changes and shifting rosters are in play.
Washington State is in the middle of a transition at the top. After just one season, head coach Jimmy Rogers is off to Iowa State, and Missouri offensive coordinator Kirby Moore is set to take the reins next year. In the meantime, defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit will handle interim duties in Boise before following Rogers to Ames as his DC.
Despite the coaching carousel, Bobbit says the Cougars have stayed locked in.
“There’s been a really good energy,” Bobbit said after a recent practice. “Guys were getting after it, competing in a two-minute drill early on, some pass rush stuff.” That kind of intensity will be critical as they try to close the season on a high note.
One of the players who followed Rogers and Bobbit from South Dakota State to Pullman is safety Matthew Durrance, who’s been a steady presence on the back end with 55 tackles and a forced fumble. For Durrance, this game is about more than just a win-it’s about closure.
“We’re trying to finish it out the right way,” he said. “It’s been a crazy year. I feel we put all this to bed with a win and go out the right way.”
The Cougars will lean on quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, who’s set to make his 10th consecutive start. With Jaxon Potter hitting the transfer portal, Eckhaus is the only QB on the roster with meaningful game reps.
He’s thrown for 1,760 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, but his nine interceptions have been costly at times. If he can protect the football, Washington State has the firepower to make things happen.
Defensively, Isaac Terrell has been a force up front. The junior defensive end leads the team with 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks, and he’ll be tasked with slowing down a Utah State offense that’s been surprisingly dynamic.
At the heart of that attack is quarterback Bryson Barnes, who’s quietly put together one of the most impressive dual-threat seasons in the country. He’s thrown for 2,687 yards and 18 touchdowns with just four picks, while also leading the Aggies in rushing with 733 yards and nine scores-a school record for a QB.
“There’s not a fiber in my being that doesn’t want to go out there and give every last thing I’ve got,” Barnes said. And he’s backed that up all year, playing with a physical, fearless style that’s made him the heartbeat of this Utah State team.
On defense, the Aggies are led by two standouts: corner-turned-safety Noah Avinger, who’s racked up 84 tackles and three interceptions, and linebacker John Miller, who leads the team in both tackles (109) and sacks (7.5). If Utah State is going to slow down the Cougars’ offense, those two will need to be all over the field.
This marks Utah State’s sixth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, but their history on the Blue Turf hasn’t been kind-they’ve dropped four of the previous five. Still, there’s a sense this one carries a little extra weight. Not just because it’s a bowl game, but because it’s a tone-setter for a new era in the Pac-12.
As Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall put it, “The regional flavor of the game, I think, is really good for not only Utah State, but also Washington State. I like the matchup.
I think there’s a lot of intrigue. I think it’s two really good football teams that are motivated.”
Motivated is right. For Washington State, it’s a chance to close a chaotic season with a win and send off a departing coaching staff on a high note. For Utah State, it’s about proving they belong in their new league-and maybe flipping the script on their bowl game history while they’re at it.
One thing’s for sure: Monday in Boise won’t just be about potatoes. It’ll be about pride, momentum, and a glimpse into what’s coming next.