LOGAN, Utah – Utah State football will face Washington State in the 29th-annual Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Monday, Dec. 22, at noon, at Albertsons Stadium on the Boise State campus in Boise, Idaho, it was announced Sunday. The game will be televised live on ESPN. This is USU's sixth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
The Matchup
This matchup will feature future conference opponents as Utah State will officially join the Pac-12 Conference on July 1, 2026.
Utah State (6-6, 4-4 MW) and Washington State (6-6) will be meeting for the sixth time in series history, including the first in a bowl game, with the Cougars holding a 3-2 advantage. The last time the two teams played one another was on Nov. 9, 2024, in Pullman, with No. 20 WSU winning 49-28.
Utah State and Washington State did not have any common opponents this year. However, the Cougars did play two Mountain West teams as it posted a 36-13 home win against San Diego State on Sept. 6, and a 20-3 road win against Colorado State on Sept. 27.
Utah State is playing in its fourth bowl game in the last five years and its 12th in the last 15 years after playing in six bowl games in its first 119 years. This will be USU's first bowl game under first-year head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Mendenhall is the eighth head coach in program history to lead the Aggies to a bowl game.
Prior to Utah State, Mendenall spent one season as the head coach at New Mexico (2024), six years as the head coach at Virginia (2016-21) and 11 seasons at BYU (2005-15). Overall, he has a 146-94 (.608) career record and has guide 17 of his teams to bowl eligibility, including leading Virginia to its first-ever Orange Bowl in 2019. Mendenhall is 7-7 as a head coach in 14 previous bowl games.
This will be Washington State's 20th bowl game as it has an 8-11 record in its previous 19 bowl outings. Last season, WSU lost to No. 21 Syracuse 52-35 in the Holiday Bowl.
Looking at the Teams
Utah State is 6-6 on the season and finished seventh in the Mountain West with a 4-4 league record. USU concluded its regular season with a 25-24 home loss to Boise State.
Washington State finished this season with a 6-6 record, including a 32-8 home win against Oregon State in its regular season finale.
Utah State is led by graduate quarterback Bryson Barnes, who is 202-of-335 (.603) passing for 2,687 yards (223.9 pg) with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. Barnes has rushed for a team-best 733 yards on 176 carries (4.2 ypc/61.1 ypg) and nine touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Braden Pegan leads the team in receiving with 60 receptions for 926 yards (15.4 ypr/77.2 ypg) and five touchdowns. Defensively, graduate inside linebacker John Miller has a team-best 109 tackles, including 7.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, while junior safety Brevin Hamblin has 102 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss. As a team, USU is averaging 31.8 points and 422.4 yards of total offense (251.4 passing, 171.0 rushing) and allowing 28.3 points and 424.4 yards (249.3 passing, 175.1 rushing).
Utah State had 10 players garner All-Mountain West honors this season, including three first-team selections, in graduate linebacker John Miller, senior cornerback Noah Avinger and junior wide receiver Braden Pegan. Graduate quarterback Bryson Barnes and graduate running back Miles Davis were both voted onto the second team. Five more Aggies were named honorable mention All-MW in graduate wide receiver Brady Boyd, graduate defensive tackle Gabriel Iniguez Jr., senior safety Ike Larsen, junior safety Brevin Hamblin and junior linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr.
Larsen earned All-Mountain West honors for the third time as he was named to the first team as a sophomore in 2023 and to the second team as a redshirt freshman in 2022. Avinger earned honorable mention All-MW honors last year at New Mexico, while Iniguez was an honorable mention selection last season in his first year at USU.
Utah State had three players earn Mountain West Player of the Week honors this season in Barnes, Hamblin and junior kicker Tanner Rinker. Barnes was named the MW Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against Air Force. Hamblin was named the MW Defensive Player of the Week following his performance against Nevada. Rinker was named the MW Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance against UTEP.
Utah State played seven bowl teams this season in No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 14 Vanderbilt, Hawai'i, New Mexico, UNLV, Fresno State and Boise State.
Utah State Bowl History
This will be Utah State's sixth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which is the most by any team in the history of the bowl. USU is 1-4 all-time in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl with its last appearance being in 2023. Washington State will be playing in the Idaho-based bowl for the first time ever.
The Aggies are 6-11 in their previous 17 bowl games as they played in five-straight bowl games from 2011-15 and won three-straight bowls from 2012-14, both of which are school records.
One of USU's six bowl wins is a 24-13 victory against current Pac-12 member Oregon State in the 2021 LA Bowl.
All-time, this will be Utah State's 18th bowl appearance in program history as it played in the 1946 Raisin Bowl, the 1947 Grape Bowl, the 1960 Sun Bowl, the 1961 Gotham Bowl, the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl, the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl, the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the 2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the 2013 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, the 2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl, the 2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the 2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, the 2018 New Mexico Bowl, the 2019 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl, the 2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl, the 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl and the 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Aggies From Idaho
Utah State has one player on its roster from Idaho in redshirt freshman running back Tre Kofe (Idaho Falls/Corner Canyon (UT) HS).
Aggies From Washington
Utah State has six players on its roster from Washington in graduate safety Jonathan Baird (Spokane/Mead HS/BYU), junior defensive tackle Kone Aumua-Uiagalelei (Auburn/Auburn Riverside HS/Mt. San Antonio College), sophomore long snapper Owen Edwards (Washougal/Washougal HS/Hampton), sophomore punter Landon Rehkow (Veradale/Central Valley HS/BYU), redshirt freshman safety Gio Kafentzis (Puyallup, Wash.), and freshman running back Nehemiah Washington (Federal Way/Decatur HS).
Ticket Information
Tickets for the 2025 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be sold through the Utah State Ticket Office. Fans looking to support the Aggies in their matchup against Washington State will be able to purchase seats online or by calling the USU Ticket Sales and Service team at (435) 797-0305.
Bowl ticket seat assignments will be based on Big Blue Club priority points. Should demand exceed supply for any price level, the order will be fulfilled at the next available price. USU Athletics reserves the right to reduce or cancel any order.
Fans can activate a Big Blue Club membership here for as little as $50 to secure access to the best available seats. Current members may also increase their priority standing with an additional gift to the Big Blue Club by making an additional investment here.
Follow
For more information on the Utah State football program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUFootball, on Facebook at USUFootball and on Instagram at USUFootball.
Utah State Football Bowl History (6-11)
1946 Raisin Bowl vs. San Jose State – L, 20-0 (Fresno, California)
1947 Grape Bowl vs. Pacific – L, 35-21 (Lodi, California)
1960 Sun Bowl vs. New Mexico State – L, 20-13 (El Paso, Texas)
1961 Gotham Bowl vs. Baylor – L, 24-9 (Upper Manhattan, New York)
1993 Las Vegas Bowl vs. Ball State – W, 42-33 (Las Vegas, Nevada)
1997 Humanitarian Bowl vs. Cincinnati – L, 35-19 (Boise, Idaho)
2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Ohio – L, 24-23 (Boise, Idaho)
2012 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Toledo – W, 41-15 (Boise, Idaho)
2013 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl vs. No. 24 Northern Illinois – W, 21-14 (San Diego, California)
2014 Gildan New Mexico Bowl vs. UTEP – W, 21-6 (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2015 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Akron – L, 23-21 (Boise, Idaho)
2017 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl vs. New Mexico State – L, 26-20, OT (Tucson, Arizona)
2018 New Mexico Bowl vs. North Texas – W, 52-13 (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
2019 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl vs. Kent State – L, 51-41 (Frisco, Texas)
2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl vs. Oregon State – W, 24-13 (Inglewood, California)
2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl vs. Memphis – L, 38-10 (Dallas, Texas)
2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs. Georgia State – L, 45-22 (Boise, Idaho)
Utah State vs. Pac-12 Conference (3-6-0)
Oregon State – 1-3 (Last Meeting, 2021)
Washington State – 2-3 (Last Meeting, 2024)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl History
Dec. 23, 2024 – Northern Illinois (MAC) 28, Fresno State (MW) 20 (2OT)
Dec. 23, 2023 – Georgia State (Sun Belt) 45, Utah State (MW) 22
Dec. 20, 2022 – Eastern Michigan (MAC) 41, San José State (MW) 27
Dec. 21, 2021 – Wyoming (MW) 52, Kent State (MAC) 38
Dec. 22, 2020 – Nevada (MW) 38, Tulane (AAC) 27
Jan. 3, 2020 – Ohio (MAC) 30, Nevada (MW) 21
Dec. 21, 2018 – BYU (Ind.) 49, Western Michigan (MAC) 18
Dec. 22, 2017 – Wyoming (MW) 37, Central Michigan (MAC) 14
Dec. 22, 2016 – Idaho (Ind.) 61, Colorado State (MW) 50
Dec. 22, 2015 – Arkon (MAC) 23, Utah State (MW) 21
Dec. 20, 2014 – Air Force (MW) 38, Western Michigan (MAC) 24
Dec. 21, 2013 – San Diego State (MW) 49, Buffalo (MAC) 24
Dec. 15, 2012 – Utah State (WAC) 41, Toledo (MAC) 15
Dec. 17, 2011 – Ohio (MAC) 24, Utah State (WAC) 23
Dec. 18, 2010 – Northern Illinois (MAC) 40, Fresno State (WAC) 17
Dec. 30, 2009 – Idaho (WAC) 43, Bowling Green (MAC) 42
Dec. 30, 2008 – Maryland (ACC) 42, Nevada (WAC) 35
Dec. 31, 2007 – Fresno State (WAC) 40, Georgia Tech (ACC) 28
Dec. 31, 2006 – Miami (ACC) 21, Nevada (WAC) 20
Dec. 28, 2005 – Boston College (ACC) 27, Boise State (WAC) 21
Dec. 27, 2004 – Fresno State (WAC) 37, Virginia (ACC) 34
Jan. 3, 2004 – Georgia Tech (ACC) 52, Tulsa (WAC) 10
Dec. 31, 2002 - Boise State (WAC) 38, Iowa State (Big 12) 16
Dec. 31, 2001 - Clemson (ACC) 49, Louisiana Tech (WAC) 24
Dec. 28, 2000 - Boise State (Big West) 38, UTEP (WAC) 23
Dec. 28, 1999 - Boise State (Big West) 34, Louisville (C-USA) 31
Dec. 30, 1998 - Idaho (Big West) 42, Southern Mississippi (C-USA) 35
Dec. 29, 1997 - Cincinnati (C-USA) 35, Utah State (Big West) 19
