Nevada, Tulane Accept Invitations to Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
December 13, 2020
For Immediate ReleaseNevada, Tulane Accept Invitations to Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Kickoff set for Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 1:30 p.m. MT
BOISE, Idaho – The 24th Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will feature Nevada of the Mountain West Conference and Tulane from the American Athletic Conference. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be played Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Albertsons Stadium on the campus of Boise State University. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. MT, on ESPN.
The two teams have met once previously on the gridiron. Tulane won on its home field in 1992, in the only prior matchup. Nevada, making its fourth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, is the first team to play in the game in back-to-back seasons since Utah State did so in 2011 and 2012. Tulane is making its first appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
“We are excited to welcome two teams with a lot left to prove,” said Kevin McDonald, executive director of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. “Nevada has a great history in our bowl game. We enjoyed hosting Coach Jay Norvell and his team last season and look forward to welcoming them back. There is a unique excitement surrounding the game when we get to bring a new team to Boise, and when a team is on a roll to end the season. Tulane checks both of those boxes.”
Nevada (6-2, 6-2 MW) finished third in the Mountain West standings, posting its best regular-season winning percentage since joining the conference. This will be the Wolf Pack’s third straight bowl appearance, 13th in the last 16 years and 18th in program history.
The Wolf Pack has ridden a potent offense, guided the duo of sophomore quarterback Carson Strong and junior wide receiver Romeo Doubs, to score 29.9 points per game. In just eight games this season, Strong has thrown for 2,587 yards and 22 touchdowns. Nine of his scoring strikes have gone to Doubs, who has 960 receiving yards on the year. Strong became just the second player in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl history to throw for 400 yards last season, when he racked up 402 yards in the final game of his redshirt freshman season.
Tulane (6-5, 3-5 AAC) won four of its final five regular-season games, including a 38-12 victory over No. 25 Army on Nov. 14, the Green Wave’s first win against a nationally-ranked team since 1984. They are led by an opportunistic defense that ranks eighth nationally with 19 turnovers forced and has scored three times, ranking third in the country.
This marks the third consecutive bowl appearance for Tulane, and the 14th in program history. It will be the first time a current member of the AAC appears in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl since Tulsa took on Georgia Tech at the end of the 2003 season. Fellow AAC member Cincinnati played in the inaugural Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 1997.
Fans will not be permitted to attend this year’s game based on the guidance and protocols set forth by state and local health officials.
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