Utah State, Georgia State Accept Invitations to Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
December 3, 2023
For Immediate Release
Utah State, Georgia State Accept Invitations to Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Kickoff set for Saturday, Dec. 23 at 1:30 p.m. MT on ESPN
BOISE, Idaho – The 27th Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will feature Utah State from the Mountain West and Georgia State from the Sun Belt Conference. The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be played Saturday, Dec. 23, at Albertsons Stadium on the campus of Boise State University. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. MT, on ESPN.
Tickets are on sale now through famousidahopotatobowl.com or the Boise State Athletics Ticket Office. Reservations for premium ticket packages are currently available, which include prime ticket locations, hospitality benefits in tent village and corporate exposure. For more package information contact the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl office at (208) 424-1011.
“I couldn’t be more excited to bring Utah State and Georgia State to Boise,” said Danielle Brazil, executive director of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. “Our bowl game, now in its 27th year, has been supported by die-hard football fans in our community. With our Saturday afternoon kickoff, it is a great opportunity for our community to help us celebrate these student-athletes and the glorious gift of one more game on The Blue.”
Utah State (6-6, 4-4 MW) is making its fifth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, most by any school all-time. The Aggies lost the inaugural edition to Cincinnati (35-19) in 1997. Other trips include 2011 (lost 24-23 vs. Ohio), 2012 (won 41-15 vs. Toledo) and 2015 (lost 23-21 vs. Akron).
The Aggies are 6-10 all-time in bowl games and playing in the postseason for the third-straight season. Their first appearance came in the 1947 Raisin Bowl, a 20-0 loss to San Jose State. Last year, the Aggies lost 38-10 to Memphis in the First Responder Bowl.
Georgia State (6-6, 3-5 SBC) is making its first postseason appearance in the Treasure Valley. The Panthers are 3-2 all-time in bowl games after they began playing in the FBS in 2010.
The Aggies and Panthers have never met on the gridiron. Utah State is 9-12 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt. Georgia State lost to San Jose State in the 2015 Cure Bowl in its inaugural bowl game and that remains the only meeting for the Panthers against a Mountain West school.
Utah State’s defense is led by senior linebacker MJ Tafisi, Jr., a first-team All-Mountain West selection. He leads the conference and ranks eighth nationally with 10.9 tackles per game. He has recorded 131 tackles this season, including at least 10 in eight-straight games.
Joining Tafisi, Jr. on the All-Mountain West First Team are junior wide receiver Jalen Royals and sophomore safety Ike Larsen.
Royals has 68 receptions for 1,023 yards and 14 touchdowns. His touchdowns have tied a school record and rank second nationally this season. He leads the nation with seven scoring receptions of 50 yards or more. Larsen ranks second on the team with 91 tackles. He has recorded four interceptions, including a 47-yard pick six, and a pair of blocked kicks.
Utah State Head Coach Blake Anderson is in his third season at Utah State. He has posted a 23-16 record and has guided the Aggies to a bowl game each year. In his first season, he led the Aggies to their first Mountain West title and a No. 24 ranking in the final Associated Press poll. He is 74-53 overall in 10 seasons as a head coach.
Georgia State is led by All-Sun Belt First-Team selection Marcus Carroll. The senior running back leads the conference and ranks seventh nationally with 1,350 yards rushing. He is eighth in the country with 112.5 yards per game and has 13 touchdowns on the ground.
Joining Carroll on the All-SBC First Team is redshirt senior offensive lineman Travis Glover. He has helped lead the way to a balanced offense that has amassed over 2,000 yards rushing and passing while averaging 372.5 yards per game.
The defense is led by redshirt senior linebacker Jontrey Hunter. He ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with eight tackles per game and was named All-Sun Belt Third Team.
Georgia State Head Coach Shawn Elliott is 40-44 in seven seasons in Atlanta. He has guided the Panthers to five bowl games, including this year’s appearance in Boise, including all-three wins in school history.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl is one of 17 college football bowl games owned and operated by ESPN Events. Game proceeds provide tickets and/or contributions to Idaho Charities that include the United Way, Optimist Youth Football, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boise School District, Treasure Valley YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls Scouts and Armed Forces personnel.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2023, the 33-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games (all simulcast on ESPN+), nine college basketball events, a college softball event and the inaugural Band of the Year National Championship, in addition to a new college gymnastics event coming in 2024. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, while reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
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