5 Reasons To Watch The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
5 Reasons You Need To Watch The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
When the Buffalo Bulls and San Diego State Aztecs take to the blue turf of Bronco Stadium this Saturday at 5:30 EST on ESPN, greatness can be expected. Although this game is not one of the more popular bowl games or even a BCS game, both teams are incredibly excited about this match-up and could present several interesting surprises.
It can be assumed that this game will not be one of the more marque matchups this college football bowl season. What can be assumed though, is that those fans that do attend and watch the game will be in for one heck of a good time.
The Bulls and Aztecs are two teams full of talent on both sides of the ball. Each team may not be currently ranked in the top 25, but they both have the potential to be heading to that place in the next few seasons. San Diego State is the first team in FBS history to make a bowl game after starting off the season 0-3.
Several big story lines from this game are that this is Buffalo’s second bowl game in program history and that this is the fourth consecutive bowl game that San Diego State has been in. Fans from SDS have already begun to brag about how they are one of 29 FBS schools in the country to go to four consecutive bowl games. There is no denying that this is an impressive feat for a program, regardless of how good they normally are or not.
If you are like myself, you probably had never heard of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl until this year. Here is a little more information about Saturday’s game.
Current Wisconsin Badgers head coach Gary Anderson led Utah State to a 41-15 victory over the Toledo Rockets last season. The game is held in Boise, ID at Bronco Stadium. The victorious team receives a glass trophy filled with Idaho Potatoes. The first game was Dec. 29, 1997.
Still not enough reason to watch? Well, check out the slideshow to see five more reasons why you should watch the 2013 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Baxter Colburn is a College Football writer for RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Baxstar20, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
5. The Blue Field
It may sound like a crazy reason to watch the game, but honestly, you just have to love the blue field of Bronco Stadium. When it made its first appearance back in 2010, people were shocked by this new look. It was something that was outside the norm of the traditional green field that people had come to know over the years. For many people, just seeing the blue field will be reason enough to catch this bowl game.
4. The Arm of Joe Licata
He is only a sophomore, but he has already made a positive impact on the Buffalo Bulls program. During the 2013 season, Joe Licata had an absolute blockbuster game against the Toledo Rockets. During the game, he thew for 497 yards and four touchdowns. Buffalo still lost the game by 10 points, but it was a terrific performance from the young quarterback out of Williamsville, NY. Watch for him to make big waves during this upcoming season, and the next two seasons of his college career.
3. Ezell Ruffin Will Blow Your Mind
Standing at 6-1, 205 pounds, Ezell Ruffins is a dangerously good wide receiver for San Diego State. He led the team in receiving yards in 2013 with 1,061, and he also added three touchdowns on top of that. His best game of the season was against FSU where he caught 10 passes for 181 yards. Ruffins topped 100 yards receiving four different times during the regular season and will look to have another big game against the Bulls of Buffalo during Saturday's Bowl game.
2. The Young and Talented Quinn Kaehler
What is most surprising about Quinn Kaehler is that he did not play in one of the team's 12 season games in 2013, yet he still managed to produce impressive numbers. Out of the 11 games he did play in, he was only unable to throw a touchdown in two of those games. In Kaehler’s defense, one of those two games was against Florida State. He concluded his 2013 season with a 60.1 completion percentage, 2,796 passing yards, and 17 touchdowns. Overall, his high level of play was a solid foundation for the Aztecs to ride into their bowl game against Buffalo.
1. Brenden Oliver Will Run Defenders Over
Intimidating is the first thing that comes to mind when you see a picture of Brenden Oliver. He is 5-foot-8, 208 pounds of pure muscle and strength. After finishing off his second career 1,000 yard rushing season, Oliver will look to make his final college game one to remember. Because of his build, defenders have had a terrible time trying to tackle him once he gets moving. Oliver is a power house that loves to pound the rock multiple times a game. We could very well see him in the NFL one day, especially if his final collegiate game goes like his regular season did.
