Bowl season is upon us and WSU will be playing Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. This game has some ties beyond the football field. WSU President Elizabeth Cantwell was at Utah State prior to WSU.
Both teams come in at 6-6. While WSU comes in seeming to be the more prominent football program, its team has been gutted during the last week and a half. Jimmy Rogers’ departure for Iowa State, combined with several starting players entering the transfer portal, could make this game closer than anticipated. It is currently unknown which transfer portal players are going to play in the bowl game.
All the players who have entered thus far:
Dec 15; LB Keith Brown
Dec 15; TE Jesiah Cornwell
Dec. 15; WR Tony Freeman
Dec. 15; DT Mike Sandjo
Dec. 11; QB Dalton Anderson
Dec 11; WR Carter Pabst
Dec 11; WR Cameron Weir
Dec 8; LB Jovan Clark
Dec. 8; LB Anthony Palano
Dec. 4; CB Kenny Worthy
Dec. 4; QB Jaxon Potter
Dec. 4; WR Devin Ellison
The Aggies have lost five of their last eight games, finishing No. 7 in the Mountain West Conference, while WSU finished first in the Pac-12. Quarterback Bryson Barnes is the Aggies offense, he leads the team in passing with 2,687 yards and rushing yards with 733. Wide receiver Braden Pegan will be a problem for the Cougar defense, the junior averages 15 yards per reception. Against good defenses he seems to drop off. Against Vanderbilt and Texas A&M he had nine catches for 89 yards combined. However, the Cougs do not have a SEC-caliber defense.
On the flip side, WSU has the chance to enter the new Pac-12 coming off a bowl win. Senior standouts Zevi Eckhaus and Josh Meredith will be looking to have an explosive showing on offense, especially with no Rogers to call senseless run plays. The Eckhaus era began last season during the Holiday Bowl against Syracuse, where he had 363 passing yards and three touchdowns.
“Unfortunately, there’s been certain things that have been thrown at us that you really couldn’t predict,” Eckhaus said. “But every single time, this community, this organization, the people have found a way to stick together. That’s what makes Cougar Nation so special.”
This game means a lot for Cougar athletics. Winning a bowl game and starting off the Kirby Moore era with a win (even though he will not be coaching) is a good sign. When you do not have a bunch of NIL money, it is your image, wins and coach that will draw players out of the portal. WSU has two out of the three. The Cougs are just missing the wins and they have a chance to show alumni, fans and transfer portal players that WSU is ready to take over the new Pac-12.
WSU vs. Utah State will be at 11 a.m. on Dec. 22 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise.
