The Western Michigan Broncos return to bowl season action for the first time since 2011, regaining bowl eligibility with an 8-4 record this season after compiling a dismal 5-19 SU record over their last two campaigns. The Broncos have been pegged as underdogs in their last five postseason games, going 2-3 ATS.
The Air Force Falcons achieved bowl eligibility this season for the seventh time in the eight years since joining the Mountain West Conference. The Falcons are just 2-5 SU in their last seven bowl games, but are a solid 3-1 ATS in their last four.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at Sportsbook and Sportsbook today.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Saturday, December 20 @ 5:45pm ET
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Team: Western Michigan Broncos
Conference: MAC
Records: 8-4 SU, 10-2 ATS, 7-5 OU
Team: Air Force Falcons
Conference: MWC
Records: 9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS, 4-8 OU
Sportsbook Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Western Michigan -1 / 56.5 Points
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Betting Trends: MAC schools have been crushed in the last two Potato Bowls . . . The Broncos are winless in five post-season games since 1999 . . . Western Michigan finished their season on a 10-1 ATS run.
After going 1-11 SU in 2013, 4-8 ATS, Western Michigan vastly improved to 8-4 SU this season, while going 10-2 ATS including four outright wins as underdogs. However, the Broncos have never recorded a postseason win, with outright losses in five bowl game appearances and two Mid-American Conference championship games. The point total has finished OVER in five of seven this season when the Broncos have been pegged as underdogs.
The 9-3 Falcons have struggled at times this season to reward bettors, going 1-3 ATS in their first four games as favorites before rebounding down the stretch to finish 3-1 ATS in their last four, including a 27-24 win over Colorado State as 7.5-point underdogs in their regular season finale. After averaging over 37.5 points per game during a mid-season four-game SU win streak, the Falcons have produced just 20.5 points per game in their last two. The point total has also finished UNDER in each of the last five games in which Air Force has been the underdog.
| Year | Bowl | Team | Score | Team | Score | Spread | ATS Sportsbook | SU Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Humanitarian Bowl | Cincinnati | 35 | Utah State | 19 | +1.5 | CINCIN | CINCIN |
| 1998 | Humanitarian Bowl | Southern Miss | 35 | Idaho | 42 | +16.5 | IDAHO | IDAHO |
| 1999 | Humanitarian Bowl | Louisville | 31 | Boise State | 34 | +4.5 | BOISE | BOISE |
| 2000 | Humanitarian Bowl | Texas El Paso | 23 | Boise State | 38 | -7 | BOISE | BOISE |
| 2001 | Humanitarian Bowl | Clemson | 49 | Louisiana Tech | 24 | +6.5 | CLEM | CLEM |
| 2002 | Humanitarian Bowl | Iowa State | 16 | Boise State | 34 | -12 | BOISE | BOISE |
| 2003 | Humanitarian Bowl | Georgia Tech | 52 | Tulsa | 10 | +7 | GATECH | GATECH |
| 2004 | MPC Computers Bowl | Fresno State | 37 | Virginia | 34 | -6 | FRESNO | FRESNO |
| 2005 | MPC Computers Bowl | Boston College | 27 | Boise State | 21 | +3 | BOST.C | BOST.C |
| 2006 | MPC Computers Bowl | Nevada | 20 | Miami | 21 | -4 | NEVADA | MIAMI |
| 2007 | Humanitarian Bowl | Fresno State | 40 | Georgia Tech | 28 | -5.5 | FRESNO | FRESNO |
| 2008 | Humanitarian Bowl | Nevada | 35 | Maryland | 42 | +2.5 | MARYL | MARYL |
| 2009 | Humanitarian Bowl | Bowling Green | 42 | Idaho | 43 | -1 | PUSH | IDAHO |
| 2010 | Humanitarian Bowl | Northern Illinois | 40 | Fresno State | 17 | +1.5 | N.ILL | N.ILL |
| 2011 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Utah State | 23 | Ohio | 24 | -1 | PUSH | OHIO |
| 2012 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Utah State | 41 | Toledo | 15 | +10.5 | UT ST | UT ST |
| 2013 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | San Diego State | 49 | Buffalo | 24 | -1 | SD ST | SD ST |
| 2014 | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl | Western Michigan | 24 | Air Force | 38 | +2 | Air Force | Air Force |
------ ARCHIVED ARTICLES | BOWL GAME PREVIEWS FROM PREVIOUS YEARS ------
The Mid-American's Buffalo Bulls have opened as favorites against the Mountain West's San Diego State Aztecs as those schools prepare to meet in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Bronco Stadium on December 21.
Here's a breakdown of the matchup in Boise, including a look at the early betting odds for the contest.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at Sportsbook and Sportsbook today.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Saturday, December 21 @ 5:30pm ET
Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Team: San Diego State Aztecs
Conference: Mountain West
Records: 7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS, 6-6 OU
Team: Buffalo Bulls
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 8-4 SU, 8-4 ATS, 4-9 OU
Sportsbook Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Buffalo -4.5 / 53 Points
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Betting Trends: Both prior Potato Bowls played UNDER the total . . . San Diego State is 1-2-1 ATS in bowl games since 1998 . . . Both prior Buffalo bowl games played OVER the total (2008 and 2009).
San Diego State is making its fourth straight trip to a bowl game under coach Rocky Long. The up-and-down Aztecs finished the season with a blowout loss at UNLV, ending a four-game win streak that included back-to-back overtime wins against Hawaii and Boise State. San Diego State heads to Boise as the underdog to an emotionally charged Buffalo team heading to only the third bowl game in program history.
The Bulls also dropped their regular-season finale, falling at home to Bowling Green 24-7. They earned a bowl berth with a seven-game win streak during the middle of the season that was highlighted by a 41-12 blowout of Connecticut.
Both teams were blown out by Ohio State. Buffalo put a scare in the Buckeyes before fading in Columbus, Ohio, in a 40-20 season-Sportsbook loss. The following week, San Diego State was drubbed 42-7 by the Buckeyes.
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One of the top wagers in all of college football will hit the gridiron at Bronco Stadium in Boise on December 15 as the Utah State Aggies and their 10-1-1 ATS record take on the Toledo Rockets in the Idaho Potato Bowl.
For updated lines and totals on all of this year's bowl games head over to the college football betting boards at Sportsbook, Sportsbook, and Sportsbook today.
Idaho Potato Bowl
Saturday, December 15 @ 4:30pm ET
Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Team: Toledo Rockets
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 9-3 SU, 7-5 ATS, 3-8 OU
Team: Utah State Aggies
Conference: Western Athletics
Records: 10-2 SU, 10-1-1 ATS, 3-8 OU
Sportsbook Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Utah State -9 / 57 Points
Idaho Potato Bowl Betting Trends: Toledo is 3-1 ATS in past four bowl games . . . Utah State is 1-5 SU in bowls since 1946.
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The Ohio Bobcats are 0-5 SU in their bowl game history and will try to snap that streak in the Idaho Potato Bowl against the Utah State Aggies.
For more on this Dec 17 bowl game and the best NCAA football prop bets and a whopping new bonus, check out Sportsbook today.
Idaho Potato Bowl
Saturday, December 17 @ 5:30pm ET
Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Team: Utah State Aggies
Conference: Western Athletic
Records: 7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS, 7-4-1 OU
Team: Ohio Bobcats
Conference: Mid-American
Records: 9-4 SU, 6-7 ATS, 7-6 OU
Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Utah State -2.5 / 57.5 Points
The Ohio Bobcats and Utah State Aggies are each heading to the sixth bowl game in their school’s history in the Idaho Potato Bowl on Boise State’s blue field on December 17. Ohio is 0-5 SU all time in bowl games while Utah State is 1-4 SU all time.
Ohio has been bowling each of the last two years (0-2 SU and ATS) while Utah State is bowling for the first time since 1997. Utah State won its final five games of the season to earn bowl eligibility after starting the year off 2-5 SU.
Utah State finished sixth in the nation in rushing (277.5 rushing yards per game) with a ground attack led by Robert Turbin. Turbin rushed for 1,416 yards and 19 touchdowns on 229 carries this season.
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Northern Illinois is trying to turn the tide of three straight bowl game losses and deal with the announcement that coach Jerry Kill is leaving the program. College football betting will ramp up with a fragile Huskies team listed as a small favorite on NCAAF odds when they meet Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl.
Humanitarian Bowl
Saturday, December 18 @ 5:30pm ET
Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Team: Northern Illinois Huskies
Conference: Mid-American Conference
Records: 10-3 SU, 9-2-1 ATS, 7-5 OU
Team: Fresno State Bulldogs
Conference: Western Athletic Conference
Records: 8-4 SU, 5-6 ATS, 6-5 OU
Spread / Total (from Sportsbook)
Northern Illinois -1.5 / 59 Points
Northern Illinois went undefeated through October and November, but sputtered down the end and lost 26-21 in the dying seconds to Miami (Ohio) in the MAC title game. They need to get back to what they do best – and that is a solid run defense.
The Huskies expected big things from themselves this season, and can earn a school-record-setting 11th win if they can live up to the Humanitarian Bowl odds. Northern Illinois has been great against the spread this season, and is a solid 7-1-1 ATS when pegged as the favorite.
Northern Illinois will give senior Mid-American MVP running back Chad Spann a lot of carries in this game, despite his lack of production in the MAC title game. The Huskies' senior contingent will be heavily relied upon to help them overcome a tough situation heading into their most important game of the season.
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Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn completed an astonishing 62 percent of his passes this season, while finding the end zone on 21 occasions. This is the weapon the Bulldogs hope allows them to chew apart the dissolving Huskies.
The Bulldogs lost to three Top-25 teams, but did defeat Cincinnati and Illinois. In big games, defense wins – and the Bulldogs mauled opposing quarterbacks with 37 sacks this season. Both Chris Carter and Logan Harrell ranked among the Top 10 in the NCAA in sacks, and the team is sixth overall in the nation.
Fresno State has earned 17 wins against BCS teams and is undefeated in two appearances in the Humanitarian Bowl.
