PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Total >> PERFECT 3-0 in the Bowls This Week!
(NCAAF) Idaho vs. Colorado State,
Total: 64.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
Total: 64.50 | -110.00 Under
Result: Win
The set-up: The 8-4 Idaho Vandals have been largely non-competitive in 21 seasons at the FBS level, so the program is dropping down to FCS status, beginning with the 2018 season. However, Idaho will conclude its next-to-last season as part of college football's top level by playing in a bowl game for only the third time in school-history, when it meets 7-5 Colorado State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Boise, Idaho. The Rams are playing in a bowl for the fourth consecutive season, the second-longest streak in school history behind a string of five in a row under Sonny Lubick from 1999-2003.
Idaho: The Vandals made the decision to drop down a level after being dismissed from the Sun Belt Conference (effective after next season), as the school figured it might enjoy more success and lose less money as an FCS school. Expectations were even lower than normal at the outset of this season and after losing back-to-back September games to Washington and Washington State by a combined 115-20, it hardly looked as if Idaho was headed for its first winning season since 2009 or second in the past 17 seasons. However, head coach Paul Petrino kept the squad from crumbling and Idaho finished the regular season by winning four straight and six of its last seven. Junior QB Matt Linehan has passed for 2,803 yards and 15 TDs with 10 INTs with senior TEs Trent Cowan (46 receptions, 532 yards, six TDs) and Deon Watson (36, 555, two TDs) being his top targets. RBs Aaron Duckworth (615 yards, four TDs) and Isaiah Saunders (584 yards, six TDs) share the rushing workload for a team averaging a modest 141.3 YPG (103rd). The defense was ravaged early on by Washington and Wash. St but held three of its last four opponents to 14 points or less.
Colorado State: The rams didn't look like they were headed for a bowl at 3-4 but they won four of their last five, averaging an astonishing 47.4 PPG on 520.6 YPG over those final five games. The four victories during that closing stretch came by an average of 26.5 points! Redshirt Junior QB Nick Stevens took over when true freshman QB Collin Hill was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Stevens passed for 14 TD passes against just ONE interception over his final six games, while standout junior WR Michael Gallup finished with 70 catches for 1,164 yards with 11 TD receptions, the second-most in school history. The Rams own an excellent running game, averaging 223.2 YPG (30th), led by a trio of RBs all of whom ran for more than 500 yards. Dawkins leads with 801 yards, while Matthews (705 yards) ran for a team-high 12 scores.
The pick: It wouldn't be a stretch to say the Vandals are probably the most unlikely participant of the 80 bowl teams this season, so saying the Vandals are reveling in the bowl berth would be quite the understatement. The Idaho defense played well down the stretch but remembering the Vandals being unable to stop Washington and Washington State should give one pause that Idaho's defense can slow a surging Colorado St. team (remember, the Rams enter having averaged 47.4 PPG on 520.6 YPG over their last five games). Meanwhile, Idaho averaged 36.1 PPG over its final seven games and CSU's defense is hardly anything special (allows 27.8 PPG). The Over is a 10* play.
Idaho: The Vandals made the decision to drop down a level after being dismissed from the Sun Belt Conference (effective after next season), as the school figured it might enjoy more success and lose less money as an FCS school. Expectations were even lower than normal at the outset of this season and after losing back-to-back September games to Washington and Washington State by a combined 115-20, it hardly looked as if Idaho was headed for its first winning season since 2009 or second in the past 17 seasons. However, head coach Paul Petrino kept the squad from crumbling and Idaho finished the regular season by winning four straight and six of its last seven. Junior QB Matt Linehan has passed for 2,803 yards and 15 TDs with 10 INTs with senior TEs Trent Cowan (46 receptions, 532 yards, six TDs) and Deon Watson (36, 555, two TDs) being his top targets. RBs Aaron Duckworth (615 yards, four TDs) and Isaiah Saunders (584 yards, six TDs) share the rushing workload for a team averaging a modest 141.3 YPG (103rd). The defense was ravaged early on by Washington and Wash. St but held three of its last four opponents to 14 points or less.
Colorado State: The rams didn't look like they were headed for a bowl at 3-4 but they won four of their last five, averaging an astonishing 47.4 PPG on 520.6 YPG over those final five games. The four victories during that closing stretch came by an average of 26.5 points! Redshirt Junior QB Nick Stevens took over when true freshman QB Collin Hill was lost for the season with a torn ACL. Stevens passed for 14 TD passes against just ONE interception over his final six games, while standout junior WR Michael Gallup finished with 70 catches for 1,164 yards with 11 TD receptions, the second-most in school history. The Rams own an excellent running game, averaging 223.2 YPG (30th), led by a trio of RBs all of whom ran for more than 500 yards. Dawkins leads with 801 yards, while Matthews (705 yards) ran for a team-high 12 scores.
The pick: It wouldn't be a stretch to say the Vandals are probably the most unlikely participant of the 80 bowl teams this season, so saying the Vandals are reveling in the bowl berth would be quite the understatement. The Idaho defense played well down the stretch but remembering the Vandals being unable to stop Washington and Washington State should give one pause that Idaho's defense can slow a surging Colorado St. team (remember, the Rams enter having averaged 47.4 PPG on 520.6 YPG over their last five games). Meanwhile, Idaho averaged 36.1 PPG over its final seven games and CSU's defense is hardly anything special (allows 27.8 PPG). The Over is a 10* play.
