Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

You want taters, you got taters!

Yeah, that's a guy eating a raw potato, he's got BowlQuest fever, baby!

It's the annual game from the blue turf in Boise...

And when the MAC and MWC get together, expect your afternoon to be mashed, baked, boiled and fried.

Akron vs. Utah State

Not the "sexiest" match up on the schedule - the Zips are back in a bowl for the first time in 10 years while the Aggies have been participants in this game often.  This was the final game for USU quarterback Chuckie Keeton who's been playing college football since the late 90's (he's been hurt a lot).

I'll admit, I wasn't too enthused for this game and to say I watched the first half would mean the TV was on, the game was on the TV and I was in the room.

From what I remember, the Akron defense, 3rd best against the rush in the country statistically, play pretty well and held Utah State to one score in the first half.

Things got interesting late with the Aggies making it 23-21 and appearing to have recovered an onside kick but the officials ruled the ball to Akron.  Zips hang on for the win, their first ever in a bowl game.

My pick:  Utah State (4-3)  These games are proving tough to pick, and I had this one midway in my confidence points.

Game notes:

-This was the Zips first ever bowl win.  It was only their second bowl game, losing to Memphis in the 2005 Motor City Bowl.

-Akron is coached by former Auburn head coach Terry Bowden.  Terry's dad, coaching legend Bobby Bowden, was on hand to cheer on his son's team and the ESPN cameras were locked on him much of the second half.  He and Mrs. Bowden were drinking Diet Coke, that's how many times they showed him - you started noticing things.

-Was Potato Bowl mascot Spuddy Buddy there?  Hell yes he was.

 All bowl games need a mascot.

-What did I eat?  Well, Tuesday was "Man Day" for me and my two sons.  That would be our annual holiday day out where we have lunch, do shopping, wander around, then go home.  This was also the first "Man Day" where one of the sons was over 21 so we had a beer theme to lunch, at Taft's Ale House.

 Highly recommended.  Great beer, we each had a tasting flight and then the Big Billy sandwich (Big Billy would be William Howard Taft) - tri-tip, onions, au jus, delicious.  And boy no. 2 had the tater tots, in honor of the Potato Bowl.

-Bowl swag; a tent!  Gift suite; Coleman two-person tent; beanie; Oakley backpack; Big Game football

A second game Tuesday night, the Boca Raton Bowl.