The game matched the Western Michigan Broncos , from the Mid-American Conference , and the BYU Cougars , an independent team. The programs previously had met five times, most recently in 1970, with BYU holding a 3–2 edge.[ 4]
Western Michigan Broncos
edit
Western Michigan received and accepted a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 2.[ 5] The Broncos entered the bowl with a 7–5 record (5–3 in conference). This was Western Michigan's second appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, having lost to Air Force in the 2014 edition .
BYU received and accepted a bid to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on December 2.[ 5] The independent Cougars entered the bowl with a 6–6 record. BYU became the first independent team to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Zach Wilson won Potato bowl MVP after a stellar performance completing all 18 of his passes for 317 yards and 4 touchdowns.[ 6]
Scoring summary
Quarter
Time
Drive
Team
Scoring information
Score
Plays
Yards
TOP
WMU
BYU
1
2:20
2
27
0:41
BYU
Dylan Collie 26-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson , Skyler Southam kick good
0
7
2
3:07
4
40
1:53
WMU
Jamauri Bogan 33-yard touchdown run, Gavin Peddie kick good
7
7
2
0:24
11
51
1:14
WMU
37-yard field goal by Gavin Peddie
10
7
3
13:14
3
69
1:46
BYU
Dylan Collie 8-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good
10
14
3
7:29
4
74
1:27
BYU
Riley Burt 37-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good
10
21
3
5:04
2
63
0:45
BYU
Aleva Hifo 70-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good
10
28
3
2:47
3
32
1:19
BYU
Dayan Ghanwoloku 1-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good
10
35
4
11:38
4
54
1:47
BYU
Dax Milne 5-yard touchdown reception from Zach Wilson, Skyler Southam kick good
10
42
4
7:37
9
75
4:01
WMU
Kaleb Eleby 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good (Kaleb Eleby to Jayden Reed)
18
42
4
4:07
7
75
3:30
BYU
Brayden El-Bakri 1-yard touchdown run, Skyler Southam kick good
18
49
"TOP" = time of possession . For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football .
18
49
1
2
3
4
Total
Broncos
0
10
0
8
18
Cougars
7
0
28
14
49
Statistics
WMU
BYU
First downs
16
22
Plays–yards
76–313
52–490
Rushes–yards
39–138
33–132
Passing yards
175
358
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
20–37–1
19–19–0
Time of possession
35:21
24:39
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Western Michigan
Passing
Kaleb Eleby
20/36, 175 yds, 1 INT
Rushing
Jamauri Bogan
13 car, 62 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
D'Wayne Eskridge
2 rec, 61 yds
BYU
Passing
Zach Wilson
18/18, 317 yds, 4 TD
Rushing
Riley Burt
13 car, 110 yds, 1 TD
Receiving
Dylan Collie
6 rec, 124 yds, 2 TD
^ Fawkes, Ben (December 10, 2018). "Odds for every 2018-19 CFB bowl game" . ESPN.com . Retrieved December 18, 2018 .
^ "2018 Bowl Schedule" . CFP.com . Retrieved December 3, 2018 .
^ "2018-19 College Football Playoff and bowl schedule" . ESPN . May 2, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018 .
^ "Western Michigan Broncos vs. BYU Cougars football series history game list" . winsipedia.com . Retrieved December 16, 2018 .
^ a b "BYU, Western Michigan to Meet in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" . famousidahopotatobowl.com (Press release). December 2, 2018.
^ https://www.sltrib.com/sports/byu-cougars/2018/12/21/live-byu-takes-western/ Salt Lake Tribune. Taken March 18, 2020