Utah, BYU, USU In Bowl Games During Same Year For 5th Time Ever

Dec 13, 2018, 7:24 PM | Updated: 7:34 pm

A general view during a game between the University of Texas Longhorns and Washington State Cougars in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl game on December 30, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Washington State defeated Texas 28-20. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

BY TREVOR ALLEN, KSL SPORTS

KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah, BYU and Utah State all enter the bowl season with disappointing losses. The Utes lost in the Pac-12 Championship to Washington, the Cougars lost to Utah in the regular season finale, and the Aggies lost to Boise State, missing their chance to host their first Mountain West championship.

Despite those losses, each team will have their chance to prove themselves one last time in 2018 at their respective bowl games. It’s only the fifth time that all three teams will play in a bowl game in the same season.

Utah will make their fifth straight bowl appearance and 22nd in school history when they play in the Holiday Bowl.

BYU is back in a bowl game after missing last season as they will participate in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. It’s the Cougar’s 36th bowl game.

Utah State will make their seventh bowl appearance in the last eight seasons – and 12th overall – when they play in the New Mexico Bowl.

Holiday Bowl

The Utes will face Northwestern in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at the SDCCU Stadium in San Diego, California – formerly known as Qualcomm Stadium.

This is Utah’s first time playing in the Holiday Bowl but head coach Kyle Whittingham was named MVP of the 1981 Holiday Bowl when he was playing at BYU.

Northwestern has never participated in the Holiday Bowl as well but will make their fourth straight bowl appearance as they finished with an 8-5 record and runner-up in the Big Ten Conference after losing to Ohio State in the conference championship game.

Utah won the Pac-12 south division but lost to Washington in the conference championship game to Washington to put their record to 9-4.

The Utes are 1-1 against Northwestern all-time with 1981 being their last meeting.

The Holiday Bowl has the fourth highest payout among the bowl games not affiliated with the College Football Playoff with $3,326,258. The Big Ten and Pac-12 how much to distribute to their members.

Their bowl gifts include a gift suite, fossil watch and New Era hat.

The game will be played on December 31 at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.

*7️⃣6️⃣☀️ @Utah_Football @utahathletics #GoUtes #HolidayBowl #SanDiego pic.twitter.com/jAJS4Rr1n2

— SDCCU Holiday Bowl (@HolidayBowl) December 13, 2018

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

BYU will battle Western Michigan in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Albertson’s Stadium in Boise Idaho.

The Cougars have never played in the Potato Bowl in their school history. They finished with a 6-6 record and have played in a bowl game in 13 of the last 14 seasons.

Western Michigan finished with a 7-5 record and will play in their ninth bowl game in school history. The Broncos are 1-7 in bowl games and will make their fifth bowl appearance in the last eight seasons. They played in the Potato Bowl once and lost to Air Force 38-24.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl MVP and team championship trophies on display at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl between the Utah State Aggies and the Akron Zips on December 22, 2015 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Akron won the game 23-21. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)

BYU is 3-2 against Western Michigan, with their last meeting taking place in 1970.

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl has the ninth lowest payout to their participants with $950,000 going to both schools for distribution.

Their bowl gifts include a gift suite, Oakley backpack, hydro flask and a beanie.

BYU and Western Michigan will play on Friday, December 21 at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN and KSL News Radio.

The 2018 #Potatobowl will feature @WMU_Football and @BYUfootball Congratulations to both teams! pic.twitter.com/r7j3EUXcil

— FamousID Potato Bowl (@IDPotatoBowl) December 2, 2018

New Mexico Bowl

Utah State will face North Texas in the New Mexico Bowl at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Utah State finished the season with a 10-2 record and second place in the Mountain division in the Mountain West Conference and will play in their seventh bowl game in the last eight seasons.

They have played in the New Mexico Bowl once in 2014 when they beat UTEP 21-6. The Aggies are 4-8 in bowl games in school history.

North Texas ended the regular season with a 9-3 record. This is the third straight season that the Mean Green have been bowl eligible and are 2-7 in bowl games in school history.

Their last win was in the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2013 against UNLV 36-14.

Utah State is 4-3 against North Texas all-time with their last meeting taking place in 2004. They were both apart of the Big West and Sun Belt Conferences together.

The New Mexico Bowl has a $1,050,000 payout that is distributed to the Mountain West and MAC conferences.

Their bowl gifts include a gift suite, Oakley Sunglasses, Oakley backpack, speaker, water bottle, beanie, pen and a trucker hat.

Utah State and North Texas will battle on Saturday, December 15 at 12 p.m. on ESPN.