2024 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

2024 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
28th Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
1234OT2OT Total
Northern Illinois 3010078 28
Fresno State 1300070 20
DateDecember 23, 2024
Season2024
StadiumAlbertsons Stadium
LocationBoise, Idaho
MVPJosh Holst (QB, Northern Illinois)[1]
FavoriteNorthern Illinois by 2
RefereeMarshall Lewis (Sun Belt)[2]
Attendance10,359
United States TV coverage
NetworkESPN
AnnouncersLowell Galindo (play-by-play), Fozzy Whittaker (analyst), and Tori Petry (analyst)
International TV coverage
NetworkESPN Brazil
AnnouncersESPN Brazil: Ari Aguiar (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst)
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
 < 2023  2025

The 2024 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 23, 2024, at Albertsons Stadium located in Boise, Idaho. The 28th annual Famous Idaho Potato Bowl game featured Northern Illinois and Fresno State. The game began at approximately 12:30 p.m. MST and aired on ESPN.[3][4] The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was one of the 2024–25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season. The title sponsor of the game was the Idaho Potato Commission.

Teams

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game featured Northern Illinois from the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and Fresno State from the Mountain West Conference. This was the second meeting of these teams in a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; the teams met in the 2010 Humanitarian Bowl when the bowl was known by that name—Northern Illinois won, 40–17.[5]

Northern Illinois Huskies

Northern Illinois ended their regular season with a 7–5 record (4–4 in conference) after winning three of their final four games. The Huskies faced one ranked team during the season, defeating Notre Dame, 16–14, on September 7.

Fresno State Bulldogs

Fresno State posted a 6–6 record (4–3 in conference), losing three of their final four games. The Bulldogs faced two ranked teams in FBS, losing to Michigan, 30–10, on August 31, and losing to UNLV, 59-14, on September 28. The 2024 Michigan Football Team was no longer ranked by the end of the season but did beat The Ohio State at the shoe 13-10, on November 30. The Bulldogs were led by Tim Skipper, who was named interim head coach in mid-July following the departure of Jeff Tedford due to health concerns.[6] Fresno State entered the matchup having won their five most recent bowl game appearances.

Game summary

2024 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Quarter 1 2 34OT2OTTotal
Northern Illinois 3 0 1007828
Fresno State 13 0 007020

at Albertsons StadiumBoise, Idaho

  • Date: Monday, December 23, 2024
  • Game time: 12:34 p.m. MST
  • Game weather: Cloudy • Temperature: 44 °F (7 °C) • Wind: 5 mph (8.0 km/h) northwest
  • Game attendance: 10,359
  • Referee: Marshall Lewis
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Lowell Galindo (play-by-play), Fozzy Whittaker (analyst), and Tori Petry (analyst)
  • Box score
Game information
First Quarter
  • (11:29) FRES – Bryson Donelson 1 yard run, two-point pass conversion failed (Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 0:58; Fresno State 6–0)
  • (2:45) NIU – Fresno State 26 yard field goal (Drive: 16 plays, 63 yards, 8:44; Fresno State 6–3)
  • (1:08) FRES – Joshua Wood 13 yard run, Dylan Lynch kick (Drive: 4 plays, 90 yards, 1:37; Fresno State 13–3)
Second Quarter
  • No scoring.
Third Quarter
  • (11:22) NIU – Grayson Barnes 26 yard pass from Josh Holst, Kanon Woodill kick (Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 3:38; Fresno State 13–10)
  • (7:39) NIU – Kanon Woodill 34 yard field goal (Drive: 5 plays, 34 yards, 2:11; Tied 13–13)
Fourth Quarter
  • No scoring.
Overtime
  • FRES – Bryson Donelson 9 yard pass from Joshua Wood, Dylan Lynch kick (Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards; Fresno State 20–13)
  • NIU – Grayson Barnes 3 yard pass from Josh Holst, Kanon Woodill kick (Drive: 5 plays, 25 yards; Tied 20–20)
Second Overtime
  • NIU – Dane Pardridge 25 yard pass from George Dimopoulos, George Dimopoulos two-point pass conversion from Josh Holst (Drive: 1 plays, 25 yards; Northern Illinois 28–20)

Statistics

Statistics NIU FSU
First downs 24 17
Plays–yards 79–368 56–328
Rushes–yards 48–161 27–117
Passing yards 207 211
Passing: compattint 19–31–1 19–29–1
Time of possession 39:14 20:46
Team Category Player Statistics
Northern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 18/30, 182 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing Josh Holst 16 carries, 65 yards
Receiving Dane Pardridge 3 receptions, 59 yards, TD
Fresno State Passing Joshua Wood 16/23, 180 yards, TD
Rushing Bryson Donelson 15 carries, 82 yards
Receiving Mac Dalena 6 receptions, 118 yards

References

  1. ^ @SSN_NIU (December 23, 2024). "NIU QB Josh Holst is the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl MVP" (Tweet). Retrieved December 23, 2024 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Austro, Ben (December 9, 2024). "2024-25 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  3. ^ Cobb, David. "2024-25 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels". CBS Sports. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  4. ^ Kelley, Kevin. "College football bowl schedule for 2024-25 season released". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Winsipedia - Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Fresno State Bulldogs football series history games list". Winsipedia. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
  6. ^ "Tedford steps down as head coach, Skipper to serve as interim". Fresno State Bulldogs Athletics. July 15, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.