| Game Name: | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl |
| Game Link: | Famous Idaho Potato Bowl |
| Subheader: | 21st Famous Idaho Potato Bowl |
| Date Game Played: | December 22 |
| Year Game Played: | 2017 |
| Football Season: | 2017 |
| Stadium: | Albertsons Stadium |
| City: | Boise, Idaho |
| Visitor School: | Central Michigan University |
| Visitor Name Short: | Central Michigan |
| Visitor Nickname: | Chippewas |
| Visitor Record: | 8–4 |
| Visitor Conference: | MAC |
| Visitor Coach: | John Bonamego |
| Visitor 1Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 2Q: | 0 |
| Visitor 3Q: | 7 |
| Visitor 4Q: | 0 |
| Home School: | University of Wyoming |
| Home Name Short: | Wyoming |
| Home Nickname: | Cowboys |
| Home Record: | 7–5 |
| Home Conference: | Mountain West |
| Home Coach: | Craig Bohl |
| Home 1Q: | 21 |
| Home 2Q: | 6 |
| Home 3Q: | 3 |
| Home 4Q: | 7 |
| Odds: | Wyoming by 3 |
| Mvp: | Josh Allen |
| Referee: | Steve LaMantia (C-USA) |
| Attendance: | 16,512 |
| Payout: | 1,050,000[1] |
| Us Network: | ESPN |
| Us Announcers: | Roy Philpott, Tom Ramsey, and Alex Corddry |
The 2017 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl was a college football bowl game played on Friday, December 22, 2017, at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. The 21st annual Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, it was one of the 2017–18 bowl games concluding the 2017 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission.[2]
The game featured the Wyoming Cowboys (7–5) of the Mountain West Conference and the Central Michigan Chippewas (8–4) of the Mid-American Conference. The teams had played twice before; in 2000 (Wyoming won, 20–10), and in 2002 (Central Michigan won, 32–20).[3]
With a temperature of at kickoff, the game started at and was broadcast by ESPN. The Cowboys led by twenty points at the half and defeated the Chippewas,
See main article: 2017 Central Michigan Chippewas football team. Central Michigan finished their regular season with an 8–4 record overall (6–2 in conference). This was their first Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
See main article: 2017 Wyoming Cowboys football team. Wyoming finished their regular season with a 7–5 record overall (5–3 in conference). This was their first Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
| Statistics | CMU | WYO |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 18 | 15 |
| Total offense, yards | 364 | 275 |
| Rushes-yards (net) | 27–18 | 42–121 |
| Passing yards (net) | 346 | 154 |
| Passes, Comp-Att-Int | 26–43–4 | 11–19–0 |
| Time of Possession | 29:14 | 30:46 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan | Passing | 23/39, 329 yds, 1 TD, 4 INT | |
| Rushing | 12 car, 29 yds, 1 TD | ||
| Receiving | Jonathan Ward | 7 rec, 109 yds, 1 TD | |
| Wyoming | Passing | 11/19, 154 yds, 3 TDs | |
| Rushing | Kellen Overstreet | 21 car, 85 yds | |
| Receiving | C.J. Johnson | 3 rec, 63 yds, 1 TD |