Western Michigan vs. BYU: Potato Bowl preview and predictions
Western Michigan (7-5) vs. BYU (6-6)
Location: Boise, Idaho | When: Dec. 21 (4 p.m. ET) | TV: ESPN | Line: BYU -12
HOW THESE TEAMS GOT HERE
Western Michigan: It was a sandwich of a season for the Broncos. WMU started 0-2 with losses to Syracuse and Michigan. Then six straight wins got the team bowl-eligible before three straight losses dropped WMU to 6-5. The Broncos salvaged the above .500 season with a 28-21 win over eventual MAC champs Northern Illinois in the final game of the regular season.
BYU: The high point of the season came in a September upset of Wisconsin. The win pushed BYU to 2-1 and put the Cougars in the AP Top 25. That run lasted two weeks and BYU fell out after a 35-7 loss to Washington. The Cougars never were ranked again as the offense sputtered in the second half. BYU’s 25.4 points per game ranks 94th in the country.
WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH
Blue turf. The spread on this game is one of the largest of bowl season. Maybe Western Michigan will keep it competitive long enough for you to stay interested before you head off to your Christmas party.
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PLAYERS TO WATCH
LeVante Bellamy, RB, Western Michigan: Bellamy averages over six yards a carry in a timeshare with Jamauri Bogan. Bellamy has 190 carries for 1,172 yards and six touchdowns and has also added 24 receptions. Bogan, meanwhile, has vultured his touchdown opportunities by scoring 15 times on just 156 carries. If Bellamy hits paydirt on Friday, he probably did it from 15 yards out or more.
Sione Takitaki, LB, BYU: With BYU’s offensive struggles, it’s appropriate to go with a defensive player. Takitaki has 100 total tackles and has nine tackles for loss. He’s combined with Corbin Kaufusi to serve as a strong 1-2 defensive punch but Kaufusi is one of the many BYU players out for the season because of an injury. Takitaki recorded 11 or more tackles in four of BYU’s final five games of the regular season. You’re going to hear his name a lot.
WHAT’S ON THE LINE
WMU: The Broncos are going for a first bowl win since a victory in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl and a second bowl win in program history.
BYU: This is BYU’s first trip to Boise for the Potato Bowl. A win would mean the team’s 13th season above .500 in the last 14. The Cougars were just 4-9 last year, so going 7-6 with a bowl win would be a decent turnaround.
PREDICTIONS
Nick Bromberg: WMU 27, BYU 26
Sam Cooper: BYU 30, WMU 24
Pat Forde: BYU 26, WMU 20
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
Follow @NickBromberg on Twitter
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