Georgia State vs. Utah State 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Odds, Preview & Pick

By Hank Blaine • December 19, 2023

There are a whopping seven bowl games on Saturday this week but only one played on blue turf: The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl from the campus of Boise State as Georgia State of the Sun Belt Conference faces Utah State of the Mountain West. Both teams have been hit hard by injury/the transfer portal.

The Aggies and Panthers have never met on the gridiron. Utah State is 9-12 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt.

Georgia State Panthers vs. Utah State Aggies 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Game Information

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— FamousID Potato Bowl (@IDPotatoBowl) December 18, 2023

When: Saturday, December 23rd, 2023, 3:30 PM ET
Where: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
TV: ESPN
Radio: WMLB AM 1690 (Georgia State) // KZNS 1280 AM (Utah State)
Live Stream: ESPN+
College Football Odds: Georgia State (+3) // Utah State Aggies (-3)

Why Bet on the Georgia State Panthers?

Georgia State (6-6) , which ended the regular season on a five-game losing streak, is making its first postseason appearance in this game. The Panthers are 3-2 all-time in bowl games after they began playing in the FBS in 2010. They have won their last two bowl games, the 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl vs. Ball State and the 2020 LendingTree Bowl vs. WKU.

QB Darren Grainger, the MVP of the 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl, will be under center for his second bowl game. Grainger is Georgia State’s career leader in total offense, touchdown passes and touchdown responsibility while ranking second in passing yards and fourth in rushing yards. This season, Grainger has passed for 2,364 yards and 17 touchdowns while rushing for 625 yards and eight scores.

In his first season at GSU, cornerback Gavin Pringle earned All-Sun Belt honors. He leads the team and is tied for the Sun Belt lead with four interceptions.

But GSU enters the bowl game without its leading rusher (Marcus Carroll, 1,350 yards, 13 TD; portal), receiver (Robert Lewis, 70 receptions, 877 yards, 7 TD; portal) and tackler (Jontrey Hunter, 96 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 FF; opt out) as well as starting offensive linemen Travis Glover (opt out), Montavious Cunningham (portal) and Avery Reece (injury).

Freddie Brock steps in at running back. Although he had just six carries for 31 yards this season, the transfer rushed for 1,145 yards in three seasons (25 games) at Maine, including an all-conference season in 2021. On the offensive line, senior Ben Chukwuma will make just his second start at left tackle. Redshirt freshman center Alec Johnson will make his first start, and sophomore transfer Lamar Robinson steps in at guard.

Why Bet on the Utah State Aggies?

Utah State (6-6) is making its fifth appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, most by any school all-time. The Aggies lost the inaugural edition to Cincinnati (35-19) in 1997. Other trips include 2011 (lost 24-23 vs. Ohio), 2012 (won 41-15 vs. Toledo) and 2015 (lost 23-21 vs. Akron). The Aggies are 6-10 all-time in bowl games and playing in the postseason for the third-straight season. Last year, they lost 38-10 to Memphis in the First Responder Bowl.

Cooper Legas was Utah State’s primary QB this season but apparently will not play in the game. Legas missed the last game of the regular season due a shoulder injury and after not being listed on the team’s initial depth chart, is likely to miss out on the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Levi Williams is listed as the starter. Williams started the finale against New Mexico and had 351 scrimmage yards (198 passing and 153 rushing) and five touchdowns (two passing and three rushing).

Williams is 2-0 as a starter in bowl games (at Wyoming) and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl as he rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns, while passing for 127 yards and another score in a 52-38 win against Kent State. Williams also led UW to a 38-17 win against Georgia State in the 2019 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.

Utah State and LSU are the only FBS teams that have two players with 10 or more touchdown catches on the season as junior WR Jalen Royals is tied for second in the nation with 14 and senior WR Terrell Vaughn is tied for 14th with 10. For the year, the duo has caught 149 passes for 1,870 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Graduate senior ILB MJ Tafisi Jr. ranks eighth in the nation with 131 tackles (10.9 pg). Tafisi has posted eight-straight double-digit tackle games, which ties the school record, and has nine this season, which is tied for the third-most in the country.

WR Micah Davis is out following foot surgery. Davis finished 2023 with 36 receptions for 628 yards and six touchdowns across his 11 games. Tight end Broc Lane, cornerback Avante Dickerson and linebacker Anthony Switzer are both out.

Georgia State vs. Utah State Betting Trends

Georgia State is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games.
Panthers are 0-5 SU in their last 5 games.
The total went under in 6 of Georgia State’s last 9 games.
Georgia State is 2-11 ATS in their last 13 games against an opponent in the Sun Belt conference.
Aggies are 10-5 SU in their last 15 games played on a Saturday.
The total went over in 8 of Utah State’s last 11 games.

Georgia State vs. Utah State 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Expert Betting Predictions

Utah State takes the win on Saturday night.

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