Football | December 02, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich.- For the second time in school history, the Western Michigan football team has been invited to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Representing the Mid-American Conference, the Broncos will face FBS independent BYU Friday, Dec. 21 at 4 p.m. ET at Albertsons Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN.

"We are extremely excited to be invited and accept an invitation to play in the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl," WMU head coach Tim Lester said. "We know it is a first-class event and are gratified for the opportunity and to play on the famous blue turf."

This will be Western Michigan's fourth bowl game in the last five years and the Broncos' ninth bowl trip in school history. It is also WMU's second trip to Boise in the last five years. WMU faced Air Force in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in 2014.

Western Michigan finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall and 5-3 MAC record. The Broncos closed the conference season with a 28-21 win over MAC champion Northern Illinois. Playing as an independent, BYU finished the regular season with a 6-6 record. BYU also faced off against Northern Illinois, falling 7-6 to the Huskies on Oct. 27.

It will be the sixth all-time meeting between Western Michigan and BYU. The teams met five times between 1962 and 1970. The Broncos have two wins in the all-time series, including in the last meeting, a 34-17 victory in Kalamazoo in 1970.