Zevi Eckhaus passed for 334 yards and three touchdowns to help Washington State record a 34-21 victory over Utah State on Monday afternoon in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Boise, Idaho.
Eckhaus completed 26 of 44 passes and was intercepted three times for the Cougars (7-6), who won for the third time in the past four games. Mackenzie Alleyne, Hudson Cedarland and Landon Wright caught scoring passes, Julian Dugger rushed for a touchdown and Joshua Meredith, who was named the Potato Bowl MVP, had eight receptions for 84 yards.
Defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit served as Cougars interim coach for the bowl game and received the celebratory “fry bath” as the final seconds ticked off.
Bobbit coached after Jimmy Rogers departed to become head coach at Iowa State. Bobbit also will exit to be Rogers’ defensive coordinator with the Cyclones.
Utah State’s Brandon Barnes completed 9 of 21 passes for 116 yards and one interception and added a rushing score for the Aggies (6-7), who lost their second straight game. Barnes sustained a concussion on a running play with 11:58 left in the game and missed the rest of the contest.
Jacob Conover entered and threw touchdowns passes to Brady Boyd and Javen Jacobs for the Aggies.
Ike Larsen, Dylan Tucker and Gio Kafentzis had interceptions for Utah State, which fell to 1-5 in Potato Bowls.
Matthew Durrance had an interception as the Cougars won their first bowl game since the 2018 Alamo Bowl during Mike Leach’s reign as coach. Maxwell Woods rushed for 114 yards on nine carries and added 35 yards on three receptions.
Washington State led 20-0 and was driving before Kafentzis intercepted Eckhaus. The Aggies then drove 60 yards on five plays with Barnes scoring on a 2-yard keeper to get Utah State on the board with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
The Cougars responded as Wright beat double coverage to haul in a 39-yard touchdown pass from Eckhaus to make it 27-7 with 14:11 remaining in the game.
Barnes was injured on the next drive as he gained 9 yards and was involved in a fierce head-to-head collision with Washington State’s Cale Reeder. He was helped off the field and ruled out a short time later.
Conover completed the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Boyd to pull the Aggies within 13 with 10:09 left.
Dugger, the Cougars backup quarterback for the bowl game, scored on a 34-yard run to make it 34-14 with 4:06 remaining. Conover answered with a 26-yard scoring pass to Jacobs with 1:48 to play.
Eckhaus threw two touchdown passes as Washington State dominated the first half and led 14-0 at the break. The Cougars outgained the Aggies 242-49 in the half.
The Cougars struck first as Eckhaus connected with Alleyne on a 41-yard scoring pass with 7:08 left in the opening quarter.
Washington State increased its lead to 14 when Eckhaus threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Cedarland.
Jack Stevens kicked field goals of 23 and 25 yards in the third quarter to boost the Washington State lead to 20.
Washington State outgained Utah State 628-254.
