RENO — The Nevada football team accepted an invitation from the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl and will take on Tulane in the Dec. 22 game on at Albertson’s Stadium in Boise, Idaho.
This is Nevada’s third-straight bowl berth and the Wolf Pack has won two of its last three bowl game appearances.
Nevada fell to Ohio earlier this calendar year at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl but the Pack won its two previous bowl games — toppling Arkansas State 16-13 in overtime at the 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, and beating Colorado State 28-23 in the first Arizona Bowl in 2015.
“We are excited for this opportunity to play one more game this season and to return to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl,” said Nevada’s fourth-year head coach Jay Norvell. “Tulane is a well-coached team and had a good season, and we are looking forward to the challenge of playing them.”
Kickoff for the game on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 12:30 p.m. and it will be televised on ESPN. There will not be fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Nevada (6-2 overall, third in MW) had a strong regular season end in disappointing fashion Friday night, falling to San Jose State 30-20 in a game that would have propelled the Pack to the Mountain West Championship game with a win.
Tulane went 6-5 overall and finished 3-5 in the American Conference slate. The Greenwave features a strong rushing attack (217.7 yards per game, second in its conference) and overall scoring offense at 35 points per game.
Nevada and Tulane have met only one previous time – a 1992 game at the Superdome in New Orleans with the Pack dropping a 34-17 decision.
Born in 1997, the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl debuted as the Humanitarian Bowl. Nevada has previously competed in the game three times, falling to Miami in 2006, to Maryland in the 2008 edition of the game, and losing to Ohio in the 2019 edtion, which was played Jan. 3 earlier this year.
“We are thrilled to welcome back two teams who have an exciting history in our bowl game,” said Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Executive Director Kevin McDonald. “Any time you can host a first-time meeting between two programs it adds a unique element to the game, especially two teams with such rich postseason traditions.”
This is Nevada’s sixth bowl appearance since joining the Mountain West in 2012. In addition to the 2015 and 2018 Arizona Bowls, Nevada also played in the 2014 New Orleans Bowl and the 2012 New Mexico Bowl.
The Wolf Pack has played in 12 bowl games since 2005 and 15 bowl games overall since it moved to Division I-A/FBS in 1991.
Nevada also played in the Salad Bowl in 1948 and the Harbor Bowl in 1949. The Pack’s overall record in bowl games is 6-11.
More information on the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl can be found here: https://www.famousidahopotatobowl.com.
