Previewing the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State
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This is the preview for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State (4.5, 53)
Betting splits: 54% of handle, 50% of bets on Eastern Michigan +4
Tim Murray: The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl might be one of the few bowl games this year that is not affected by the transfer portal or NFL Draft opt-outs. Less than a week before the game, neither team is expected to be missing any key contributors. Eastern Michigan won its final three games of the season and finished the season 8-4. At 5-3, the Eagles were Co-MAC West Champions but did not play in the MAC Championship due to losing the head-to-head tiebreaker against Toledo. San Jose St. went 7-4 on the season but went 0-5 ATS over its final five games.
On the defensive side of the ball, each team has their conference’s defensive player of the year. San Jose St. DE Viliami “Junior” Fehoko won Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. Fehoko finished with 18.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Eastern Michigan DE Jose Ramirez won MAC Defensive Player of the Year. Ramirez led the nation with 1.09 sacks per game (12 sacks in 11 games).
Hawaii transfer QB Chevan Cordeiro leads San Jose State’s offense. Cordeiro topped the Mountain West with 2,885 passing yards. He also rushed for eight touchdowns on the year. Nevada transfer WR Elijah Cooks led the Spartans with 983 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Cooks was named First Team All Mountain West.
The only time Eastern Michigan and San Jose St. previously met was in the 1987 California Bowl. As a 17-point underdog, Eastern Michigan stunned the Spartans 30-27. The Eagles’ eight wins this season are second in school history to the 1987 team that finished with 10.
The 1987 California Bowl is the only bowl win in Eastern Michigan school history. Under head coach Chris Creighton, Eastern Michigan is 0-4 SU in bowl games. San Jose State is in its second bowl game with head coach Brent Brennan. The Spartans lost the 2020 Arizona Bowl to MAC champ Ball St., 34-13. As VSiN’s Steve Makinen pointed out, the MAC is 19-41 SU and 27-33 ATS in bowl games over the last decade. The MAC went 2-0 SU and ATS in 2020.
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