Famous Idaho Potato Bowl - Ohio Bobcats (6-6, 5-3 MAC) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack (7-5, 4-4 MW)
Date: Friday, Jan. 3
Kickoff: 12:30 p.m. PT
Stadium: Albertsons Stadium
Location: Boise, Idaho
TV: ESPN
Radio: Wolf Pack Radio Network (Flagship: ESPN Radio 94.5 FM/630 AM); TuneIn app
Series: Inaugural meeting
Last Meeting: n/a

RENO, Nev. - Nevada will conclude the 2019 season in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl against Ohio on Friday. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT at Albertsons Stadium between the Wolf Pack (7-5, 4-4 MW) and Bobcats (6-6, 5-3 MAC).

Nevada has reached its second bowl game under head coach Jay Norvell with the chance to secure bowl victories in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. Nevada has won its last two bowl games, both coming in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl where the Pack won a dramatic 16-13 overtime thriller in 2018. Nevada is searching for its first win on the blue turf in Boise since 1997, a span of 11 games, which includes two bowl games. Nevada has twice won two bowls in a row in its history (1996 Las Vegas Bowl and 2005 Hawai`i Bowl; 2015 and 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowls) and a win in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl would be the Pack's first-ever three-game bowl winning streak.

The Ohio Bobcats boast one of the most electric offenses in the nation, led by quarterback Nathan Rourke who threw for 2,676 yards, 20 touchdowns and ran for another 12 with 780 yards rushing. Behind Rourke, Ohio is averaging 443.3 yards per game, with 216 coming on the ground and 226 through the air for a very balanced attack. The Bobcats are averaging 34.7 points a game while allowing 401.5 yards and 27 points per game on defense. While struggling in nonconference play to open the season, the Bobcats got hot in MAC play, going 5-3 and finishing second in the conference. With its total offense ranking 32nd in the nation, Ohio got hot at the end of the year, winning its final two contests at Bowling Green and Akron by a combined score of 118-27.

ON THE AIR
John Ramey and Mike Edwards will have the call in Northern Nevada on ESPN Radio 94.5 FM with a 60 minute pregame show prior to kickoff. Fans can also tune in to listen to Ramey and Edwards' broadcast online at TuneIn.com or via the TuneIn app.
 
Fans can watch the game on ESPN. Anish Shroff (play-by-play) and John Congemi (analyst) will have the call on the television broadcast.

ENDING THE YEAR HOT
Nevada has played some of its best football toward the end of the season, winning three of its last four contests including a season-high three-win streak during that stretch. It's only loss in the final third of the regular season came in overtime at home to intrastate rival UNLV, but that loss cannot overshadow huge road victories at San Diego State and Fresno State. The Aztecs were ranked No. 24 in the nation upon the Wolf Pack's arrival, but Nevada handed them a 17-13 loss for the Silver & Blue's first-ever road win over a ranked team. The victory also made the Pack bowl eligible.

NEVADA'S BOWL HISTORY INCLUDES THREE OT GAMES
The Wolf Pack has a history of playing close games in its bowl history.
Going back to 1995, when the NCAA instituted overtime for bowl games that season, the Wolf Pack has played three overtime games, including college football's first OT game in the 1995 Las Vegas Bowl, a 40-37 loss to Toledo.

Nevada is 2-1 in overtime in bowl games – and 7-7 overall in OT in its history. Nevada beat UCF in OT in the 2005 Hawai`i Bowl and knocked off Arkansas State in last year's NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl.

PACK ADDS INTERIM COACHES TO STAFF FOR BOWL GAME
As the Nevada football team continues preparations for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the Wolf Pack has added three interim coaches on the defensive side. The interim coaches for the bowl game are Jody Sears, who will be the interim defensive coordinator, along with John Landwehr and Josh Brown, who will assist on the defensive side.

Sears is a veteran coach who has extensive experience on the defensive side of the ball as well as two stints as an FCS head coach, most recently at Sacramento State, with two years at Weber State before that. He's been a defensive coordinator at four schools, including part of a four-year stop at his alma mater, Washington State.

Brown also has length experience as a defensive coach, having served as the defensive coordinator at Cal Poly from 2011-2018. The San Luis Obispo native played two seasons at linebacker at Gavilan College before playing one year at Oklahoma.

Landwehr is no stranger to the Wolf Pack, having served as a graduate assistant on the defensive side for three seasons from 2016-18, including last year's come-from-behind win in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl over Arkansas State. He spent the 2019 season on the staff at Narbonne High School in Southern California.

THERE'S NO I IN TEAM
Nevada handed out its team awards following its regular-season finale. 20 different members of the Wolf Pack football team were honored for their efforts and contributions during the 2019 season.

Golden Helmet Award (Top honor)
WR Romeo Doubs
LB Gabriel Sewell
CB Daniel Brown

Offensive POY: WR Elijah Cooks
Defensive POY: DE Dom Peterson
Special Teams POY: K Brandon Talton
Newcomers OTY: QB Carson Strong & DB Jordan Lee
Basalite Big Blocker OTY: T Nate Brown
Hustle Awards: TE Reagan Roberson, TE Daniel Grzesiak & LB Kyle Adams
Scout Team POY: LB Sheldon Wilkinson, WR Carson Walters, & QB Hamish McClure
Captains Awards: P Quinton Conaway, WR Kaleb Fossum, RB Kelton Moore, LB Lucas Weber, DT Hausia Sekona & LB Gabriel Sewell

THE BEST IN THE WEST
Six members of the Wolf Pack earned All-Mountain West honors, handed out by the conference following the final game of the regular season:

All-MW First Team:
DE Dom Peterson

All-MW Second Team:
K Brandon Talton

All-MW Honorable Mentions:
CB Daniel Brown
WR Romeo Doubs
LB Gabriel Sewell
RB Toa Taua