The Utah State Aggies take on the Georgia State Panthers in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Saturday, December 23. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET from Boise, Idaho.
Utah State (6-6, 4-4 MWC) kicked off the season with a 1-3 start but were able to bounce back to reach .500 in conference play. They grabbed wins over Colorado State, San Diego State, and Nevada, with losses coming against James Madison, Boise State, and San Jose State, among others. Both Cooper Legas and McCae Hillstead saw plenty of action under center this season, and Hillstead enters the game listed as questionable with an ankle injury.
Georgia State (6-6, 3-5 SBC) started their season on a 4-0 run before falling to eventual Sub Belt champion Troy. The Panthers did not fare particularly well in conference play and were a fairly middling team in this season’s Sun Belt. They finished the season on a five-game losing streak. Quarterback Darren Grainger passed for 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and running back Marcus Carroll surpassed 1,300 rushing yards this season before entering the transfer portal.
Here’s everything you need to know and a pick for the bowl.
SP+ Rankings
Utah State: 97 overall, 49 offense, 129 defense
Georgia State: 101 overall, 71 offense, 110 defense
List of injuries and players opting out of game
Utah State
RB Robert Briggs Jr – Questionable (undisclosed)
QB McCae Hillstead – Questionable (ankle)
S Devin Dye – Out (transfer portal)
Georgia State
WR Ja’Cyais Credle – Questionable (undisclosed)
RB Marcus Carroll – Questionable (undisclosed)
RB Jaquan Dixon (Transfer portal)
OT Montavious Cunningham (Transfer portal)
CB Tony McCray (Transfer portal)
RB Marcus Carroll (Transfer portal)
S Jalen Tate (Transfer portal)
WR Rico Arnold (Transfer portal)
WR Robert Lewis (Transfer portal)
ATS/Total
Against The Spread in 2023
Utah State: 6-6 ATS
Georgia State: 6-6 ATS
Total in 2023
Utah State: Over 8-3-1
Georgia State: Over 5-7
Team Pace
Utah State: 21.4 seconds per play
Georgia State: 25.5 seconds per play
Odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread: Utah State -1.5
Total: 59.5
Moneyline: Utah State -120, Georgia State +100
Weather
40 degrees, sunny, 9 MPH winds NW with 20 MPH wind gusts
Our Best Bet for the Potato Bowl
Utah State -1.5
The Panthers have already lost their top-performing wide receiver and running back to the transfer portal, and it will be tough for them to pull off a win without their key offensive players. After Georgia State ended the season on a five-game losing streak, the Aggies seem like a much better bet here.