Once Upon a Potato Bowl

My husband, Dan, attended the University of Idaho, and I attended Boise State University (BSU). These were known as rival schools during our college days, but things changed after BSU's football program took off, and the two colleges ended up in different conferences.

Of course, Dan never misses an opportunity to mention, "U of I is called the Ivy League of the West, you know."

(I don't know who actually calls U of I the "Ivy League of the West," maybe just Dan.)

Dan's "Ivy League of the West" Alma mater is also widely accepted as Idaho's party school, with a more active Greek system than the other state universities.

This year, the University of Idaho had its first winning season since 2009, and it was invited to play in the Idaho Potato Bowl, on BSU's very own blue Smurf Turf. (These titles, Potato Bowl, Smurf Turf, are absolutely, 100% accurate. Welcome to Boise.)

"Idaho is going to play in the Potato Bowl!" Dan said the night it was announced. "Should we get tickets?"

It was the most excited Dan has been about college football in a long time.

The day before the bowl game, I braved the Vandals Store downtown (U of I's mascot is a Vandal) and bought Dan a Potato Bowl shirt. In the store, I heard at least five different conversations about getting drunk that night, the next day before the game, during the game, and after the game. I am 99.9% certain most of the people involved in the discussion were not college-age, unless U of I students look really old. Once a Vandal, always a Vandal, I guess.

"Glad to see you're living up to your Ivy League of the West's reputation," I said in my head . . . not out loud. 

Dan loved his shirt. He wore it for three days in a row.

U of I graduates are proud of their party school status. As my dad, Dan, and I made our way through the metal detectors at the game, a red-faced, middle-aged man, who smelled a bit like beer, leaned over to me and said with a chuckle, "This is the only bowl game where tailgating is more important than the game itself."

Dan had bought us tickets in the middle of the Vandals section. My dad was wearing a Boise State hat. Twenty years ago, when the two schools were true football rivals, this might have gotten us killed. Interesting fact: Lots of Vandals fans also wear BSU gear nowadays. 

When my dad posted on Facebook that he needed hot chocolate while watching this game, some of his friends suggested adding Peach Schnapps or Irish Cream. There was plenty of that to go around. I've never seen so many mini bar bottles smuggled into a game. People all around us were adding stuff to coffee cups, hot chocolate, Sprite bottles.


It wasn't a bad idea, the hot toddy thing. It was fifteen degrees by the time the game ended. The football players were sliding all over the icy field.

The game was an exciting one and not just because it looked like an ice skating rink out there. 2017 is Idaho's last season in the Sun Belt Conference, its last chance to play in a bowl game, and Colorado State is in the Mountain West, the same conference as BSU.

Translation: U of I is a smaller school and wasn't expected to win.

When it looked like Idaho might win, Vandal fans started to say things like, "We weren't expecting this! I don't think anyone expected this!" and "There's still time. We've lost with less time," and "We might win this!" and "I don't drink hard liquor anymore." (I had to throw in that last one. All true.)

By the fourth quarter, the Vandal fans were turning around and high-fiving Dan every time Idaho scored a touchdown.

“Dan’s being social,” I told my dad in surprise.
 
Even I got excited at one point and shouted out, "Idaho, Idaho, go, go, go!"

Dan stuck his index finger in my face and shouted, "Ha ha!"

Before the game started, my brother texted Dan and me, "At least there will be proof that there are still Vandal fans," to which I responded, "Ooh, burn, Dan!"

Yes, Virginia, there are Vandal fans, and they are fun, mostly because alcohol is involved. A few of them almost sat on me. Toward the end of the game, the guy next to Dan fell down the bleachers, and his family and friends carried him off. But the man still looked happy.

U of I beat Colorado State 61-50. One blogger described Idaho's season as a "big middle finger to the rest of the college football world." I'd say, after this bowl game win, that's two big middle fingers to you, FBS. 

My dad, still clad in his Boise State beanie and sweatshirt, commented, "Had fun with the Vandals. Never thought I'd say that."

I knew differently, however. I am married to one after all.

P.S. At least one Idaho team won a bowl game . . .

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