Dave Boling: WSU shows what college football should really be about in Potato Bowl win

If anybody questioned what would provide the motivation for Washington State’s players going into the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, it was the same that got them playing the game in the first place.

It was a chance to go out and play ball with their buddies.

The simplest and purest reason there is.

More importantly, the Cougars’ enthusiasm for the game, and the joy of competing, was so obvious that this 34-21 win over Utah State had to equate to a three-hour infomercial for WSU football.

You can’t buy advertisements like that.

For recruits considering becoming a Cougar, or for alums thinking about prying open their wallets, or just football lovers who wanted to watch a fun football game, WSU put on a convincing show.

It was a chance to show off an exciting offense and mad-dog defense rather than having to debate staff defections, financial shortcomings and a conference torn asunder.

At a time when the college football playoffs are diminishing the appeal of the lesser bowls, and players are entering the giant portal vortex that will transport them to other venues with strangers becoming teammates, these Cougars hung together.

Those that remained went to Boise and smacked the heck out of Utah State – one of the teams they’ll be seeing in future years in the new Pac-12.

The televised crowd shots at Boise State’s Albertson’s Stadium showed a scant crowd, but those in attendance (announced at 17,013) witnessed a spirited Cougar performance akin to last season’s fiery performance in a Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse. This was even better, though, because of the outcome.

Adding even more viewer appeal than the dancing tater tot mascot on the sideline, the Cougars used a balanced offense (373 passing yards, 255 rushing) and a hyper-aggressive defense that held USU to just 13 first down.

Utah State’s Aggies wore their “Battle Cattle” helmets (white with irregular black spots, presumably to resemble Holstein cows) as a nod to their heritage as an agriculture school.

At first glance, they looked like a pack of 300-pound Dalmatians. But cows, okay.

Sometimes bowl games for teams on the fringe of getting a berth (both WSU and USU matched 6-6 records) are won by the team that has the most interest in actually being there.

With defensive coordinator Jesse Bobbit (soon to join former head coach Jimmy Rogers at Iowa State), guiding the team, the Cougars certainly came out fired up. Bobbit reportedly pitched the concept of finishing strong and playing the game for each other.

The Cougars obviously bought in. They looked like teams are supposed to in a bowl, revived from the grind of 12 regular-season games, practicing together with less pressure, and having some fun in the host city.

Senior quarterback Zevi Eckhaus, who had become an even more prominent voice of leadership through a time of transition in the program, had mixed results against the Aggies, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

But even with the Cougar turnovers, the starchy WSU defense kept the Aggies from capitalizing, and USU trailed 20-0 before scoring its first touchdown late in the third period.

In a quick sideline broadcast interview at halftime, Bobbit was asked what he liked about the team’s defensive performance. “The swarm, the effort, the mentality, the response.”

Good answer. The well-prepared defense swarmed with high effort, and few if any missed assignments. This was the group that had stepped up in big games, keeping the Cougars close in three games against ranked opponents this season – including holding No. 4-ranked Mississippi to 24 points (matching a season-low).

A couple of those six losses this season could have been reversed by a more consistent and efficient offense. Which brings us to a second-quarter broadcast-booth interview with newly hired head coach Kirby Moore, formerly offensive coordinator of Missouri.

Moore stressed the importance of sustaining continuity and expanding the offense through the passing game. Accomplishing both could produce noticeable results.

As Moore was talking, Eckhaus and the Cougs were continuing their success with converting passes on third-and-long, and driving for a second touchdown on the short pass to tight end Hudson Cederland that put the Cougs up 14-0.

When Moore first met the public during a recent news conference, he referenced the Pac-12 Conference’s realignment by pointing out the new configuration could boost the Cougars’ chances for an ascension to the top of the pack.

With Utah State being among the new Pac-12 lodge brothers, maybe they’ll become a rival of the future.

But on Monday in Boise, WSU was the superior team. For most of the game, the guys in the spotty helmets got physically manhandled by the Cougars.

It was clear that while the Aggies may have had the cows, WSU had the horses.