Air Force quarterback Kale Pearson hands the ball off to running back Jacobi Owens earlier in the season. (Getty)
The Basics
Who:
Air Force (9-3) vs. Western Michigan (8-4), Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
When:
Saturday, 5:45 p.m. Eastern on ESPN
Where:
Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho
Line:
Air Force (-1.5). Line provided by bovada.lv
All-Time Series:
First meeting
Last Year’s Las Vegas Bowl:
San Diego State 49, Buffalo 24, on Dec. 21, 2013
Heavy’s Pick
The Smurf Turf of Boise State’s Bronco Stadium will be the site for this intriguing matchup. Air Force, which brings the 7th-ranked rushing offense in the country at 272 yards per game, is coming off a win over then-No. 21 Colorado State. Western Michigan is one of the more efficient passing squads in the FBS and has won 6 of 7.
The Falcons, who were 2-10 last season, lean on running back Jacobi Owens (1,054 yards) and quarterback Kale Pearson (2,159 total yards and 20 total TDs), while the Broncos have Zach Terrell, who has completed 70 percent of his passes for 3,146 yards and 23 scores.
The X-Factor in this game will be WMU running back Jarvion Franklin, the freshman who has rushed for 24 touchdowns and 1,525 yards. He’s been quiet the past 3 games, but the Broncos will need to feed him in order to get their first bowl victory in school history. They will and will.
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Air Force vs. W. Michigan: Time, Channel & Prediction