Wyoming beats Kent St. in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

BOISE, Idaho — Levi Williams ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns and passed for 127 yards and another touchdown to lead Wyoming to a 52-38 win over Kent State on Tuesday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Williams, who set a career-best single-game rushing performance, tied the Potato Bowl record for most rushing touchdowns and was named the game’s MVP.

“He’s very gifted and can run like the wind,” Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said. “And obviously, it’s great to see him make those plays he’s very capable of making.”

Kent State (7-7), playing in its fifth bowl game in school history, raced out to a 17-7 lead and held a 24-21 advantage at halftime, but the Golden Flashes couldn’t hold up against Wyoming’s relentless rushing attack.

“That’s not the outcome we were looking for,” Kent State coach Sean Lewis said. “Areas that hampered us all year long hurt us today . ... But I’m eager and excited to get back to work and build a program that Kent State can be proud of.”

Wyoming (7-6) scored 21 consecutive points to start the second half, including scoring runs of 27 and 80 yards by Williams, to build a 42-24 lead that proved to be too much for Kent State to overcome.

Wyoming senior linebacker Chad Muma and Butkus Award finalist didn’t disappoint in his final college game, leading the Cowboys on defense with 13 tackles and a half sack.

The Cowboys set the Potato Bowl team rushing record with 404 yards, while the two teams combined for 723 yards rushing, also a Potato Bowl record.

THE TAKEAWAYS

Wyoming: The Cowboys’ quarterback position has been a tug-of-war between Sean Chambers and Williams over the past two seasons. But Williams, who was named the starter midway through the season, will have a stranglehold on the position heading into spring practice.

Kent State: The Golden Flashes didn’t have any trouble moving the football, racking up 656 yards of offense. However, after holding Wyoming to 216 yards of offense in the first half, Kent State’s defense wilted in the second half, getting pushed around by a much more physical Wyoming offensive line.

NEXT SEASON

Kent State: Fourth-year coach Lewis returns most of the offensive pieces next season needed to accomplish something the Golden Flashes haven’t done since the 1950s — go four straight years without a losing season. Leading rusher Marquez Cooper and top receiver Dante Cephas, who combined for 2,294 yards of total offense this year, will return for their junior seasons. Collin Schllee is expected to take over at quarterback after senior Dustin Crum exhausted all of his eligibility. Defense presents a bigger challenge for Lewis, who returns just four players but includes leading tackler Dean Clark.

Wyoming: As Bohl enters his ninth season at Wyoming, he will have to cobble together almost an entirely new offensive line with only one starter returning. But his defensive unit returns eight starters, yet will have a huge hole to fill with Muma’s departure.

UP NEXT

Wyoming opens next season at Illinois on Aug. 27.

Kent State opens its 2022 campaign at Washington on Sept. 3.