NEXT YEAR: MW VS. MAC

The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will have the sixth selection from the Mountain West in 2013. The game needed a conference affiliation opposite the MAC because the WAC will not sponsor football in 2013.

The deal between the Mountain West and Potato Bowl is only for 2013, said Kevin McDonald, the game’s executive director. The Potato Bowl would like to extend the deal.

The Mountain West has five bowl eligible teams this season. Boise State and San Diego State depart the league next year, but San Jose State and Utah State join.

No active Mountain West team has ever played in the game.

SANFORD LEAVING UTAH STATE

Utah State assistant head coach Mike Sanford was hired Friday as the head coach at Indiana State. Sanford, whose son Mike played quarterback at Boise State and coaches at Stanford, will coach with the Aggies in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Sanford works with the running backs and tight ends. He is a former UNLV head coach. Sanford replaces Trent Miles, who left after a third straight winning season to take the job at Georgia State.

FREE GAME-DAY SHUTTLES

The downtown shuttle will start running at 12:30 p.m. and will continue until immediately after the game. Pickups will occur every 15 minutes at the corners of 8th and Main and 8th and Broad (BoDo). Drop off and return pickup at Boise State will be on Broadway Avenue at the east side of Bronco Stadium. Event parking in downtown public garages is $5, but you must show your game ticket to the attendant on the way out to receive the rate.

MISCELLANEOUS

Toledo is playing in its third straight bowl game and looking for two consecutive postseason wins after beating Air Force in the Military Bowl last year. ... Utah State has outscored opponents 131-6 in the first quarter. ... The Aggies have won 15 of their past 18 games over the past two seasons.