Idaho players to watch during the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
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TUENI LUPEAMANU, DEFENSIVE LINE
Lupeamanu came to Idaho has an “athlete” but has become well-acclimated on the defensive line during his four years in Moscow. The second-team All-Sun Belt selection has five sacks, eight tackles for loss and ranks third on the team with 71 total tackles. He also has two touchdowns as a short-yardage fullback.
More important than his play on the field, is the way he leads the team in the locker room.
“(Tueni is) the vocal leader. He’s the one that will step up,” Idaho head coach Paul Petrino said.
AUSTIN REHKOW, PUNTER/KICKER
Rehkow performs all kicking duties for Idaho and has been superb on both fronts. The senior’s 42.63-yard-per-punt average is 35th in the FBS, and he is 26-for-29 on field goals (long of 50) and 35-for-35 on extra points. Rehkow was named first-team All-Sun Belt as a punter and second team as a kicker.
“We’re very fortunate. Austin Rehkow is probably the best punter in the country. Somehow people didn’t vote for that. They voted for people who rugby punt,” Petrino said. “He’s the best punter there is. And he will punt a long time on Sundays. (And) he’s made himself a really good field goal kicker.”
TRENT COWAN, TIGHT END
No Idaho receiver has more than 555 receiving yards this season, due in part to an increased emphasis on the running game. Cowan leads the team with 46 catches and six touchdowns, and he is second in yards (532). Cowan had a season-high 10 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in a loss at Appalachian State.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Idaho vs. Colorado State
▪ Time: 5 p.m. Thursday
▪ Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,387, FieldTurf), Boise
▪ TV: ESPN (David Neal, Matt Stinchcomb, Olivia Harlan)
▪ Radio: 630 AM, 96.5 FM, 730 AM
▪ Tickets: Available at the Albertsons Stadium ticket office and at ticketmaster.com
▪ Vegas line: CSU by 15
▪ Coaches: Idaho, Paul Petrino (fourth year; 14-33); CSU, Mike Bobo (second year; 14-11)
▪ 2016 records: Idaho 8-5, CSU 7-5
▪ Bowl records: Idaho 2-0, CSU 6-9
▪ Series: CSU leads 4-3 (won last meeting 36-34 at Fort Collins, 2010)
▪ Kickoff weather: Low 20s and partly cloudy, with light wind and a 5 percent chance of snow
GAME-DAY EVENTS
▪ 9 a.m.: Albertsons Stadium ticket office opens
▪ 2-5 p.m.: Tent Village/Fan Fest, Simplot Fry Feed, Albertsons Stadium west parking lot
▪ 2-5 p.m.: Tent Village/Fan Fest, FitOne Family Field Day, Caven Williams Sports Complex
▪ 3:30-4 p.m.: Tent Village/Fan Fest, Battle of the Bands, Albertsons Stadium west parking lot
▪ 3:30 p.m.: Albertsons Stadium gates open
▪ 4 p.m.: Pre-game activities, Albertsons Stadium
This story was originally published December 22, 2016 at 12:05 AM with the headline "Idaho players to watch during the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl."