Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Wazzu Blows Past Utah State — 5 Takeaways and What’s Next

5. Washington State brought the energy from the start

This wasn't how it was supposed to work.

Utah State was missing a few players, but for the most part it had its guys in place, head coach Bronco Mendenhall is a veteran who's usually good at these bowl things, and it got steamrolled over.

Washington State had a few skill parts still around, but it was missing head coach Jimmy Rogers - he bolted for Iowa State - but interim head man Jesse Bobbit had his guys jacked.

The Cougars came out winging the ball around, played with an extra pep, far more energy, and that was it.

Wazzu won its first bowl since 2018, and it sure looked and played like it was having fun.

4. Utah State wasn't its normal self

Utah State closed out with a tough loss to Boise State. It took UNLV to two overtimes. It battled hard in a great performance against Fresno State.

It wasn't perfect in Bronco Mendenhall's first season, but it had a wonderful offense, it always played with a good pace, and the defense only got rocked by Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and at Hawaii - everyone has a problem taking the trip to Honolulu.

The Aggies were out of this from jump. 

They didn't have the normal pep, the offense couldn't do a thing against a Washington defense full of different parts and backups, and ...

3. The Wazzu offense EXPLODED

THIS was how the Washington State offense is supposed to play.

It was okay this season, but it wasn't the high-powered team that everyone is used to seeing from this program.

The Cougars didn't get to 400 yards of total offense all year, and then ...

Kaboom.

The Cougars cranked out 628 yards on the Aggies. They ran well, threw better, and the only thing that kept them from hanging up 50 was the three interceptions. 

Seven Cougars caught at least 30 yards worth of passes, Zevi Eckhaus threw for 334 yards, and again, no one so far this young bowl season looked like they had more fun.

2. What's next for Utah State in 2026?

It was a third 6-7 - no, do NOT do THAT - season in the last four years, but it was a bump up from the 4-8 2024 season.

And it could've been a whole lot better.

The Aggies were this close to coming up with a winning season, and now there's a little bit of work to do through the portal to beef up the offensive backfield.

However, several transfers who stepped in last year under Mendenhall were young, overall the stability is there, and now there's something to use as a motivating factor throughout the offseason.

This performance in the Famous Idaho Bowl might change a few things before starting life in the Pac-12.

1. What's next for Washington State in 2026?

New head coach Kirby Moore isn't starting with a clean slate, but he has a whole lot of rebuilding to do for a program that's going through its third overhaul in three years.

With former head man Jimmy Rogers off to Iowa State, and 15 Cougars and counting in the portal, there's work to do.

The hope will be to keep around dangerous backup quarterback Jaxon Potter, the young players who stepped up against Utah State got to show off what they can do, and there should be enough pieces back to build around.

However, Moore is about to bring in a ton of new faces as its Pac-12 life is about to be way different with a real conference to play in again.