It was a back-and-forth affair, but Wyoming came away with the 52-38 victory in the 2021 Potato Bowl. Here’s how they proved LWOS wrong:
Levi Williams Played Strong
We expected Kent State senior Dustin Crum to have a decided advantage over the Wyoming signal-caller, who took over as the starter midseason. While Crum threw four touchdown passes and ran for another, Williams threw for one and ran for four. He gashed the Kent State defense for 200 yards on 16 carries, including an 80-yarder to the end zone in the fourth quarter. At six-foot-five-inches and 225 pounds, the sophomore is a load to tackle.
While Williams didn’t attempt many passes, he did a respectable job throwing as well. He completed nine of 11 pass attempts for 127 yards and, more importantly, didn’t turn the ball over. He told Yahoo Sports that he dedicated the victory to his grandmother, who passed away recently
The Cowboys’ Running Backs
While Xazavian Valladay gets most of the attention, nobody should overlook Titus Swen. Wyoming lists the sophomore at five-foot-eleven-inches and just over 200 pounds, but he runs like he’s six-foot-four-inches and 240. Early in the game, he absolutely trucked a defender to gain a first down. More than once, he dragged multiple defenders, churning his legs to gain an extra yard or three. This guy is going to cause trouble for Mountain West defenses for the next couple of years.
And it wasn’t just Swen. Valladay and seventh-year senior Trey Smith combined for another 152 yards and a touchdown each. The team’s 401 yards on the ground set a Famous Idaho Potato Bowl record.
Credit to Kent State
The result of this game was in question right up until the end. The Golden Flashes’ 656 yards of total offense set a Potato Bowl record. Even more impressive is that they racked up that kind of offense without any turnovers and running plays at a speed reminiscent of the Chip Kelly-era Oregon Ducks. The broadcast frequently had to show replays on a split-screen with the live shot because there was no time to show a replay before the next play.
The Flashes’ capacity for explosive plays is also notable. While their first drive stalled, they answered a Wyoming touchdown with an 80-yard catch-and-run touchdown to Dante Cephas. Cephas finished with 116 yards on just four catches. In the fourth quarter, after a Trey Smith touchdown made it 52-31, they did it again. On their first snap, Crum hit Devontez Walker for a 73-yard touchdown to bring the Flashes back within one. Who knows what might have happened had the ensuing onside kick been successful? The 2021 Potato Bowl was a competitive, entertaining game featuring a great effort from both teams.
