BOISE, Idaho – Ohio heads to its third straight bowl game and its sixth overall still seeking its first postseason victory when it takes on Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Saturday.

The Bobcats (9-4) have a chance to match their all-time record for wins and seek their first postseason football victory in nine all-time tries.

Ohio has lost in three Mid-American Conference Championship Games in the last six years, including 23-20 only two weeks ago against Northern Illinois. It also has gone winless in three bowl efforts since 2007, in addition to a pair of appearances in bowls in the 1960s.

Utah State (7-5) does not have a stellar postseason record either, but it does have one bowl victory to its credit, a 42-33 win against Ball State in the 1993 Las Vegas Bowl. The Aggies’ last postseason game was a 35-19 loss to Cincinnati in the 1997 Humanitarian Bowl. Overall, they are 1-5 all-time in bowl games.

After a 2-5 start that included narrow defeats to Auburn and BYU, Utah State won its last five games – all by a touchdown or less – to earn a postseason berth and a second-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference.

Ohio began the year 4-3 and then had its five-game winning streak snapped with its loss to Northern Illinois.

Utah State’s success came primarily because of an offense that produced more points than any other in the WAC at 34.5 per game. The Aggies totaled 458.7 yards per game to rank second in the league, and they accomplished that mark with one of the nation’s top rushing attacks at 277.5 yards per game.

Junior running back Robert Turbin (5-10, 216) has been the catalyst to the Utah State offense with 1,436 yards and 19 touchdowns with an average of 6.2 yards per carry.

Senior running back Michael Smith (5-9, 205) has added 713 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 7.0 yards per carry, and junior Kerwynn Williams (5-9, 184) has rushed for 480 yards and three touchdowns with an average of 6.7 yards per carry.

Junior Adam Kennedy (6-5, 218) has taken over quarterback responsibilities, having completed 70.7 percent of his passes for 909 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games. Freshman Chuckie Keaton (6-2, 185) started early in the year, throwing for 1,200 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 60.9 percent of his passes. The two have combined for more than 500 yards rushing.

Matt Austin (6-2, 198) is the Aggies’ leading receiver with 34 catches for 465 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Stanley Morrison (5-9, 150) has caught 25 passes for 416 yards and three scores.

The Aggies will go against a Bobcats defense that ranked second in the MAC by allowing 22.1 points per game and fourth by giving up 355.2 yards per game. Ohio’s run defense excelled, giving up just 126.4 yards a game and an average of just 3.7 yards per carry.

Linebacker Noah Keller leads Ohio’s defense with 105 tackles, including seven for loss. Safety Gerlad Moore has made 77 stops, including five for loss.

Defensive end Tremayne Scott has 60 tackles, including team-highs of eight for loss and 3.5 sacks. Cornerback Travis Carrie has team-bests of four interceptions and 12 pass breakups.

Ohio’s offense ranks just behind Utah State’s with an average of 452.4 yards per game and has average 31.0 points per game. The Bobcats have been balanced with averages of 250.8 passing yards and 203.4 rushing yards.

Quarterback Tyler Tettleton leads the Bobcats, having completed 63.8 percent of his passes for 3,082 yards and 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He also has rushed for 627 yards and nine scores with an average of 4.2 yards per carry.

Donte Harden is closing in on 1,000 yards with 939 and two touchdowns while averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

LaVon Brazill is Ohio’s first 1,000-yard receiver with 66 catches for 1,038 yards and 10 touchdowns. Riley Dunlop has made 40 receptions for 551 yards and six scores.

Utah State’s defense has allowed just slightly more yards than Ohio’s at 368.0, ranking it first in the WAC. It has given up 28.2 points per game to rank third in the WAC. The Aggies also have defended the run well, giving up just 128.0 yards per game on the ground.

Without a doubt, senior linebacker Bobby Wagner (6-1, 232) has been the leader of the Utah State defense with 140 tackles, including 10.5 for loss and four sacks to go with two interceptions.

Senior Kyle Gallagher (6-0, 225) has made 91 stops, with 3.5 for a loss, and junior safety McKade Brady (5-11, 813) has 81 tackles and six pass breakups.

Utah State has made only four interceptions on defense. Junior cornerback Jumanne Robertson (5-10, 176) has broken up 11 passes, while sophomore cornerback Nevin Lawson (5-10, 177) has 10 breakups.

Senior defensive end Levi Koskan (6-4, 250) is the leader on the line with 10 tackles for loss, including 5.5 sacks.

In terms of special teams, Utah State has been solid. Punter Tyler Bennett has average 44.2 yards per attempt with 19 of 53 downed inside the 20-yard line. Only two of his punts have been fair caught.

Kicker Josh Thompson has made 6 of 9 field goal tries with a long of 43 yards. He is 54 of 55 on extra points.

Williams has averaged 22.7 yards per kick return and 14.0 yards per punt return. The Aggies have surrendered a pair of kick return touchdowns.

Ohio’s special teams is led by kicker Matt Weller, who has made 24 of 33 field goal attempts with a long of 49 yards. He has been good on 45 of 46 extra points.

Punter Paul Hershey has averaged 39.5 yards per attempt with 22 of 48 downed inside the 20-yard line and 20 fair caught.

Brazil has averaged 5.9 yards per punt return, while Carrie has a punt return touchdown in nine attempts. Harden (26.3 ypa) and Ryan Clark (23.0 ypa) have shared kick return responsibilities.

It will be the second all-time meeting between the teams with the Aggies winning the only other game, 5-0, at Peden Stadium in 1994.

Kickoff on the blue turf of Bronco Stadium is set for 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.