Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in talks with Big East, Mountain West and Sun Belt for future games

Ohio overcame a 23-10 deficit to beat Utah State in the 2011 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl 24-23. (US Presswire)

When the Western Athletic Conference ceases to compete as an FBS conference after the 2012 season, one of the fallouts will be its bid in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The bowl executives have no plans of discontinuing the game, so now there is an open spot opposite a representative from the Mid-American Conference.

Kevin McDonald, the bowl's executive director, told the Idaho Statesman that they are in talks with the Big East -- the future home of Boise State and San Diego State -- the Mountain West and the Sun Belt "about an affiliation for 2013 and beyond."

McDonald said the Big East and Mountain West are the two leagues that "make the most sense for us." Boise State is joining the Big East in football in 2013. The conference will also have San Diego State, Houston and SMU. The Mountain West will have several close regional schools.

Idaho, an FBS independent in 2013, would like to be involved in that spot. McDonald told the Idaho Statesman that there is no deal in place, but the bowl is interested in "having a backup agreement" with the Vandals. Since Idaho has only been bowl eligible once in the last 13 years, I doubt they will be getting the same bowl agreement treatment that other independents like Notre Dame might get.

In Jerry Palm's latest bowl projections, he has Northern Illinois, as the representative from the MAC, facing Utah State. That is assuming Louisiana Tech gets pulled up to fill an empty slot in the Independence Bowl, which is the No. 10 SEC pick and No. 7 ACC pick. At this point, it's uncertain that either conference will fill all of its bowl bids.

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