Gear up for gameday: Kent State

BOISE, Idaho -- The last time Wyoming played in this bowl game, I was nearly 2,000 miles east of Albertsons Stadium, making plenty of friends inside O'Kelly's Sports Bar in Mt Pleasant, Michigan.

For those who don't know, that is home to the Central Michigan Chippewas, the Cowboys' opponent that December afternoon on the famous blue turf in Boise.

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It is also my wife's alma mater. Emilee isn't the biggest Chips fan on earth, but she played the part that day.

Let's just say no one in that pub was thrilled to see a guy decked in Wyoming gear walk through the doors. Hey, I wasn't too excited either. I would've much rather been at the game. I covered Michigan State for the Lansing State Journal in those days. A Spartans basketball game would keep me planted in the Great Lakes State.

So, next best thing -- go piss off the locals.

I did just that.

Josh Allen helped me. So did Carl Granderson, Marcus Epps, Sidney Malauulu, Jalen Ortiz, Andrew Wingard, Logan Wilson and Tyler Hall, among many others.

Allen tossed three touchdown passes in his UW finale, and the other guys mentioned all landed a takeaway -- Epps had an interception and a fumble recovery -- in the Cowboys 37-14 rout of CMU.

As the Chippewa miscues escalated, so did my Coors consumption. I was in such a jolly mood I even imitated the Count from Sesame Street with each turnover. It got louder, much more obnoxious.

Long story short, everyone hated me, including my driver. That was Emilee.

I slept on the couch.

Worth it.

Wyoming will take on Kent State Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the scene of the last crime. Things are much different these days.

I've traded in the Pokes gear and suds for a press pass and hopefully a bottle or two of water. My wife, she's at home with our one-month old daughter, Holland, not nearly as invested in this one as she was back in 2017. I won't sleep in the couch, instead a Boise hotel room.

Look, I'm aware the Cowboys had higher expectations than traveling here for this particular postseason event. But hey, here we are. Might as well make a memory or two, right?

Excited to be here, along with our star photographer, DJ Johnson, and radio co-host, Ryan Clement. I never take these moments for granted.

I want to hear some of your favorite bowl memories. Let's hear them on social media.

Now, for the important stuff ...

Here is all you need to know -- and the links -- for Tuesday's tilt on The Blue:

WHO: Kent State (7-6, 6-2) at Wyoming (6-6, 2-6)
WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 1:30 p.m. MST
WEATHER: High of 37, low of 29, partly cloudy, winds at 4 mph
WHERE: Albertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho
TRAVEL: Idaho 511
TV: ESPN
RADIO: Cowboy Sports Network
STREAMING: ESPN
TICKETS: GoWyo.com
BOX SCORE: ESPN
ROSTERS: Wyoming / Kent State
BETMGM ODDS: Wyoming -3, O/U 59 (Could be subject to change)
HISTORY: First meeting
HEAD COACHES: Craig Bohl / Sean Lewis

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