BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Ohio University has accepted an invitation to play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

University and bowl officials announced Sunday the Bobcats will play Utah State on Dec. 17 on the blue turf at Bronco Stadium in Boise.

Ohio (9-4), of the Mid-American Conference, will be participating in its third straight bowl game. The Aggies (7-5), of the Western Athletic Conference, last played in a bowl in 1997 — also in Boise, when the game was called the Humanitarian Bowl. Cincinnati beat Utah State 35-19.

Ohio and Utah State have met once, a 5-0 Utah State win on Sept. 17, 1994, in Athens, Ohio.

Ohio coach Frank Solich said the team is excited to play in the bowl game in Boise. The Bobcats landed a league-best 11 players on the all-MAC team this season.

“For the past two years, this has been one of the premier bowl games for the Mid-American Conference,” Solich said. “I couldn’t be happier for our team and our 17 seniors, who have given so much to this program.”

Utah State has won five straight games, with the last being its 24-21 win at New Mexico State on Saturday. Ohio won five in a row to reach the MAC championship game, and then jumped to a 20-0 lead against Northern Illinois before losing 23-20.

Ohio is led by senior quarterback Tyler Tettleton, who has thrown 26 touchdown passes. Utah State has the nation’s sixth-ranked rushing attack, with Robert Turbin leading the way — he averages 118 yards per game on the ground.

The Bobcats also played New Mexico State, the only common opponent with the teams. Ohio won 44-24 at Las Cruces, N.M. on Sept. 3.

“I have tremendous respect for Frank Solich as a head coach and his program. They are very well-coached, and we will be facing a big, fast, physical football team,” Utah State coach Gary Andersen said.

Utah State will be making its seventh overall bowl appearance. The first one was in the 1946 Raisin Bowl in Fresno, Calif.