BYU Cougars Accept Fight Hunger Bowl Bid After Beating Boise State

BYU will play in the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl at San Francisco’s AT&T Park. The Cougars accepted a bid Friday night after beating Boise State to become bowl-eligible. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

The BYU Cougars became the first Football Bowl Subdivision to accept a bowl bid this season, taking a spot in San Francisco’s Fight Hunger Bowl after beating the Boise State Broncos Friday night, 37-20.

The Cougars (6-2) are bowl-eligible for the ninth straight season and, according to CBSSports.com, they were happy to accept a spot for the Dec. 27 game at AT&T Park against a Pac-12 opponent to be determined.

"“What an exciting opportunity for the Cougars to travel to the great city of San Francisco for the Fight Hunger Bowl and to play a strong opponent from the Pac-12,” BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe said. “Our coaches, players and fans will love the holiday season in San Francisco. It’s great to be able to add to the wonderful bowl tradition that is long associated with BYU football.”"

Holmoe, of course, has deep ties to Bay Area football. He spent seven years with the San Francisco 49ers (1983-89) and was on three of the franchise’s Super Bowl winners before retiring due to knee problems in 1989.

Holmoe also was an assistant coach for Bill Walsh at Stanford and coached the defensive backs for George Seifert with the 49ers, earning another Super Bowl ring after the 1994 season. In 1996, he became defensive coordinator at Cal under Steve Mariucci and replaced Mariucci as head coach when “Mooch” replaced Seifert as head coach of the 49ers.

Holmoe coached the Golden Bears for five years and was 16-39, although four of those wins in 1999 were vacated by the NCAA after it was determined the team used ineligible players. He has been AD at BYU since 2005.

This will be the Cougars’ first trip to the Fight Hunger Bowl. BYU has won four straight bowl games, including a 23-6 win over San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego last December.

This year marks the 12th year AT&T Park has hosted the bowl game, which was called the San Francisco Bowl in 2002-03 and the Emerald Bowl from 2004-09.

Arizona State crushed Navy 62-28 in the 2012 Fight Hunger Bowl last Dec. 29. Boston College has the most appearances in the game with three (2003, 2009-10) and Navy (2004, 2012) and UCLA (2006, 2011) have been there twice. Other teams to appear include Arizona State, Cal, Colorado State, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Maryland, Miami, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon State, Southern Cal and Utah.