Crystal bowl of potatoes

Football is a sport deeply ingrained in American culture, with the power to shape competitive rivalries or lifelong friendships based simply on the colors worn Saturday afternoon.

The University of Idaho football team may not possess the national prestige of other gridiron greats, but the institution boasts an inspiring storyline, especially in light of the tumultuous path of the program.

My first memory of Idaho came as a member of the youth football league in Lewiston. Like many other participants, the highlight of the year came when our team visited Moscow for the season finale at the Kibbie Dome. As we stepped onto the bright green turf, I envisioned myself as a college football player sprinting down the sideline for the game-winning touchdown.

Although a football career never panned out, my interest in Idaho never faded. An essential piece of my childhood wardrobe was an oversized Vandal jersey, which I continued to wear throughout the year even as the colors faded and the paint began to crack.

It was tough to be a Vandal during this time period. I was continually razzed by family and friends as the team struggled to establish consistency in the win column. But the disappointing seasons only made a 2009 Humanitarian Bowl appearance against Bowling Green that much sweeter, capped off by a thrilling last-second victory that will forever hold legendary status among members of the Vandal community.

Last spring, UI president Chuck Staben crushed the hope of many Idaho football fans when he made the decision to drop the team to a lower division of NCAA competition. The move not only shocked the Moscow community, it also angered and divided many supporters of the program.

The decision could have extinguished any excitement for the 2016 season months before it began. Instead, the news seemed to spark a competitive fire in the players and coaches.

While many college football analysts ignored the Vandals during the preseason, the team rebounded with an astounding run through conference play to earn a postseason berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

As I watched from the sideline during pregame warmups, I could feel an air of genuine excitement as the team braved the frigid temperatures of Boise and the blue turf of Albertsons Stadium. The energy quickly carried over into the game, as the Vandals rolled to a 61-50 victory over Colorado State despite entering as 14-point underdogs.

As the scoreboard ticked down to zero, Idaho fans jumped the fence and stormed the field in celebration. In the middle of the throng, I witnessed the true heart and soul of the Vandal community.

I caught a glimpse of senior Deon Watson as he hugged his family with tears in his eyes, commemorating the end of a dominating career.

I saw former players standing on the edge of the fringe, nodding to each other in recognition of the path they helped lay at the program for future athletes.

I watched as alumni jumped up and down in exuberance, singing the university fight song while locking arms with one another.

For many across the country, the game could have simply been background noise during dinner. But for the thousands of Vandals on a chilly December night in Boise, nothing mattered more than a crystal bowl of potatoes.

Josh Grissom can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @GoshJrissom