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BYU accepts bid to Hawaii Bowl following win over Idaho State

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE VIA AP
                                BYU defensive back Austin Lee celebrates his 26-yard interception for a touchdown against Idaho State.

THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE VIA AP

BYU defensive back Austin Lee celebrates his 26-yard interception for a touchdown against Idaho State.

PROVO, Utah >> Zach Wilson passed for 187 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to help BYU beat Idaho State 42-10 today.

Shortly after the victory, BYU announced on Twitter that it had officially accepted an invitation to play in the Hawaii Bowl on Dec. 24. The Cougars will face a team from either the American Athletic Conference or Mountain West at Aloha Stadium.

“We are looking forward to playing in the SoFi Hawai‘i Bowl,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said in a statement. “I’m really proud of our players and pleased they have earned this opportunity to continue to improve as a program and have one more game together with our seniors. Hawai‘i is a wonderful place and dear to my heart. I’m excited to take our team to the islands to experience the warmth of the culture and the Aloha spirit.”

Wilson returned from a six-week absence due to a fractured thumb and the sophomore quarterback surpassed 3,000 career yards passing against the Bengals. Wilson completed 19 of 31 passes.

Sione Finau ran 16 times for 102 yards and a touchdown for the Cougars (6-4). Micah Simon led the receivers with seven catches for 76 yards and Talon Shumway caught two touchdown passes.

Austin Lee returned an interception for a touchdown to open the scoring for BYU in the first quarter and 321-pound defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga ran in a 3-yard TD in the middle of the fourth.

Malakai Rango carried 24 times for 142 yards and a touchdown for the Bengals (3-8).

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