Fresno State gets fried in Potato Bowl with overtime loss to NIU

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- On Monday, the Fresno State Bulldogs fell to the Northern Illinois Huskies in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on the blue in Boise.

In the fourth quarter and overtime alone, the game saw two missed go-ahead field goals (one from each team), three quick overtime touchdowns, endless overtime trickeration from NIU and, eventually, a crushing, game-winning fourth-down sack from Jordan Hansen to give the Huskies a 28-20 win.

Both teams had chances to seize the game in regulation. Fresno State led 13-3 at halftime, but NIU scored 10 points early in the second half -- including six on a beautiful 26-yard touchdown catch from Grayson Barnes -- to tie the game heading into the fourth quarter.

NIU drove the length of the field late but settled for a 35-yard field goal on fourth-and-1 (violating the swashbuckling spirit of the Potato Bowl) and missed with 3:02 left. Then Fresno State missed a 34-yarder at the buzzer, too.

With the loss, Fresno State falls to 6-7 on the season, its first losing campaign since 2019. It also marked Fresno State's first loss in a bowl game since 2014.

Fresno State was playing without several key players, including quarterback Mikey Keene, who announced just before kickoff that he would be going to Michigan State for his Senior season.

RELATED: Former Fresno State QB Mikey Keene transferring to Michigan

To make matters even worse for the program, shortly after the game running back Malik Sherrod announced on social media that he's transferring to Boise State.

Through his Bulldog career, Sherrod rushed for 1,634 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Sherrod will get a chance to play his former team when the Broncos host Fresno State next season.

It was also the final game for Tim Skipper as interim head coach. He will be replaced in 2025 by Matt Entz, the former head coach at North Dakota State University.

RELATED: Matt Entz formally introduced as Fresno State Football's head coach

ESPN's Bill Connelly contributed to this report.