BOISE — After a week that started with a service project Monday, a trip to a local ski resort Tuesday, and practice (yes, practice) on the famed blue turf, there’s a football game that will kick off Friday on national television.

And beyond the payouts, the players’ gift suite, the hospitality and the 15 extra bowl practices, that’s what matters for BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, who will lead the Cougars (6-6) into the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at 2 p.m. MST (ESPN, KSL Newsradio).

“Being able to hang out with these guys and spend some more time, I’m really proud of these players and our coaches,” Sitake said. “A lot of these guys are still taking finals, and they’re still in Boise, practicing, and doing a little Christmas shopping along the way. These guys have been able to handle a lot of things.

“But the main thing about this trip is getting to this game. I’m excited how they will play.”

The Cougars will face Western Michigan (7-5), and enjoy a certain element of home-field advantage over the Broncos — not the Boise State Broncos, but Broncos, nonetheless.

Maybe that’s why BYU opened as 12.5-point favorites, and the line has only dropped to BYU minus-12.

It’s easy to assume the Cougars will have a significant crowd advantage over the Broncos, who hail just a quick 1,824.1-mile-drive from Boise.

BYU is … a little bit closer, both geographically and culturally.

Home to BYU-Idaho (formerly Ricks College) in the eastern portion of the state, Idaho is home to approximately 450,000 members of the church scattered among 1,126 congregations with five temples, according to the most recent church statistics.

The Cougars have five players from the state of Idaho on their roster, which is five more than Western Michigan.

Obviously, not every member of the church is a BYU fan — the same with Utah, Idaho or any other state in the union.

But it’s a start, and Sitake’s squad has seen the effect of BYU’s wide-ranging fan base carry it to places much farther away than the six-hour drive north on I-15.

“We’ll have fans that are close; whether they are here or anywhere in the world, our fans have been there to watch us,” Sitake said. “I’m just hoping we can make them proud by the way we play the game on Friday.”

The game will also be the final outing for a long list of BYU seniors, including quarterback Tanner Mangum, who hails from nearby Eagle, Idaho; offensive tackle Austin Hoyt, the elder statesman on an offensive line that features four redshirt or true freshmen; and linebacker Sione Takitaki, whose career at BYU almost ended before it started.

Takitaki was famously involved in an on-campus theft during his sophomore season, when BYU police charged him with two misdemeanors for the removal of athletic gear from the Smith Fieldhouse while working as a student custodian.

The native of Fontana, California, was suspended for a year after pleading guilty to the charges, and used a redshirt during the 2016 season while stepping away from the university.

But aided by his girlfriend-then-wife Alyssa and family back home, Takitaki came back to BYU — and became a force on a defense that ranks No. 18 nationally in total defense, allowing 4.79 yards per play and 325 yards per game.

Meet the Broncos

Western Michigan rides freshman quarterback, run game into Potato Bowl vs. BYU

Behind the star-studded arm of freshman quarterback Kaleb Eleby, the Broncos (7-5) hope to do something the other Broncos (Boise State) do on the blue turf regularly: beat BYU.

“Even today, I’m a little emotional thinking this was my last practice with my brothers,” said Takitaki, who has 99 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks. “It came by fast. But I’m definitely going to enjoy this one, try to get a win with my brothers, and end it Friday.”

Takitaki will be playing for several teammates on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage, too. Corbin Kaufusi, another senior, has been nearly living on an operating table recently with surgeries to an injured ankle, elbow and pinky finger suffered throughout the season. His younger cousin Isaiah Kaufusi, a sophomore, likely won’t play in the bowl game, and several others are questionable for Friday.

“It’s hard to lose guys like that,” Takitaki said. “They are really good, big impact players for the team. But next man up; I feel like the guys behind them will be able to fill in. We’ve had a ton of practices from our last game until now.”

For BYU’s other 25 seniors, the feelings of melancholy on playing their final college game will feel similar to Takitaki. Some of them will go on to future football careers, while others will move on from the game that brought them to BYU.

But all of them will be remembered by Sitake as he concludes his third season at his alma mater.

“I’ve been really proud of these guys, from seeing them where I first got here in this job,” Sitake said, pointing to Takitaki and Hoyt next to him. “These are two great examples; they’re both men, married, progressed from young adults into adults.

“I’m excited to see them progress to the next level — not just in football, but in life. One day, they will look back at it and be proud of what they did on the field and off the field.”

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