NCAA football preview: The Boise State Broncos look to keep rolling
In a battle for the Idaho Governor’s Cup, the No. 4 Boise State Broncos (8-0, 4-0 WAC) look to keep their untarnished season intact when they travel to the Kibbie Dome to face the Idaho Vandals (4-5, 1-3 WAC) on Friday 12 November.
Although they accumulated more than 700 yards of total offence in last week’s dominant 42-7 victory over the Hawaii Warriors, the Broncos fell one spot in the latest BCS (Bowl Championship Series) rankings, courtesy of TCU’s win over the previously undefeated
Utah Utes. Still, Boise State has a lot to prove to the rest of college football’s elite, as they aim for their 12th consecutive victory over the Vandals on Friday night.
The Broncos, who are currently in the midst of a 22-game winning streak, the longest in college football’s FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), have been led this season by the stellar play of their junior quarterback, Kellen Moore. Against the Warriors, Moore
racked up 507 yards through the air (a career best) to go along with three touchdowns. The QB has accounted for 21 passing TDs thus far this season, for a total of 85 in his career, surpassing the school’s career record in his team’s most recent victory.
“The records are something I might realize a little bit more later,” the play-caller told the media earlier this week. For now, Moore remains focused on keeping his squad in the thick of the national championship hunt with just four regular-season games to
go.
The Broncos’ defence was also on display in their latest match-up, stifling a potent Hawaii squad that came into the contest averaging 39.2 points and nearly 500 yards of total offence per game. Boise State held the Warriors to just one touchdown (in the fourth
quarter), 11 first downs, and 196 total yards.
“It was a complete team effort,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said of the win. “All three phases were good. We have tremendous respect for Hawaii. We just happened to be hitting on all cylinders and I’m glad, because we need to do that to do what we want
to do.”
What the Broncos’ head man wants is for his team to have a shot to play for the BCS championship. However, it’s probably going to take a little more than a perfect record for Boise State to get the invite to Glendale, Arizona, for the season finale on 10 January.
The Broncos still have to hope that at least two of college football’s three other unbeaten teams (No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Auburn, and No. 3 TCU) fall in the season’s waning weeks, to even be considered.
Although they rank near the top of the FBS in terms of average points per game (second with 47.0) and total offence (fourth with 543.5 yards per game), the Broncos have had to constantly battle the claims that their WAC (Western Athletic Conference) competition
is inferior to the bottom feeders of other major conferences like the Pac-10, SEC (Southeastern Conference), or Big Ten.
But, even though the Vandals appear eager to avenge last year’s 63-25 drubbing, it looks (at the very least) like it’ll be more of the same in Idaho.
Prediction: Boise State 59, Idaho 10
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