SENIOR STARTERS

Wide receiver Mitch Burroughs, who had missed five games with a wrist injury, started on Senior Day. He lined up wide left as the Broncos ran to the right. Burroughs didn’t engage the defender across the line and didn’t run down the field. It didn’t matter — D.J. Harper dashed 80 yards for a TD.

Burroughs hopes to play a regular role Dec. 1 at Nevada.

Senior wide receiver Tyler Jackson, primarily a special-teamer, got his first start. So did defensive tackle Greg Grimes, who usually plays on the second team.

TAYLOR’S WEIRD PLAY

Senior cornerback Jamar Taylor grabbed his third interception in the second quarter to tie for the team lead. But he fumbled on the return, giving the ball right back to the Rams.

The Broncos got it back on an interception by sophomore defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who sniffed out a screen and dropped into the throwing lane.

“I turned the ball over twice in one possession,” Colorado State quarterback M.J. McPeek said. “You don’t see that very often. They just do what they do well and we didn’t have an answer for it.”

SIMMONS RETURNS

Senior nickel Dextrell Simmons returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with an injury. He played a limited role and didn’t make a tackle.

FIRST-HALF SHUTOUTS

Boise State posted its sixth first-half shutout of the season, tying the school record set in 2009 and matched in 2010. The Broncos lost two other first-half shutouts this season on kickoff returns for touchdowns.

In the last nine games, the defense has allowed seven points — a Wyoming touchdown — in the first half.

BROTZMAN RECORD FALLS

Florida State’s Dustin Hopkins broke Kyle Brotzman’s Football Bowl Subdivision career record for points by a kicker Saturday.

Brotzman scored 439 points for Boise State from 2007 to 2010. Hopkins has 448.

QB CHANGE FOR RAMS

McPeek, a senior who missed the previous three games with an injury, started. Freshman Conner Smith, who was the third starting quarterback of the season, went 2-1 while McPeek was out.

McPeek was 4-for-9 for 19 yards with two interceptions and took two sacks.

Smith started the second half. He was 4-of-11 for 53 yards and a touchdown with one sack.

Colorado State finished with 72 passing yards. Boise State already was fifth in the nation, allowing 168.6 passing yards per game. Smith’s touchdown pass against the second team was the third allowed by the Broncos this season.

SECOND-HALF FIGHT

First-year Colorado State coach Jim McElwain told his team at halftime that it was important to compete in the second half. The Rams trailed 35-0 at the half and were down 42-0 when the Broncos started subbing.

Last year in Fort Collins, the Broncos outscored the Rams 28-0 in the second half of a 63-13 win.

The Rams scored 14 second-half points this time.

“A year ago, in this same game at our place, we kind of threw our skirt up and let them run over us,” McElwain said. “I felt that our guys tried, they competed.”

QUICK HITS

Boise State won the coin toss for the eighth straight game and deferred. … Boise State’s captains were defensive end Tyler Horn, defensive tackle Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, wide receiver Matt Miller and center Matt Paradis. … Sophomore linebacker Blake Renaud carried the Hammer for the fourth time this season and the sixth time in his career.