Final: Boise State football crushes Utah State, will host Mountain West title game
The Boise State football team will host the Mountain West championship game for the third straight year.
The No. 20 Broncos rolled to victory Saturday night at Maverik Stadium, defeating Utah State 56-21. The win clinches the Mountain Division title for the Broncos for the third straight year.
Boise State (10-1, 7-0 MW) also secured the Mountain West’s best conference record, earning it the chance to host the Mountain West title game Dec. 7. The Broncos will face Hawaii, a 14-11 winner over San Diego State on Saturday night.
Boise State blew out Hawaii 59-37 on Oct 12 at Albertsons Stadium.
[Related: Holani leads Boise State to division title; Finally, Broncos show what they can really do; Broncos bring back ‘Statue’ play]
The Broncos will close the regular season Friday at Colorado State (4-7, 3-4) — trying to sweep the Mountain West schedule for the first time in their nine years in the league. They have won 14 straight games within the Mountain Division.
The championship game will begin at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at Albertsons Stadium and air on ESPN. Tickets are on sale now for $45 in the main stadium, $35 in the curves and south end zone, and $25 in the north end zone. Season-ticket holders have until 2 p.m. Dec. 3 to reserve their tickets. Student tickets are free and are available beginning at 8 a.m. Monday.
The Broncos won the Mountain West championship game in 2014 and 2017 and lost in 2018, all at home against Fresno State.
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
BSU — John Hightower 30 pass from Jaylon Henderson (Eric Sachse kick), 13:21. Key plays: Tailback George Holani busted a 35-yard run on the first play and wide receiver CT Thomas added a 12-yard catch on second-and-12. Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:39. Boise State 7, Utah State 0
USU — Caleb Repp 7 pass from Jordan Love (Dominik Eberle kick), 7:28. Key plays: Love scrambled and found Jordan Nathan along the sideline for 25 yards, then dropped a perfect pass to Deven Thompkins for 47 yards. Repp one-handed the touchdown catch on third-and-goal. Drive: 11 plays, 86 yards, 3:10. Boise State 7, Utah State 7
BSU — Jalen Walker 15 interception return (Sachse kick), 5:14. Boise State 14, Utah State 7
BSU — Holani 5 run (Sachse kick), 1:20. Key plays: Holani gained 36 yards on third-and-1, then took a Statue handoff from Henderson for the TD run. Drive: 5 plays, 61 yards, 2:28. Boise State 21, Utah State 7
Second quarter
BSU — Holani 1 run (Sachse kick), 11:50. Key plays: Hightower gained 17 yards on another shovel sweep and tailback Andrew Van Buren added a 16-yard run. Left tackle Ezra Cleveland got a carry on first-and-goal at the 4 on an end-around but was stopped at the 1. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:10. Boise State 28, Utah State 7
BSU — Robert Mahone 1 run (Sachse kick), 6:11. Key plays: Holani broke a 21-yard run, Khalil Shakir made a 13-yard reception and Henderson darted 23 yards on a keeper. Drive: 10 plays, 84 yards, 4:06. Boise State 35, Utah State 7
BSU — Shakir 14 pass from Henderson (Sachse kick), :19. Key plays: An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Utah State’s DJ Williams got the Broncos their initial first down, and Williams got another later in the drive to cause his ejection. Henderson added a 17-yard run. Drive: 14 plays, 75 yards, 4:02. Boise State 42, Utah State 7
Third quarter
BSU — Avery Williams 74 punt return (Sachse kick), 12:28. Boise State 49, Utah State 7
BSU — CT Thomas 15 pass from Henderson (Sachse kick), 4:32. Key plays: Holani ran for 16 and 13 yards and Van Buren added a 14-yarder. Drive: 12 plays, 83 yards, 6:17. Boise State 56, Utah State 7
USU — Gerold Bright 6 run (Eberle kick), :26. Drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:06. Boise State 56, Utah State 14
USU — Henry Colombi 2 run (Eberle kick), 1:40. Drive: 13 plays, 84 yards, 4:58. Boise State 56, Utah State 21
NEWS AND NOTES
Henderson starts at quarterback
Boise State senior third-stringer Jaylon Henderson started at quarterback for the second straight game. Starter Hank Bachmeier and backup Chase Cord didn’t play, but both took part in warm-ups.
Henderson started last weekend’s 42-9 win over New Mexico. He opened the game with a 97-yard scoring drive and finished 15-of-28 for 292 yards and three touchdown passes to three different receivers.
Bachmeier started the first six games of the season before missing the Broncos’ loss at BYU. He returned the next week for the San Jose State game and sustained what looked like a shoulder injury. Cord started against BYU and Wyoming. He and Bachmeier were both in uniform against New Mexico but neither played.
Quevedo out in latest O-line injury
After exiting last weekend’s game against New Mexico with an apparent leg injury, Boise State right guard Eric Quevedo missed a start for the first time this season Saturday. Redshirt junior Jake Stetz started in his place.
In the third quarter against New Mexico, Quevedo’s legs were trapped beneath a pile and he went down awkwardly.
Quevedo’s absence created the sixth different starting group on the Broncos’ offensive line this season.
Fast starts with backup QBs
Boise State has scored a touchdown on its opening drive in all four games with a backup quarterback this season. They went 75 yards on four plays against Utah State, capped by a 30-yard reception by John Hightower on a shovel sweep.
The other opening drives were nine plays for 70 yards against BYU, 12 for 92 against Wyoming and eight for 97 against New Mexico.
First-half finishing
Boise State scored a touchdown with 19 seconds left in the first half at Utah State — giving the Broncos a score in the final 30 seconds of the first half in all five road games so far this year. They also have scored in the final minute of the first half in nine straight road games.
Quick hits
Boise State wore white pants and jerseys with blue helmets. ... Long snapper Daniel Cantrell carried the Hammer. ... Utah State won the coin toss and deferred. ... Defensive tackle Sonatane Lui was the single-game captain. ... Utah State quarterback Jordan Love started after leaving the previous game early with an injury. ... The Broncos have won at least 10 games in each of the past four seasons and five times in coach Bryan Harsin’s six seasons. They have 10 wins in 17 of the past 21 seasons.
THIS WEEK’S COVERAGE
Three keys and three score predictions
Who has the edge and players to watch
Boise State overcomes red-zone struggles
Former Boise State OC Mike Sanford leads Aggies offense
Hightower makes a veteran’s day
It’s ‘championship week’ for the Broncos
Boise State slips closer to Cincinnati, Memphis
Henderson earns MW honor in first start
This story was originally published November 23, 2019 at 7:56 PM.
