Final: Boise State 31, Colorado State 24; Broncos sweep Mountain West
The Boise State football team completed its first 8-0 run through the Mountain West on Friday at Colorado State.
The No. 20 Broncos held on for a 31-24 victory, with wide receiver Khalil Shakir making a diving catch on third-and-6 to allow them to run out the clock.
Boise State had lost at least one conference game in all eight of its previous Mountain West seasons. The Broncos also are 11-1 for the first time since 2011, their first year in the Mountain West.
[Related: ‘We wrote history’; Instant Analysis: QB question lingers; Big day for Collingham]
“It feels pretty awesome right now,” coach Bryan Harsin said on CBS Sports Network. “... To do this and to do something that no other Boise State team has done, that’s pretty awesome.”
Senior Jaylon Henderson, who was the third-string quarterback a few weeks ago, started for the third straight game. He was 26-for-36 for 253 yards and two touchdowns, and he rushed for a TD. He didn’t commit a turnover.
Shakir made seven catches for 103 yards, CT Thomas added five catches for 53 yards and a TD and tight end Garrett Collingham scored two touchdowns. That compensated for a run game that struggled, with George Holani held to 42 yards on 18 carries.
Defensively, safety Tyreque Jones and STUD end Curtis Weaver grabbed interceptions while safety Kekoa Nawahine made a team-high nine tackles.
This was our live blog. Check out the scoring summary and tweets about the game below:
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
CSU — Jaylen Thomas 3 run (Braxton Davis kick), 11:12. Key plays: Trey McBride made a 14-yard catch and Marcus McElroy broke a 23-yard run. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:48. Colorado State 7, Boise State 0
BSU — Garrett Collingham 2 run (Eric Sachse kick), 2:34. Key plays: The drive was extended by a running into the kicker penalty on the Broncos’ punt, then quarterback Jaylon Henderson hit wide receiver CT Thomas for 7 and 11 yards. On second-and-11, Henderson avoided two rushers and delivered a strike to wide receiver John Hightower for 18 yards with a third rusher in his face. Drive: 17 plays, 73 yards, 8:32. Colorado State 7, Boise State 7
Second quarter
BSU — Thomas 5 pass from Henderson (Sachse kick), 14:55. Key plays: Safety Tyreque Jones grabbed an intererception and returned it 15 yards to the Colorado State 20. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir added a 14-yard reception. Drive: 5 plays, 20 yards, 2:31. Boise State 14, Colorado State 7
CSU — Warren Jackson 16 pass from Patrick O’Brien (Davis kick), 8:47. Key plays: Jaylen Thomas made a 25-yard reception and McBride made a tough, 4-yard catch on fourth-and-2. McBride added a 17-yard catch on third-and-14 before the TD. Drive: 12 plays, 81 yards, 6:04. Boise State 14, Colorado State 14
BSU — Collingham 3 pass from Henderson (Sachse kick), 1:16. Key plays: Henderson converted a pair of fourth-and-1s on quarterback sneaks, gaining 4 and 5 yards. Hightower also made a 23-yard catch. Drive: 14 plays, 79 yards, 7:25. Boise State 21, Colorado State 14
BSU — Sachse 39 field goal, :18. Key plays: STUD end Curtis Weaver tipped and intercepted a pass to give the Broncos the ball at the CSU 26. Tight end John Bates dropped a pass in the end zone, though, which forced the field goal. Drive: 4 plays, 4 yards, :23. Boise State 24, Colorado State 14
Third quarter
CSU — McBride 28 pass from O’Brien (Davis kick), 3:49. Key plays: O’Brien found Jackson for 3 yards on third-and-1, McBride for 8 and 12 yards and Jackson again for 17 on third-and-7. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:30. Boise State 24, Colorado State 21
Fourth quarter
BSU — Henderson 1 run (Sachse kick), 11:26. Key plays: Shakir made a leaping, 35-yard catch, and Thomas made a toe-tapping, sideline catch for 23 yards on back-to-back plays. Andrew Van Buren added a 15-yard run. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 2:19. Boise State 31, Colorado State 21
CSU — Davis 34 field goal, 8:02. Key plays: Thomas ran for 14 yards and made a 15-yard catch. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 3:18. Boise State 31, Colorado State 24
NEWS AND NOTES
Henderson starts again
Boise State quarterback Jaylon Henderson made his third start in a row Saturday at Colorado State.
Henderson’s first two starts produced a pair of wins and 98 points. Against New Mexico, he threw touchdowns to three different receivers and led the Broncos to a 42-9 win. He wasn’t quite as crisp in the passing game last week at Utah State, but he didn’t turn the ball over, made plays with his legs and helped Boise State clinch its third straight Mountain Division title with a 56-21 win.
True freshman Hank Bachmeier started the first six games of the season, but he hasn’t played since he suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury at San Jose State — a game he exited after taking a hit on a scramble and returned to finish.
Sophomore Chase Cord started at BYU and against Wyoming, but he hasn’t played since the Broncos’ 20-17 win in overtime against the Cowboys. Cord also took a hit in that game that briefly sent him to the medical tent, but he returned to finish.
Bachmeier and Cord have both been in uniform the past two games, and on Monday Boise State coach Bryan Harsin suggested both could play if needed.
“There’s no season-ending injuries. Guys are all available to play,” Harsin said. “If guys need to play, they can play.”
CBS Sports Network reported that Harsin told its announcers Bachmeier and Cord “probably” would play and are healthy. But neither played.
Happle, Quevedo, Reed out
Boise State’s secondary was down a couple of players at Colorado State.
After starting the past two games, safety Jordan Happle missed the game with an undisclosed injury. Tyreque Jones started in his place. Reserve cornerback Markel Reed, who has seen extensive playing time in place of Avery Williams in recent weeks, also was out.
Right guard Eric Quevedo missed his second straight game. He left the Broncos’ win over New Mexico in the second half after getting his legs trapped under a pile of bodies and going down awkwardly. Redshirt junior Jake Stetz started at right guard.
First-half finishing
Boise State’s Eric Sachse kicked a field goal with 18 seconds left in the first half Friday — giving the Broncos a score in the final 30 seconds of the first half in all six road games this year. They also have scored in the final minute of the first half in 10 straight road games.
Quick hits
Boise State wore all white with the orange helmet logo. ... Colorado State wore all green. ... The game-time temperature was 28 degrees. ... Colorado State won the coin toss and took the ball. ... Boise State has trailed in eight of its 12 games this season. ...
THIS WEEK’S COVERAGE
Holani closes in on exclusive club
Who has the edge and players to watch
Broncos thriving with three QBs
Hatada ‘bleeds blue to the core’
Broncos contending for New Year’s Six bowl
Boise State can make history vs. Colorado State
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 12:59 PM.
