Instant Analysis: Boise State beats Colorado State as QB question lingers
Final score: Boise State 31, Colorado State 24
Records: Boise State is 11-1 overall, 8-0 Mountain West; Colorado State is 4-8, 3-5.
Why the Broncos won: The Broncos made the critical plays, forcing two first-half turnovers, converting a pair of fourth-and-1s on one touchdown drive, getting a gotta-have-it stop leading by three in the fourth quarter and putting together their first scoring drive in nearly 20 minutes of game time immediately after that stop. They closed out the win with a key sack on defense and a third-down conversion on a diving catch by Khalil Shakir. It wasn’t a dominant or consistent performance, but the Broncos got the win on the road in tough conditions (cold weather, tiny crowd).
What it means: This isn’t the best team Boise State has fielded in its nine-year Mountain West era — but the 2019 Broncos can say something none of the others could. They went undefeated in Mountain West play, winning all eight conference games. That’s a huge accomplishment.
“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.”
The Broncos also stayed in the running for a berth in the Cotton Bowl — although they’ll need Cincinnati to upset Memphis in next week’s American Athletic Conference championship game (Memphis beat Cincinnati on Friday to close the regular season). Boise State plays Hawaii for the Mountain West title next Saturday and also would need to win that game.
Outside of the Cotton Bowl, the Broncos likely would land in the Las Vegas Bowl against Washington State (6-6).
[Related: ‘We wrote history’; Big day for Collingham; scoring summary]
What’s less clear is what Friday’s game said about the Broncos’ quarterback situation. Harsin has been coy about it in recent weeks, but CBS Sports Network reported that he told the broadcast crew Hank Bachmeier and Chase Cord were healthy and “probably” would play against Colorado State. Neither did.
So is Jaylon Henderson, who was the third-stringer when November began, the full-time starter now? He’s led the Broncos to three straight wins, two of them on the road.
Or is Harsin still trying to keep everyone guessing — with Bachmeier, who started seven of the first eight games, ready to jump into the starting lineup for the Mountain West title game?
The fact that Harsin didn’t go to Bachmeier with the offense struggling in the second half at Colorado State would seem to indicate that it’s Henderson’s job, at least through the title game.
Harsin was non-committal after the game, but did say he doesn’t have a problem inserting Bachmeier or Cord after their layoffs (four games for Bachmeier, three for Cord).
“I know that’s always going to be the question,” Harsin said, “but right now, Jaylon’s been playing well and Hank’s ready to play and those guys are ready to play. It could have been a situation tonight where we put one of those guys in there. I don’t feel like it’s a cold quarterback. I don’t feel that way about that position. Maybe I would have in other years, but this year I don’t because all the guys have played. It’s just a different group and a different set of circumstances this season at the quarterback position.
“I’m very proud of Jaylon. ... Jaylon’s done a good job, and I feel good with Jaylon and I feel like he’ll prepare himself. And I feel good about Hank and Chase, and those guys will be ready to go, too.”
Player of the game: Boise State wide receivers Khalil Shakir and CT Thomas repeatedly kept drives alive with their playmaking — and that was highlighted by a fourth-quarter touchdown drive. Shakir made a leaping catch in traffic for 35 yards and Thomas tapped his toes just inside the sideline for a 23-yard catch on back-to-back plays. They combined for 12 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown — including a diving catch by Shakir for the game-clinching first down.
Play of the game: Boise State STUD end Curtis Weaver showed late in the first half that he’s more than just an elite pass rusher. He jumped to deflect a pass, then collected the deflection for an interception. The Broncos kicked a field goal moments later for a 24-14 halftime lead — the Broncos’ largest lead to that point.
What’s next: Boise State hosts Hawaii at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 at Albertsons Stadium in the Mountain West championship game (ESPN).
This story was originally published November 29, 2019 at 5:07 PM.
