Boise State’s 2020 football schedule is front-loaded with home games. Check it out here.
The Boise State football team’s 2020 schedule was released Thursday.
Games still could be moved to Thursdays or Fridays, and kickoff times and TV info will be announced later as the Mountain West TV partners, Fox and CBS Sports, begin selecting games to broadcast. But per the guidelines in the conference’s latest TV rights deal, because the Broncos’ game against BYU is already scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, only one more home game can be moved out of a Saturday time slot.
The Broncos play four of their first six games at home and seven home games overall. They’ll be home on Halloween and Thanksgiving weekend. They went 12-2 last season, posted their first undefeated run through the Mountain West Conference and won their second conference title in three years.
Home is where the heart is
Boise State will play seven home games this fall for the first time since 2009. The Broncos last opened the season in Albertsons Stadium in 2017, and they’ll host an ACC team on The Blue in the regular season for just the second time in program history.
The season opens Sept. 5 against Georgia Southern — a program from the Sun Belt Conference, which ranked No. 7 in the country last fall with 253.2 rushing yards a game thanks to its option offense. The Eagles finished 7-6 after falling to Liberty in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl.
Boise State returns to The Blue on Sept. 19 for a rematch of last fall’s season opener against Florida State. The only other team the Broncos have hosted in the regular season from the ACC was Virginia in 2017 — a game Boise State lost 42-23.
Last season’s opener was supposed to be in Jacksonville, Florida, but it was relocated last minute to Tallahassee because of Hurricane Dorian. Despite the distraction, Boise State rallied from an 18-point deficit and shut out the Seminoles in the second half of a 36-31 victory.
The Broncos also welcome Mountain West foes San Jose State, Utah State and UNLV to town in October, and they host rival BYU on Nov. 6. Last fall in Provo, Utah, Boise State was without starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier thanks to a hit he took the week before against Hawaii and the Cougars handed the Broncos their only regular-season loss.
Boise State ends the regular season on The Blue on Nov. 28 against Colorado State in a game that should be a showdown between two of the top wide receivers in the conference.
The Broncos’ Khalil Shakir led the Broncos last fall with 63 catches, was second on the team with 872 yards and six touchdowns through the air and added three rushing scores and his first career touchdown pass. Colorado State’s 6-foot-6, 219-pound Warren Jackson was fifth in the Mountain West with 77 catches and fourth with 1,119 receiving yards. He also added eight receiving touchdowns.
Mountain West title defense
When Boise State opens its conference schedule on the road Sept. 12 at Air Force, it will be the earliest Mountain West game the Broncos have played since hosting Colorado State in week two of the 2014 season — Bryan Harsin’s first as head coach.
Like Georgia Southern, Air Force’s offense is powered by the option. The Falcons ranked No. 2 in the country last fall with 298.5 rushing yards a game, and they’re led once again by one of the Mountain West’s most athletic quarterbacks in Donald Hammond III.
The Broncos travel to West Virginia Sept. 26 for a second crack at Marshall — a team Boise State hung on to beat 14-7 last season. They’ll make the trip to Hawaii on Oct. 24 for a rematch of the 2019 Mountain West championship game, and the Broncos will wrap up their road schedule with back-to-back games at New Mexico (Nov. 14) and Wyoming (Nov. 21).
Spring football schedule
Boise State will open spring practice March 6 with a session in Albertsons Stadium from 7 to 9 p.m., which is open to the public. Access to seating will be available through Gates A and D, and parking in the west stadium lot will be free.
Fans will also have access to the field after practice for a meet-and-greet with players and coaches.
Boise State’s Pro Day is scheduled for April 2, and the Broncos’ 2020 Spring Game will be held April 11.
Season tickets
Most season-ticket prices in the main stadium will not increase in 2020.
The only changes can be found in section 126, a main stadium location, where the Bronco Athletic Association per-seat contribution has been removed, and the north end zone, which increased to $149. Additionally, a $9 fee per season ticket has been added for capital improvements, and the per-seat contribution for red and blue sections of the stadium has increased slightly.
Boise State’s 2020 schedule
Sept. 5: vs. Georgia Southern
Sept. 12: at Air Force
Sept. 19: vs. Florida State
Sept. 26: at Marshall
Oct. 3: vs. San Jose State
Oct. 17: vs. Utah State
Oct. 24: at Hawaii
Oct. 31: vs. UNLV
Nov. 6 (Friday): vs. BYU
Nov. 14: at New Mexico
Nov. 21: at Wyoming
Nov. 28: vs. Colorado State
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 11:53 AM.
