Final: Boise State 49, Air Force 30; QB Sears shines in surprise start for Broncos
Dare we say it? There’s a quarterback battle brewing at Boise State.
Starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier did not make the trip to Air Force for an undisclosed reason, opening the door for backup Jack Sears.
The graduate transfer from USC threw as many touchdowns as he did incompletions in No. 25 Boise State’s 49-30 victory over Air Force on Saturday at Falcon Stadium.
Sears was 17-for-20 passing for 280 yards and three touchdowns, and he also rushed for 36 yards and another score on five carries.
Boise State (2-0) entered the Mountain West matchup fresh off a season-opening 42-13 win against Utah State, while Air Force (1-2) was hoping to recover from a 17-6 loss to San Jose State. The Falcons beat Navy 40-7 on Oct. 3.
Follow the action with our scoring summary, news and notes, and tweets below:
SCORING SUMMARY
First quarter
BSU — CT Thomas 75 pass from Jack Sears (Jonah Dalmas kick), 14:50. Key play: Getting his first start for the Broncos with sophomore QB Hank Bachmeier out for an undisclosed reason, Sears connected with Thomas on the first play of the game. Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:10. Boise State 7, Air Force 0
AF — Brandon Lewis 7 run (Tevye Schuettpelz-Rohl kick), 9:27. Key plays: Lewis set the tone for the Falcons with four carries for 56 yards on their opening drive. He started the game with a 26-yard run. Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 5:23. Boise State 7, Air Force 7
AF — Matthew Murla 1 run (Schuettpelz-Rohl kick), 3:23. Key play: Elija Robinson’s first carry of the game went for 50 yards to get the Falcons to the BSU 21-yard line. Drive: 6 plays, 87 yards, 2:50. Air Force 14, Boise State 7
Second quarter
BSU — Andrew Van Buren 4 run (Dalmas kick), 13:14. Key plays: QB-turned-TE Riley Smith took an end-around 20 yards to the Air Force 15. Van Buren, in for injured starter George Holani, carried the ball five times for 19 yards on the drive. Drive: 10 plays, 78 yards, 5:03. Boise State 14, Air Force 14
AF — Schuettpelz-Rohl 31 field goal, 6:53. Key play: Boise State linebacker Ezekiel Noa limited the Falcons’ damage by wrapping up Warren Bryan for a 2-yard loss on third-and-8 from the BSU 12-yard line, forcing the Falcons to settle for the field goal. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 6:21. Air Force 17, Boise State 14
BSU — Van Buren 1 run (Dalmas kick), 2:27. Key plays: Boise State’s tight ends were active on this drive, getting a 5-yard reception from John Bates and a 16-yard run from Smith that set up first-and-goal at the Air Force 4-yard line. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 4:21. Boise State 21, Air Force 17
BSU — Octavius Evans 21 pass from Sears (Dalmas kick), 0:47. Key plays: Bates caught two passes on this drive — including a 16-yarder — and Sears used his legs to gain 22 yards on two carries. Drive: 5 plays, 63 yards, 0:35. Boise State 28, Air Force 17
Third quarter
BSU — Thomas 26 pass from Sears (Dalmas kick), 0:54. Key play: Skyview High grad and redshirt freshman Tyler Crowe got a rare 15-yard reception to put the Broncos on the Air Force 25-yard line. Drive: 6 plays, 78 yards, 3:08. Boise State 35, Air Force 17
Fourth quarter
AF — Murla 7 run (Schuettpelz-Rohl kick), 11:24. Key plays: Jordan Gidrey rushed for 7 yards on fourth-and-1 from the Boise State 25 to keep the Falcons’ drive alive. Ben Peterson added an 18-yard run on the next play, setting up Murla’s score. Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 4:30. Boise State 35, Air Force 24
BSU — Avery Williams 88 kickoff return (Dalmas kick), 11:13. Key play: The reigning Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year scored the sixth special teams return touchdown of his career. Boise State 42, Air Force 24
BSU — Sears 1 run (Dalmas kick), 7:24. Key plays: True freshman quarterback Cade Fennegan got his first two plays as a Bronco on this drive, including a 5-yard TD run that was called back. Sears completed a 47-yard pass to Khalil Shakir to get the Broncos to the Air Force 5. Drive: 6 plays, 63 yards, 2:35. Boise State 49, Air Force 24
AF — Bo Gross 5 run (run failed), 2:04. Key play: Air Force completed just its fourth pass of the game — a 31-yarder from Ben Brittain to Rhett Harms — to reach the BSU 5. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:20. Boise State 49, Air Force 30
NEWS & NOTES
Boise State’s Bachmeier, Skinner out
Boise State was without starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier and safety JL Skinner for Saturday’s game at Air Force.
Bachmeier and Skinner were two of 29 players inactive for the game, including those who aren’t part of the usual travel roster. Bachmeier and Skinner were the only starters out.
Boise State did not specify which players were out because of positive COVID-19 tests or those missing the game because of injury or disciplinary reasons, but the team did indicate that just one player was missing because of a positive test.
The previous week, the Broncos did not have any players out because of positive tests. Bachmeier completed 20-of-28 passes for 268 yards and four total touchdowns (three passing) in a 42-13 win over Utah State.
The Mountain West has not designated how long a player must be out after a positive test. In the Pac-12, players that test positive can’t return to competition earlier than 14 days. In the Big Ten, players who test positive must miss at least 21 days.
A Mountain West spokesperson said Saturday that the conference is adhering to CDC guidelines when it comes to positive tests, which suggest an infected person isolate for no fewer than 10 days.
Graduate transfer Jack Sears, who transferred from USC, made his first start as a Bronco. Sears was the fourth starting QB in eight games for Boise State.
Teams can only dress 74 players for games this season due to Mountain West COVID-19 protocols.
Holani, Washington, Igiehon injured
Boise State sophomore running back George Holani left Saturday’s game in the first quarter with an apparent leg injury. He had two carries for 5 yards.
CBS Sports Network announced on its broadcast that Holani was spotted on the sideline wearing a knee brace.
Junior Andrew Van Buren replaced Holani in the lineup. Van Buren rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Demetri Washington was helped off the field in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury. He was replaced by JUCO transfer Shane Irwin. Washington was later shown on the TV broadcast being carted off to the locker room and was visibly upset.
Scale Igiehon was spotted limping around the field Saturday after suffering an ankle sprain last week. Keeghan Freeborn replaced Igiehon at nose tackle.
Cadet attendance optional
Fans were not allowed in Falcon Stadium for the game because of COVID-19, but around 4,300 cadets were expected to be in attendance.
Air Force announced a couple hours before the game that attendance by cadets would be optional, though, because the academy had moved into a higher phase of COVID-19 protocols. Cadet attendance was previously mandatory.
There were no fans in Albertsons Stadium for the Broncos’ 42-13 win over Utah State in the season opener.
Bowl games announced
Dates and locations for the 2020 college football bowl season were announced Friday, including the six bowls open for Mountain West teams.
The L.A. Bowl replaces the Las Vegas Bowl as the conference’s top tie-in. The Mountain West champion will play in the game on Dec. 30 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, unless it qualifies for a New Year’s Six bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. MT, and the game will air on ESPN.
The Mountain West’s representative will face a team from the Pac-12.
The Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will be played Dec. 22 at Albertsons Stadium and feature teams from the Mountain West and MAC. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m., and the game will air on ESPN.
The New Mexico Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 24 at Dreamstyle Stadium in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and features an opponent from Conference USA or the MAC. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. MT and the game will air on ESPN.
The Arizona Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 31 at Arizona Stadium in Tuscon, Arizona, and will feature an opponent from the MAC. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. MT, and the game will air on CBS Sports Network.
The conference also has agreements with the Guaranteed Rate Bowl (formerly the Cactus Bowl), which is scheduled for Dec. 26 at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. If the Big 12 and Big Ten don’t have enough qualifying teams, a Mountain West team will be eligible. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. MT, and the game will air on ESPN.
The Mountain West also has an agreement to play in an ESPN-operated bowl game that is likely to be held in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, according to a press release from the conference.
The conference has two less options this year as the Hawaii Bowl and Redbox Bowl (formerly the San Francisco Bowl) are two of six bowl games that have already been canceled.
Quick hits
Linebacker Nick Provenzano carried the Dan Paul Hammer, linebacker Bruno DeRose carried the U.S. flag and running back George Holani carried the Bleed Blue flag. ... The Broncos wore white jerseys, orange pants and white helmets. ... Boise State won the coin toss and elected to receive. ... Air Force starting QB Haaziq Daniels left with an injury on the Falcons’ first play of their second drive. He was replaced by Warren Bryan. ... Avery Williams and Kekaula Kaniho started at safety for the Broncos. Skinner was a late scratch, and Tyreque Jones was injured last week and played sparingly vs. the Falcons. ... With Octavius Evans’ 21-yard TD reception with 47 seconds to play, Boise State has scored in the final minute of the first half in 11 straight road games. ... The last time the Broncos had scored on their first offensive play from scrimmage was on Nov. 20, 2015, on Jeremy McNichols’ 83-yard run against Air Force. ... Skyview High graduate and redshirt freshman Tyler Crowe hauled in his first career reception on a 15-yard pass from quarterback Jack Sears late in the third quarter. ... Avery Williams scored the sixth special teams touchdown of his Boise State career on an 88-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter.
THIS WEEK’S COVERAGE
Boise State TE Bates is a soon-to-be-married man — and a key part of the Broncos’ offense
Keys to victory, matchups and predictions for Boise State football’s road test at Air Force
Boise State RB Holani developed his ‘uncanny’ vision before stepping on a football field
The secret weapon in Boise State quarterback Bachmeier’s preparation? His girlfriend
Broncos expect unexpected at Air Force; men’s basketball won’t open season vs. Kansas
Boise State just missed the preseason AP Top 25. Then the Broncos dominated Utah State.
Learning to appreciate the weirdness of Boise State’s successful, ‘special’ home opener
This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 3:26 PM.
