Instant analysis: Defense leads Boise State past Wyoming in regular-season finale
Final score: Boise State 17, Wyoming 9
Records: Boise State 5-1, 5-0 Mountain West. Wyoming 2-4, 2-4.
Why the Broncos won: The defense did its job and shut down Wyoming. The Cowboys managed just 68 yards of offense in the first half, and finished the game with 146. The Broncos forced Wyoming to punt on seven straight possessions and held the Cowboys to 2-of-17 on third down. Star running back Xazavian Valladay was limited to 59 yards, and the Broncos pestered Wyoming quarterback Levi Williams all day and recorded five sacks.
Main takeaway: Playing in cold, snowy conditions on a day when its red zone scoring streak came to an end and its special teams looked ordinary, Boise State still found a way to end the regular season with a win. That alone gives the Broncos a lot of momentum heading into next weekend’s championship game. But the Broncos may have to face San Jose State without running back George Holani, who returned to the field Saturday for the first time since Oct. 31 but never looked completely healthy and left the game in the third quarter holding his left knee.
[Related: Boise State plays a little snow football to complete sweep of Mountain West schedule]
Player of the game: Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir. The junior ended the first half as the Broncos’ leading rusher and receiver, and he finished the game with eight catches for 105 yards, marking his fourth 100-yard receiving game of the season. He also finished with five carries for 38 yards.
Play of the game: Boise State needed to put a scoring drive together after Wyoming cut its lead to four points late in the third quarter, and Shakir came up with a big catch on third down to keep it alive. The Broncos were facing third-and-5, and quarterback Hank Bachmeier found Shakir on a 33-yard pass, which put the ball on Wyoming’s 22-yard line. Six plays later, Andrew Van Buren plunged into the end zone to give the Broncos a 17-6 lead.
What’s next: Boise State will face San Jose State (6-0, 6-0) on Dec. 19 in the Mountain West championship game. It will be the Broncos’ fourth straight appearance in the title game and the Spartans’ first in program history. The venue, kickoff time and TV broadcast information are expected to be announced Sunday.
[Related: Boise State football faced Wyoming with coaches on the inactive list. ‘That’s not normal.’]
This story was originally published December 12, 2020 at 7:27 PM.
