Ask an Oklahoma State writer: Cowboys hope healthy QB helps running game at Boise State
The Boise State football team will make history this weekend.
When Oklahoma State comes to town on Saturday (7 p.m., FS1), it will be the first team from the Big 12 that Boise State has hosted in a regular-season game in Albertsons Stadium.
The Broncos defeated Iowa State in the 2002 Humanitarian Bowl in what was then called Bronco Stadium. Boise State is 2-2 all-time against the Big 12 — including a loss at Oklahoma State in 2018 and what may be the biggest win in program history, 43-42 in overtime against Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
“It’s an unbelievable opportunity for Bronco Nation and the (Treasure) Valley to be able to get games like this to come into our stadium,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos told reporters Monday. “We’ve got a great challenge in front of us. We know for our fan base, these are the types of games that excite them.”
Saturday’s game in Boise is another chance for the Broncos to prove they belong on the field with Power 5 teams. That may be especially relevant after reports surfaced about a possible second round of expansion by the Big 12, with Boise State and Memphis as potential targets.
BYU, UCF, Houston and Cincinnati have all accepted invitations to join the conference. Avalos said he and the Broncos haven’t given it much thought.
“We’re just focused on our next opportunity. All the other stuff that we don’t control, we don’t worry about,” Avalos said. “What we control is what we learned from our last opportunity and applying it to this week.”
Oklahoma State comes to town with a 2-0 record after close wins over Missouri State (23-16) and Tulsa (28-23). The offense has been far from prolific, ranking last in the Big 12 with 97 rushing yards a game and No. 8 out of 10 teams with 341 yards of total offense a game.
The Cowboys’ passing game ranks No. 4 in the conference (244 yards a game), even though quarterback Spencer Sanders made his season debut last week against Tulsa. He missed the season opener because he was in COVID-19 protocols, but Sanders threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns and led the team with 62 rushing yards against the Golden Hurricane.
In preparation for Saturday’s game, the Oklahoma State beat writer for The Oklahoman, Scott Wright, sat down with the Idaho Statesman to preview the matchup.
1. What is QB Spencer Sanders’ strength on the field?
His biggest strength and biggest weapon is his ability to run the football. He had two big runs in the fourth quarter against Tulsa to seal that game. One, a 37-yarder, that set up the final touchdown, and another on third-and-8 when he rushed for 9 yards and got the last first down they needed in the game. His biggest weapon is his feet and his ability to get out of the pocket and run. He can throw on the run, but he’s especially dangerous when he takes off.
2. What impact have seven super seniors had on the team?
They’ve had a big impact. Six are starters, and the seventh is a tight end, Logan Carter, who would be a starter but he’s been injured the first two games and could be out for a while. Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez is the most impactful of them all. He’s the leading tackler on the team with 28 through two games, and he’s a guy who has taken another step above what he was a year ago, and he was a really talented linebacker a year ago.
He’s a guy who is a playmaker and a really reliable tackler. When he gets his hands on somebody, they’re going to the ground. He’s making plays all over the field, and he looks more patient in making plays and where he’s attacking and he’s making better decisions because of it.
3. Where does Oklahoma State need to improve on offense?
That’s the million-dollar question in Stillwater right now. Everyone, including coaches, thought they were going to have a little bit of a better offensive line than they’ve had this year, and it hasn’t been up to what they expected. They have four really talented running backs and they’re trying to cycle them all through and get them all touches in every game, and that’s been a challenge. They went from 1.9 yards per carry in the first game to 3.3 in the second, so they’re making strides.
They shuffled some guys on the offensive line, moving Cole Birmingham from right guard to left tackle, and they feel pretty comfortable with him there after a long left tackle battle in the preseason that went into the first game. They had two guys rotating through at that position, and they’ve moved both of them to the bench now. They’re trying to patch things together as best they can on the offensive line and figuring out where guys belong.
4. How is Oklahoma State viewing this game on The Blue against a Group of Five opponent?
This is definitely their biggest nonconference game of the year and the first road trip of the year, so it’s really important. Everybody is curious what playing on the blue turf is like and how that’s going to affect things. But this is a game that Oklahoma State has known was coming for a while and one it’s been preparing for.
With the way Oklahoma State’s first two games have gone, it’s an even more important game because they really need to build some confidence before they head into conference play.
5. What is going to decide this game?
I think it’s going to be a real defensive battle and it’s going to come down to whether Oklahoma State can run the ball and if Boise State can stop the run.
I think Oklahoma State is going to have some schematic changes this week to help out their young wideouts, and they’re going to get some guys healthy, including Tay Martin, their top receiver from week one. I think Oklahoma State is able to pull this one out in a close one, 20-17.
6. What made UCF, BYU, Houston and Cincinnati obvious choices for round one of Big 12 expansion, and what are Boise State’s chances?
I don’t know they were obvious choices. I think it was a difficult process. But if you look at all of them, they’re all in or really close to major TV markets. They’re really big schools with good football in recent years or for a long time, in terms of a program like BYU. The combination of those two things is something that was really important.
As far as Boise State, I think they were right there on the cusp. They had to be in the top list of the programs that were looked at for this move. If they keep doing what they’re doing and the Big 12 decides to make another move, they’re going to be right there.
I think Boise State has put themselves in a good position, and I was a little surprised they weren’t in the top four in this first round of expansion. If there is another round, I think there’s a very good chance that Boise State is included.
OKLAHOMA STATE AT BOISE STATE
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Albertsons Stadium
TV: FS1 (Aaron Goldsmith, Mark Helfrich). That’s channel 146 on Sparklight, 219 on DirecTV and 150 on Dish Network.
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 1-1; Oklahoma State 2-0
Series: This is the second meeting between the programs. Oklahoma State won the first, 44-21, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in 2018.
Vegas line: Boise State by 4.5
Weather: High of 79 degrees, 24% chance of rain, 10 mph winds
This story was originally published September 15, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
