Instant analysis: RB Holani is big in return to full health as Boise State routs Fresno
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Boise State 40, Fresno State 14
Boise State running back George Holani played a full game without limitations for the first time this season and the defense forced three turnovers as the Broncos rolled at No. 25 Fresno State.
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Instant analysis: RB Holani is big in return to full health as Boise State routs Fresno
Final: Boise State 40, No. 25 Fresno State 14; Broncos get five sacks, three picks
Final score: Boise State 40, Fresno State 14
Records: Boise State 5-4, 3-2. Fresno State 7-3, 4-2.
Why the Broncos won: With a healthy George Holani to lean on, Boise State committed to the running game Saturday evening, and he finished with 117 yards on the ground as the team rushed for 187. It was his first 100-yard rushing game since he racked up exactly 100 in Boise State’s 2020 season opener against Utah State. The defense also continued its stingy ways, holding Fresno State to seven points in the first half and intercepting three passes from Bulldogs quarterback Jake Haener.
Boise State QB Hank Bachmeier didn’t make any major mistakes and finished 15-for-27 for 283 yards and a touchdown, and star wide receiver Khalil Shakir finished with a team-high seven catches for 67 yards. The Broncos also got four field goals out of kicker Jonah Dalmas, who was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award earlier this week.
Main takeaway: Boise State’s offense is just a different beast when Holani is carrying the load. He is such a twitchy, explosive athlete that he’s a threat to score on every carry, and his field vision is so superior that the first tackler rarely brings him down. He couldn’t have picked a better time to get healthy, either.
Beating Fresno State was a huge hurdle the Broncos needed to clear to improve their chances at earning an invitation to a bowl game for the 19th year in a row and to stay alive in the Mountain West. They still need two wins in three games to guarantee a bowl bid, and a road trip to San Diego State in the regular-season finale is looming, but with a healthy Holani making tacklers look silly, it’s not outlandish to suggest the Broncos could win out.
Player of the game: Holani was healthy for the first time this season, and it showed. He posted a season-high 71 rushing yards by halftime on his way to a 100-yard game. He also caught two passes for 69 yards.
Stat of the game: Neither team was particularly successful on third down. Boise State finished 6-of-15 and Fresno State went 4-of-13. The Broncos played a much cleaner game in terms of penalties, though. Fresno State was called for a season-high 11 for 91 yards. Boise State was flagged just four times for 50 yards, and two of those were called in the final minutes of regulation.
Play of the game: One play after Boise State nickel Kekaula Kaniho nabbed an interception, Holani opened the ensuing drive by catching a screen pass and turning it into a 40-yard gain to Fresno State’s 1-yard line. It initially looked like he scored, but the play was reviewed and overturned. Fellow running back Andrew Van Buren found the end zone on the next play to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead a little past the midway point of the first quarter.
What’s next: After back-to-back road games, Boise State returns to Albertsons Stadium to host Mountain West foe Wyoming (5-4, 1-4) for a Friday night game. Kickoff is 7 p.m. and it will air on FS1. The Broncos are 14-1 against the Cowboys and have won four straight, including a 17-9 victory in blizzard-like conditions in the regular-season finale last season. The Cowboys went into this weekend on a four-game losing streak but posted a 31-17 win over Colorado State on Saturday.
This story was originally published November 6, 2021 at 8:53 PM.
