Elite Boise State seasons started vs. ranked foes. ‘That provides us an opportunity’
In the days leading up to Boise State’s season opener against No. 10 Washington this week, nearly every coach and player has shared a similar sentiment.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game at Husky Stadium in Seattle can’t come soon enough.
“You want these type of games if you’re a Boise State football player,” offensive line coach Tim Keane said. “What better opportunity to go in their place, it’s going to be loud and electric. ... So our guys are really, really excited for the challenge. That’s why they chose to come to Boise State to play in these type of games.”
The challenges of the game at Washington (1:30 p.m. Mountain time, ABC) are certainly top of mind for Boise State coaches and players, but the potential ripple effects from opening the season against a ranked opponent remain largely unspoken.
A look at Boise State history, however, shows exactly what could be at stake for the Broncos on Saturday.
Success in September has been an integral part of the buildup to conference championships and prestigious bowl games. Winning a huge game to start the season has been a springboard to success.
“We understand what the standard is here. We understand what the expectations are,” Boise State Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey said. “Over the course of time, we’ve been consistent, and I think that really drives the interest in games like this. You look at our record and success over the last 25-plus years, I think for these student-athletes, that’s something they’ve grown up watching.
“It’s a great selling point for our program. We’re elite. We want to compete at a high level, and we’re gonna have a lot of national eyes on us. I think that provides us an opportunity.”
It’s an opportunity that has proved beneficial for Boise State in the past. Since the Broncos joined the FBS ranks in 1997, they are 3-5 in season openers against ranked opponents. The three victories against high-caliber opponents launched some of the Broncos’ most memorable seasons, all right in a row.
Boise State opened the 2009 season with a 19-8 victory over No. 16 Oregon and closed it out with a victory over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl, a 14-0 record and a No. 4 ranking in the final Top 25 poll.
The success continued in 2010 as the Broncos knocked off No. 7 Virginia Tech 33-30 to start the season. They finished with a 12-1 record, a win over Utah in the MAACO Bowl and a No. 9 ranking.
The 2011 season saw the Broncos kick off with 35-21 victory over No. 19 Georgia and ultimately finish No. 8 in the Top 25 with a 12-1 record, after a win over Arizona State in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Even in the five openers they lost against ranked opponents — No. 17 UCLA in 1999, No. 21 South Carolina in 2001, No. 13 Georgia in 2005, No. 13 Michigan State in 2012 and No. 18 Ole Miss in 2014 — there were seasons that stood out. Those included 2012, which ended with a Vegas Bowl win over Washington and a 12-2 mark, and 2014, which culminated in a Fiesta Bowl victory over No. 10 Arizona and another 12-2 record.
“We look forward to these big games,” Boise State safety Rodney Robinson said. “The history and the culture of Boise State is built on these type of big games. Going out there and being able to play a good team like UW, hopefully going out there and getting the win, that would be a huge thing for this program.”
BOISE STATE AT NO. 10 WASHINGTON
When: 1:30 p.m. Mountain time Saturday
Where: Husky Stadium (70,138, AstroTurf), Seattle, Washington
TV: ABC (Bob Wischusen, Robert Griffin III, Kris Budde)
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 0-0; Washington 0-0
Series: Washington leads the all-time series 3-2, most recently defeating the Broncos 38-7 in the 2019 Las Vegas Bowl
Vegas line: Washington by 14
Weather: High of 83 degrees, 5% chance of rain, 6 mph winds
This story was originally published September 1, 2023 at 4:00 AM.
