Boise State offense has ‘moments’ but misses chance to prove itself vs. Irish
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Boise State offense failed to sustain drives, totaling a season-low 315 yards.
- Maddux Madsen threw four interceptions and lacked explosive passing beyond two plays.
- Penalties, new O-line and stalled run game pressured Madsen and forced errors.
The Boise State offense had a chance to show that it belongs in the upper echelons of college football on Saturday afternoon against No. 21 Notre Dame.
It was an opportunity for the Broncos to demonstrate their big games and impressive statistics don’t just come against FCS program Eastern Washington or defensively challenged Air Force, to show they can turn loose their three-headed backfield and run the ball against a strong opponent.
And it was quarterback Maddux Madsen’s chance to prove he can rise above the noise and perform in high-pressure situations, especially on the road.
It’s safe to say the Broncos earned pretty low grades on all accounts, losing 28-7 to the No. 21 Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana. The offense mustered a season-low 315 total yards, had just one drive of 50-plus yards and had six possessions of seven plays or fewer.
Boise State had over 35 minutes in time of possession, but Madsen was just 22-of-37 for 215 yards and threw four interceptions in a game that saw him pressured relentlessly. He did not throw for a score, but did account for the only touchdown on a naked bootleg play in the second quarter.
The running game, meanwhile, produced just 100 yards on 34 carries, an average of 2.9 yards per rush.
“We had our moments (offensively), but we can’t have penalties that put us behind the sticks,” head coach Spencer Danielson said after the game. “We’ve got to find a way to get open in man coverage more consistently, and we’ve got to make sure we don’t turn the ball over.”
Madsen endured arguably his toughest game. The redshirt junior had just two completions of more than 15 yards, both 28-yard connections close to either side of halftime. He was sacked four times and had 13 rushing attempts because of scramble after scramble from the Irish pass rush.
He also had an interception called back on a questionable roughing the passer penalty, and the Notre Dame defense narrowly missed a pick that would’ve been a touchdown early in the game.
It was somewhat reminiscent of the Broncos’ 37-34 loss at Oregon last season, when Madsen was just 17-for-40 for 148 yards. That time, the Broncos had running back Ashton Jeanty on hand to carry the load.
This time around, in front of more than 77,000 fans in Notre Dame Stadium, there was no superstar running back to step up. The leading rusher was redshirt freshman Sire Gaines, who had just 39 yards on 11 carries.
“It’s much easier to throw the football when you’re able to run efficiently,” Danielson said. “When they are stopping the run ... then it’s time for Notre Dame to pin their ears back and go get the quarterback. And then that gives time for the rush to get home, and then we’ve got to win the man coverage. So it’s a trickle-down effect.”
Madsen enjoyed one really solid drive late in the first half, when he led the Broncos on a 10-play sequence, completing two passes for 41 yards before keeping the ball on a trick play for the score. That gave BSU a 7-6 lead in a choppy, penalty-filled first half, but Notre Dame struck right back with a TD drive to retake the lead.
The penalties were a key part of the game, too. Boise State accumulated 13 fouls for 112 yards — and 10 of those came from the offense, putting it in second-and-long and third-and-long on too many occasions. With Madsen in a lot of clear passing situations, Notre Dame brought the pressure, often forcing him to roll out and throw on the run.
“Penalties are big,” Danielson said. “Penalties turn into turnovers because we’re now on fourth down and third-and-longs, and that’s where you start being careless with the football a little bit.”
There aren’t many excuses after a 21-point loss, but the Broncos did have to play with a new-look offensive line. An injury to starting right guard Roger Carreon led to him having limited snaps, meaning starting center Mason Randolph shifted to right guard while redshirt senior backup center Zach Holmes slotted into the middle.
It was the first time that specific O-line played together in a game, and Notre Dame took advantage.
“We always say protection is an 11-man job, it’s not all just the offensive line,” redshirt senior wide receiver Latrell Caples said. “So I mean, whether that’s we speed our routes up or we just do quicker sets ... but it definitely makes it tougher when we barely finish our route and the quarterback is in (a) scramble drill.”
Latrell finished the game with 52 yards on a team-high six receptions.
“All we can do is what we can do,” Caples continued, “and that’s continue to run our routes hard and try to get the ball.”
