Boise State rallies on field to beat Utah State, now needs computer win
With two of the most telegraphed, obvious fourth-down calls in college football history, Utah State just begged Boise State to grab a comeback win in Friday afternoon’s critical Mountain West game.
The never-say-die Broncos were happy to oblige.
As a result, their conference championship game hopes are still alive, but in the hands of computer rankings. Composite metrics from four rating systems will determine which two teams from what is at least a three-way tie atop the standings will play for the conference title next Friday night, and who will host.
With a touchdown drive in the final five minutes after one of those fourth-down stops, and then yet another defensive stand, Boise State (8-4, 6-2) rallied for a 25-24 win over Utah State (6-6, 4-4), handing the Aggies their first home loss of the season after trailing 24-13 in the second half.
New Mexico (9-3, 6-2) and San Diego State (9-3, 6-2) are tied with the Broncos for first place. The Aztecs would have hosted BSU next week had they won, but the Lobos prevailed 23-17 in double overtime when those teams met in Albuquerque on Friday.
UNLV (9-2, 5-2) can make it a four-way tie for the computers to sort out by beating Nevada (3-8, 2-5) on Saturday night. The conference then will announce the championship game matchup Sunday morning, and that’s anyone’s guess.
It looked as if Boise State would end its regular season with another road loss and not have a shot at its fourth straight title game. But the Broncos persevered through a crucial fumble, some weird penalties and plays — as well as a bout of wind and sleet — and physically overwhelmed Utah State after trailing much of the game.
“We battled through a lot of adversity. ... Utah State played their butts off, big props to them coming out here and doing their thing, and all year really doing their thing,” said BSU safety Ty Benefield, who had seven tackles. “So I’m just glad that we all ride together as a full team. (We) didn’t flinch, just went out there and did our thing, conquered all that adversity.”
Quarterback Max Cutforth, who earned his first career win last week against Colorado State filling in for the injured Maddux Madsen, completed 25-of-48 passes for 325 yards and two touchdowns, including a 66-yarder to a wide-open Quinton Brown to cut Utah State’s lead to 24-19 with 3:17 left in the third quarter.
The Broncos then got the game-winning score with 2:26 left in the fourth quarter at the end of a seven-play, 41-yard drive when running back Dylan Riley scooted 6 yards around right end for a TD.
That possession came after the Aggies had opportunities to extend their lead but counted on Boise State’s defense not being able to stop plays that everyone in the stadium knew were coming.
Utah State’s offense runs through quarterback Bryson Barnes to an alarming degree: He attempted 31 passes Friday and ran the ball 18 times — 49 of their 66 offensive snaps.
On a fourth-and-2 from the Boise State 12-yard line entering the fourth quarter — after Barnes had run the ball four straight times — the Aggies called for a QB keeper out of the shotgun to the left. Barnes fooled no one and was stuffed for a 2-yard loss by a host of Broncos.
Two possessions later, after a Sire Gaines fumble inside the Utah State 30, the Aggies picked up a first down on a Barnes run. He then ran it on two of three plays, setting up a fourth-and-1 at their own 42-yard line with 5:22 remaining. The home team went for it; to no one’s surprise, least of all the BSU defense, the call was a Barnes run to the right out of the shotgun.
The swarming Broncos smashed him for a one-yard loss.
“Tonight was a culture win,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “I mean, we didn’t get to lead till the fourth quarter. Guys never flinch. They didn’t point fingers. Proud of our staff, the plan we put into play, and we shot every stinking bullet we had tonight.”
Danielson called Barnes the conference’s offensive player of the year earlier this week, and if that’s the case, then the Mountain West was kind of lacking offensive standouts this season. Barnes completed just 13-of-31 passes for 184 yards on Friday, had a pair of interceptions called back because of penalties, was sacked twice, and fumbled without anyone touching him while he was running in the open.
He did rush for 89 yards on 18 carries, but 71 of those came on three runs. The rest of the game, the Broncos, who had nine tackles for loss on the day, hammered him.
Boise State trailed in the game 21-13 at halftime after a wild first 60 minutes that featured:
- A BSU pick-six interception overturned on a questionable pass interference call.
- Another BSU interception overturned on a targeting penalty on Max Stege, who was disqualified.
- A sideline interference penalty on Utah State.
- An Aggies fumble that was simply the dropped ball by Barnes with no one around.
- Great catches by Chase Penry, and inexplicable drops by fellow Broncos receiver Chris Marshall.
- And No. 2 Boise State tight end Matt Wagner doing a Rob Gronkowski impersonation.
Penry finished with six catches for 56 yards, including a pair of nifty grabs on the sideline, and a great reception over the middle. Running back Malik Sherrod also had six catches for 56 yards. Wagner had four catches for 64 yards, including a 26-yard TD reception that saw him shed a tackler and rumble through the defense for a score.
Riley rushed 25 times for 120 yards to lead a ground game that got 171 yards on 46 carries, an average of just 3.7 yards per run.
Boise State’s offense had an astounding 94 plays in the game and had 496 total yards, to 405 for Utah State. The game also saw 18 total penalties accepted for 157 yards.
This story was originally published November 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM.
