BOISE, Idaho — Monday Special: Aug. 14, 2023.
Author’s note: Here’s that special Scott Slant column follow-up for you. On Friday I ran a search on Chat GPT about Boise State football and ran the result in my column. What came back was generally accurate. But there were eight inaccuracies in the Chat GPT content. How many did you identify?
1. THE JUNIOR COLLEGE RANKS
Boise Junior College’s first football season was indeed in 1933, the year after the school was founded in 1932. But then there was this: “The Broncos rejoined the four-year college ranks in 1968.” Key word being “rejoined.” They had never been in the four-year college ranks. There’s a confusing statement about BJC playing “as an independent program until joining the junior college ranks in 1940,” as if the Broncos had been a four-year program those first seven seasons.
2. HEADLINE: “DIVISION II SUCCESS (1968-95)”
Boise State was in the NAIA in 1968-69 and became an NCAA “College Division” program in 1970 when it joined the Big Sky. Division II was created in 1973. The Broncos then joined Division I-AA (now the FCS) upon its creation in 1978 and were there through 1995.
3. THE TONY KNAP ERA
Chat GPT got Tony Knap’s record right (71-19-1) but said he coached the Broncos from 1971-75. That’s a lot of wins for five seasons. Knap came to Boise State when it became a four-year program in 1968 and did not have “an undefeated season in 1974.” The Broncos went 10-2 that year, losing a regular season game 37-35 at UNLV and falling in the Division II Playoffs 20-6 at Central Michigan. The Broncos’ first undefeated season was with the first Fiesta Bowl team in 2006 (13-0).
4. THE FIRST YEARS IN DIVISION I-A
I’m not sure what a Division I-A transition timeline entails, but Chat GPT says Boise State went “2-10 in both 1996 and 1997.” Boise State did go 2-10 in 1996 while coach Pokey Allen was away for most of the season battling cancer but was 4-7 under Houston Nutt in 1997 (5-6 if you count Cal State Northridge’s forfeit).
5. THE DAN HAWKINS ERA
“Head coach Dan Hawkins took over in 2001 and led the Broncos to their first-ever bowl win that season.” Boise State’s first bowl—and first bowl victory—came under Dirk Koetter in the 1999 Humanitarian Bowl, 34-31 over Louisville. The Broncos were left out of the bowls in 2001 (and Hawk made sure they wouldn’t be again).
6. WHO COACHED THE FIRST FIESTA BOWL?
This is where Chat GPT leaves us dazed and confused. The headline leading into the Hawk era says “Fiesta Bowl 2001-07.” Uh-oh. After the bowl error, it says, “Over the next six seasons, Boise State won five conference championships and made five bowl appearances, including a stunning upset victory over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.” Those next six seasons would be 2002-07, when the Broncos actually made six bowl appearances. But the last two seasons overlap the Coach Pete years, and there’s no mention of Chris Petersen yet. (No, Hawk did not coach the 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory.)
7. THE REAL CHRIS PETERSEN ERA
Chat GPT obviously misses the most important checkpoints in Boise State history. But omissions are for another time. All we get for Coach Pete is, “The Broncos won four conference championships under Petersen and made two more trips to the Fiesta Bowl, winning both games.” Boise State had five titles and won the 2010 Fiesta Bowl under Petersen. But the third Fiesta Bowl victory came in 2014 under Bryan Harsin.
8. THE MOUNTAIN WEST ERA
“The Broncos have won two conference championships since joining the Mountain West and have made six bowl appearances.” Boise State has actually won four Mountain West titles since joining the conference and has played in eight bowl games. And there’s an asterisk there, as there should have been three more. The First Responder Bowl in 2018 was ruled a no-contest after play was stopped in the first quarter due to weather; the Broncos opted out of bowl season in 2020 due to COVID; and the Arizona Bowl was cancelled in 2021 due to COVID concerns within the Boise State program.
THIS DAY IN SPORTS… Aug. 14, 1971:
Future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson throws the only no-hitter of his legendary career as the St. Louis Cardinals rout the Pittsburgh Pirates, 11-0. Gibson recorded the final out by striking out another future Hall of Famer, Willie Stargell. It was Gibson’s 201st career win—he’d finish with 251. But his greatest achievement came in 1968, when he posted a remarkable 1.12 ERA, a modern baseball record that led to National League MVP honors. Only one pitcher, Clayton Kershaw of the L.A. Dodgers in 2014, has won the award since.
Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.
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