BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…September 6, 1980:
Boise State opens a season of high expectations with a win beyond anybody’s expectations, a dominating 28-7 upset of Utah at Rice Stadium in Salt Lake City. The Broncos broke the backs of the Division I-A Utes with three time-consuming drives of 80-plus yards engineered by quarterback Joe Aliotti, a scrappy leader who had eyes in the back of his head. Included was a game-turning 96-yarder that bridged the first and second quarters. Cedric Minter’s running mate at tailback, Terry Zahner, took his turn at racking up a 100-yard game, notching 113. Minter and Zahner scored two touchdowns apiece.
Broncos fans had already made their mark as travelers, especially the previous November in Boise State’s road finale at Nevada. But the Utah trip was another step forward. I was talking to somebody in the press box before the game, and I heard a roar from the crowd. I figured the Utes must entering the field. I looked down, and it was the Broncos running out to the cheers of more than 3,000 Boise State faithful ringing the bottom rows of Rice Stadium.
Well, maybe the opener was too easy, or maybe Southeastern Louisiana was too good. But the Lions visited Bronco Stadium the following week and stunned the Broncos 17-13 during a rare showery September evening. Boise State was 2-2 at the end of the month following a heartbreaking final-minute 18-17 loss at Montana State. After that game, Broncos seniors called an emotional players-only meeting in Bozeman, and the team promptly went on a five-game winning streak. Included was a 44-21 win over Idaho before a record crowd of 21,812 that saw Minter score four touchdowns and go over the 4,000-yard mark in career rushing.
If you know Boise State history, you know the rest: the Big Sky championship, the 14-9 Division I-AA playoff win over Grambling and legendary coach Eddie Robinson in the December fog and hoarfrost at Bronco Stadium, and the winning touchdown pass from Aliotti to Duane Dlouhy with 12 seconds left in the national championship game against Eastern Kentucky in Sacramento. It was on a much smaller scale to be sure, but the feeling after that season was much like the rush fans felt following the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.
(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.)
