BOISE, Idaho — The good times continue to roll for the battle-tested and Mountain West champion Boise State football team. The Broncos are once again headed south to play in front of a national audience.
Boise State is set to face UCLA in the 2023 Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk at SoFi Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 16. The contest kicks off at 5:30 p.m. MT (4:30 p.m. PT) on ABC.
The LA Bowl holds the first pick of Mountain West teams and unsurprisingly elected to bring the Broncos to The Golden State following their 44-20 win over UNLV in Saturday's conference title game.
Boise State clinched its 26th consecutive winning season with the victory over the Rebels, the nation's longest active streak. The Broncos are set to play in a bowl game for the 26th straight year, trailing only Georgia (27) for the longest streak in the country.
Head coach Chip Kelly and the Bruins finished tied for seventh in the Pac-12, going 7-5 overall and 4-5 in conference play. The post-season matchup marks just the second meeting between Boise State and UCLA. The two programs faced off at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in 1999, with the Bruins claiming a 38-7 win.
Spencer Danielson on Saturday became the first interim head coach in FBS history to win a conference championship game, as Boise State captured its fifth Mountain West title, the most of any team in the league.
"I am so excited for our players with this announcement," Danielson said. "As I have said all along, this is completely about these players and this senior class. I am so proud of what these incredible young men have accomplished in spite of all the adversity they have faced this year, especially over the past few weeks. It is because of their hard work, effort and dedication that we have defied the odds and brought the Mountain West Championship home to Boise."
UCLA started the season 6-2 to clinch bowl eligibility, with its only losses coming to Utah on Sept. 23 and Oregon State on Oct. 14. Since the red-hot start, the Bruins have dropped three of their last four, only defeating USC since October.
The Pac-12 proved to be arguably the best conference top-to-bottom in 2023 in its final year as we know it. Five teams in the league won eight or more games, including Washington, who is set to face Texas in the Sugar Bowl with a shot at the national championship.
Boise State is riding a four-game win streak, including three consecutive victories since Danielson stepped in following the dismissal of former head coach Andy Avalos. The Broncos own a 13-7 all-time record in bowl games, winning eight of their last 11.
TICKETS
Tickets for the 2023 Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk are on sale now and the priority deadline will be announced soon, according to Boise State Athletics. Ticket prices range from $55 to $175 in Boise State's allotted areas.
For the LA Bowl, tickets will be digital through the game's ticket system. Buyers will receive their tickets electronically roughly 48-72 hours prior to kickoff with more-detailed instructions.
More information on the game, and purchasing ticket and suites is available on the LA Bowl website. Fans headed to Los Angeles can view information or SoFi Stadium policies and prohibited items by clicking here.
"We are thrilled to welcome back the Mountain West and Pac-12 Conferences to the third edition of our bowl game at SoFi Stadium," said Adolfo Romero, the interim executive director of the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk. "College football's bowl season begins at SoFi Stadium, with an exciting match-up of Boise State versus UCLA at the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk. We look forward to hosting this great college football game at SoFi Stadium."
STATS LEADERS
Passing:
- Taylen Green: 121-of-212 (57.08%), 1,752 yards, 11 TDs, 9 INTs
- Dante Moore: 114-of-213 (53.52%), 1,610 yards, 11 TDs, 9 INTs
Rushing:
- Ashton Jeanty: 203 carries, 1,262 yards (6.2 avg.), 14 TDs
- Carson Steele: 167 carries, 847 yards (5.1 avg.), 6 TDs
Receiving:
- Ashton Jeanty: 39 receptions, 552 yards (14.15 avg.), 5 TDs
- Logan Loya: 58 receptions, 650 yards (11.21 avg.), 5 TDs
Tackles:
- Alexander Teubner: 73 total tackles (40 solo, 33 assisted)
- Darius Muasau: 64 total tackles (37 solo, 27 assisted)
Tackles-for-loss:
- Ahmed Hassanein: 16.5 TFLs (90 yards)
- Laiatu Latu: 21.5 TFLs (97 yards)
Sacks:
- Ahmed Hassanein: 12.5 sacks (85 yards)
- Laiatu Latu: 13 sacks (76 yards)
Interceptions:
- A'Marion McCoy: 3 INTs
- Alex Johnson: 4 INTs
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