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Game Day Guide: Boise State visits No. 10 Washington for season opener

"You come to Boise State to play in games like this." | Here's everything Bronco Nation needs to know ahead of Saturday's showdown with Washington in Seattle.

Zack Armstrong

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Published: 6:42 PM MDT August 29, 2023
Updated: 5:01 PM MDT September 2, 2023

For just the second time in program history, Boise State begins a season against a top-10 team in the country on Saturday. 13 years after defeating Virginia Tech, the Broncos will once again play in front of more than 70,000 fans when they meet No. 10 Washington at Husky Stadium.

Head coach Andy Avalos said his staff is "excited to see how our guys handle the environment." Defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said "you come to Boise State to play in games like this." 

The Broncos undoubtedly have an opportunity to secure their biggest win in recent years. 

However, the massive upset will not come easy. Washington is tabbed No. 10 in the AP poll and No. 11 in the coaches' poll for a reason after going 11-2 last fall on its way to an Alamo Bowl win over Texas. Additionally, the Huskies return a loaded offense, similar to the 2023 Broncos. 

On top of traveling to the difficult environment, Boise State will also have eyes from across the nation watching it duel with the soon-to-be Big Ten program. Saturday's contest at 1:30 p.m. MT will be nationally televised on ABC.

Headlining the season-opening showdown is the quarterback matchup between Washington's Michael Penix Jr. and Boise State's Taylen Green. Penix returns to Seattle after throwing for a record 4,641 yards last fall. The junior and team captain finished eighth in Heisman voting and tossed 31 touchdowns against eight interceptions. 

The Broncos' secondary, which lost standouts JL Skinner and Tyreque Jones to the NFL, will be tested from the jump. Boise State will also be tasked with putting pressure on Penix without the likes of Scott Matlock and George Tarlas on the defensive line. Penix was only sacked five times in 2022.

Earlier this offseason, Danielson said his defense is "a little frustrated with all the talks of how many guys we lost." The hungry and rather young group still returns a plethora of talent, which looks to prove its ability against Penix and wide receiver standouts Roman Odunze and Jalen McMillan.

On the flip side, the Broncos rumble into 2023 led by last year's Mountain West Freshman of the Year, who stole the show after taking over behind center. Green, who is considered one of the most-explosive players in the conference, found the end zone 24 times and threw for more than 2,000 yards. 

Saturday's matchup marks Boise State's first trip to Seattle in a decade and the sixth meeting between the two teams. It also marks the Bronco coaching debut for offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan, who was hired in December 2022.

Hamdan spent two years on Washington's staff under the legendary Chris Petersen. He admitted "it's not just gonna be another game" when the Broncos take the field surrounded by a sea of purple and gold. 

Scroll down for more information on Saturday's matchup, how to watch and listen to the game, a history of the Boise State-Washington series, statistical leaders, odds and predictions and more.

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