Game Day Guide: No. 21 Boise State hosts Utah State in conference opener
No. 21 Boise State continues its College Football Playoff pursuit Saturday, seeking its ninth straight win over Utah State as Mountain West play begins on The Blue.
(AP Photo/Steve Conner)
Boise State looks to keep the good times rolling in pursuit of a College Football Playoff bid as it opens Mountain West play Saturday night against Utah State.
The hype surrounding the Broncos and Heisman hopeful Ashton Jeanty continues to skyrocket ahead of the Aggies' trip to The Blue. No. 21 Boise State jumped four spots in the Associated Press Top 25 poll earlier this week, its highest ranking since November 2020.
Jeanty rushed for 249 yards and four scores in last week's 45-24 win over Washington State in front of the largest crowd in Albertsons Stadium history. The junior running back eyes another elite performance against Utah State, the nation's 114th-ranked run defense.
"The more you win, rankings and all this, the target just becomes even bigger," Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said. "That's why my message to our team is going to be, 'we are always the hunter here.' That's easy to talk about, but what I mean by that is how we work and how we prep. We are on the attack, we attack success. We're not afraid of failure."
Boise State enters Saturday's showdown at Albertsons Stadium riding eight-straight wins over Utah State, dating back to October 2015. The Aggies look to end the streak, snap this season's three-game skid and upend the homecoming celebration in the City of Trees.
The Mountain West opener marks Nate Dreiling's first trip to Boise as Utah State's interim head coach. Dreiling, who had been the Aggies' defensive coordinator and defensive ends coach, was elevated on July 2 after the university announced the firing of Blake Anderson.
"Being thrown into the situation he was over the summertime, met him in person for the first time at some of these meetings, and I know what he's going through," Danielson said. "I went through it last season and I think he's doing a great job with his team. I mean they played two top 10, top 15 teams in the first four games. They had Utah on the ropes … They're playing good football. I know he's doing the defense, being the head coach. He's got good coaches around and he's got really good players too."
Dreiling is tasked with slowing a red-hot Boise State offense, spearheaded by Jeanty and a physical front five. The Broncos rank in the top 10 among FBS programs in rushing offense, scoring offense, total offense, sacks allowed, third-down conversion rate and red zone offense.
The Maddux Madsen-led unit is not alone in its top-10 statistics. Washington State had allowed five sacks in four games before Boise State recorded eight resulting in 71 lost yards. The Broncos' 21 total sacks and 5.25 sacks per game lead the nation through the first five weeks of the season.
Utah State graduate quarterback Spencer Petras returned from an injury on Sept. 21 against Temple, going 26-of-44 for a career-high 293 yards and two touchdowns in the 45-29 loss. The Aggies had extra time to prepare for The Blue on a bye last weekend.
Safety Ty Benefield looks to continue his tear after recording Boise State's first interception, stopping a Washington State drive in the end zone at the end of the first half. Benefield has a team-high 29 total tackles this fall and ranks second with 3.5 tackles for loss, behind Ahmed Hassanein (4.5).
Hassanein has been dominant up front for the Broncos, also leading the team with a quartet of sacks through four games. The standout defensive end recorded a career-high eight tackles against the Cougars and added two sacks.
Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT Saturday, Oct. 5 on Fox Sports 2. Information on how to watch the contest is included in this article. The showdown is the third of three sell-out crowds at Albertsons Stadium this fall.
Scroll down or use the tabs at the top of this article to find game predictions, stat comparisons, players to watch, streaming and radio information, details on KTVB's pre-game shows and post-game coverage, and more.
Game Information Broncos vs. Aggies
No. 21 Boise State (3-1, 0-0 MW) vs. Utah State (1-3, 0-0 MW)
- Saturday, Oct. 5
- Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT
- Channel: Fox Sports 2 (FS2)
- Albertsons Stadium – Boise, Idaho
- Capacity: 36,363
- Weather: High of 74 | Low of 53 | Sunny
How to Watch TV, Radio, Streaming
ON TV
No. 21 Boise State's Mountain West opener against Utah State will be televised on FS2, with Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call. Fox Sports 2 is available on the following channels:
- DirecTV: Channel 618
- Dish Network: Channel 149
- Sparklight: Channel 148 / 1148 HDTV
- Cox: Channel 216
ON THE RADIO
Fans can listen to the game on the Bronco Radio Network, with Bob Behler calling play-by-play alongside Pete Cavender. The Bronco Radio Network is available online and through the 2024 affiliates listed below. Saturday's call can also be heard on SiriusXM Channel 162 or Channel 201.
- Boise: KBOI 670 AM
- Boise: KBOI 93.1 FM
- Idaho Falls: KSPZ 980 AM
- Idaho Falls: KSPZ 98.7 FM
- McCall: KDZY 98.3 FM
- Pocatello: KSPZ 94.5 FM
- Salmon: KSRA 960 AM
- St. Maries: KOFE 1240 AM
- Twin Falls: KSNQ 98.3 FM
STREAMING
Streaming for Saturday's game is available with the FOX Sports App. The app is available to subscribers of all major providers, including Cox, Dish Network, DirecTV, Hulu, YouTube TV and more. Fox Sports is available on most TV streaming devices, such as Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku. Click here for more information or to sign in with your TV provider.
Bronco Roundup Live on The Blue
BRONCO ROUNDUP GAME DAY SHOW
Gear up for kickoff with KTVB's Jay Tust and Brady Frederick on the official TV station for Bronco Nation! An exclusive pre-game show on The Blue will provide an in-depth breakdown of Boise State's conference opener against Utah State.
The Bronco Roundup Game Day Show airs live at 4 p.m. Saturday on KTVB Channel 7, KTVB.COM, KTVB+ on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, and the KTVB mobile app.
Tune in for an hour-long preview with an up-close look at players taking the field, Boise State warmups, last-minute injury updates, sideline interviews, matchup storylines, comments from coaches and captains, and more. Tust and Frederick will also showcase the sold-out scene at Albertsons Stadium.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
KTVB will live stream Boise State's press conference immediately following Saturday's game on KTVB.COM, KTVB's YouTube channel, KTVB+ for Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV and the KTVB mobile app.
Bronco Nation can expect to hear from head coach Spencer Danielson, an offensive player and a defensive player. All interviews are posted online following the press conference. Post-game coverage continues on KTVB.COM with a game recap, photo gallery, extended highlights, key takeaways and more.
Series History Dominant Broncos
History | Nov. 15, 1975 – Nov. 18, 2023
- Overall: Boise State leads 23-5
- In Boise: Broncos lead 12-2
- In Logan: Broncos lead 11-3
- Current streak: Boise State – 8
- Longest win streak: Boise State – 12 (1998-2014)
- Largest margin of victory: Boise State – 52-0 (2007) | Utah State – 52-26 (2015)
- Smallest margin of victory: Boise State – 33-27 (1999) | Utah State – 10-7 (1983)
Boise State's all-time record against Utah State:
- Nov. 18, 2023: Win – 45-10 (Logan)
- Nov. 25, 2022: Win – 42-23 (Boise)
- Sept. 25, 2021: Win – 27-3 (Logan)
- Oct. 24, 2020: Win – 42-13 (Boise)
- Nov. 23, 2019: Win – 56-21 (Logan)
- Nov. 24, 2018: Win – 33-24 (Boise)
- Oct. 28, 2017: Win – 41-14 (Logan)
- Oct. 1, 2016: Win – 21-10 (Boise)
- Oct. 16, 2015: Loss – 52-26 (Logan)
- Nov. 29, 2014: Win – 50-19 (Boise)
- Oct. 12, 2013: Win – 34-23 (Logan)
- Dec. 4, 2010: Win – 50-14 (Boise)
- Nov. 20, 2009: Win – 52-21 (Logan)
- Nov. 8, 2008: Win – 49-14 (Boise)
- Nov. 10, 2007: Win – 52-0 (Logan)
- Nov. 18, 2006: Win – 49-10 (Boise)
- Oct. 22, 2005: Win – 45-21 (Logan)
- Sept. 28, 2002: Win – 63-28 (Boise)
- Nov. 11, 2000: Win – 66-38 (Boise)
- Oct. 30, 1999: Win – 33-27 (Logan)
- Oct. 24, 1998: Win – 30-16 (Boise)
- Nov. 1, 1997: Loss – 24-20 (Logan)
- Oct. 19, 1996: Loss – 39-14 (Boise)
- Sept. 9, 1995: Win – 38-14 (Logan)
- Oct. 15, 1983: Loss – 10-7 (Logan)
- Nov. 13, 1982: Win – 30-10 (Boise)
- Oct. 29, 1977: Win – 23-16 (Logan)
- Nov. 15, 1975: Loss – 42-19 (Boise)
Odds and Predictions Heavy Home Favorites
ESPN's Matchup Predictor, generated using ESPN Analytics, gives Boise State an eye-opening 96.5% chance of extending its winning streak over Utah State at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday. The Broncos are a 27-point favorite on ESPN Bet, with an over/under of 66.5.
DraftKings has the same 27-point spread as ESPN Bet as of Wednesday afternoon, according to VegasInsider. Other popular sportsbooks – such as BetMGM, bet365, BetRivers, Bally Sports, Caesars and FanDuel – have Boise State by 26. 5 on The Blue.
Team Stats FBS Ranks
Team: Stat Per Game | FBS Rank:
TOTAL OFFENSE
- Boise State: 522.3 YPG | No. 7
- Utah State: 423.0 YPG | No. 51
SCORING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 47.8 PPG | No. 6
- Utah State: 21.5 PPG | No. 107
RUSHING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 302.5 YPG | No. 3
- Utah State: 177.0 YPG | No. 56
PASSING OFFENSE
- Utah State: 246.0 YPG | No. 52
- Boise State: 219.8 YPG | No. 79
PASSING EFFICIENCY
- Boise State: 136.61 | No. 68
- Utah State: 123.07 | No. 106
TOTAL DEFENSE
- Boise State: 376.5 YPG | No. 86
- Utah State: 454.3 YPG | No. 122
SCORING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 30.0 PPG | No. 102
- Utah State: 36.3 PPG | No. 126
RUSHING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 121.0 YPG | No. 48
- Utah State: 196.8 YPG | No. 114
PASSING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 255.5 YPG | No. 109
- Utah State: 257.5 YPG | No. 111
PASS EFFICIENCY DEFENSE
- Boise State: 147.38 | No. 110
- Utah State: 149.30 | No. 114
Individual Stats Players to Watch
PASSING
- Maddux Madsen: 64-of-110 (58.18%), 800 yards, 7 TDs, 2 INTs
- Bryson Barnes: 45-of-79 (56.96%), 524 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs
RUSHING
- Ashton Jeanty: 82 carries, 845 yards (10.3 avg.), 13 TDs
- Rahsul Faison: 67 carries, 395 yards (5.9 avg.), 1 TD
RECEIVING
- Cameron Camper: 13 receptions, 271 yards (20.85 avg.), 3 TDs
- Jalen Royals: 25 receptions, 280 yards (11.20 avg.), 2 TDs
TACKLES
- Ty Benefield: 29.0 total tackles (21 solo, 8 assisted)
- Jordan Vincent: 43.0 total tackles (23 solo, 20 assisted)
TACKLES FOR LOSS
- Ahmed Hassanein: 4.5 TFLs (22 yards)
- Blaine Spires: 3.0 TFLs (8 yards)
SACKS
- Ahmed Hassanein: 4.0 sacks (21 yards)
- Miguel Jackson: 1.4 sacks (7 yards)
INTERCEPTIONS
- Ty Benefield: 1 INT
- Ike Larsen and Jordan Vincent: 1 INT
