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Game Day Guide: Boise State hosts Portland State in 2024 home opener

The Broncos are looking to bounce back after a last-second loss to the Oregon Ducks on Sep. 7.

Zack Armstrong, Dan Ryder

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Published: 8:27 AM MDT September 18, 2024
Updated: 7:58 PM MDT September 21, 2024

Boise State looks to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to Oregon earlier in September as the team prepares to face Portland State in the 2024 season home opener at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday night.

The Broncos lost to the Ducks after a game-winning last-second field goal at the end of the game put Oregon on top 37-34 on Sep. 7. The loss broke BSU's three-game undefeated streak against the Ducks.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty continued his Heisman Trophy campaign against Oregon, racking up 192 rushing yards and three more touchdowns to his total.

Jeanty now has a whopping 459 yards and nine touchdowns through two games this season. He had 14 rushing touchdowns all of last season.

The 215-pound bruiser surpassed program records with six rushing touchdowns and 267 yards at Georgia Southern in the season opener, surpassing Cedric Minter's mark of 261 rushing yards set in 1978. Jeanty averaged 13.4 yards on 20 carries against the Eagles.

"I think this is the best running back I've seen since I've been here," Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said. "He's certainly an NFL guy. He doesn't go down on first contact ever. He's one of the best stiff arm guys that we've gone against. He runs really, really physical and then the next guy they brought in ran for 100 yards too. They hold you accountable. They make you tackle. They're gonna make DBs tackle, they do a really good job of that, and the back is certainly a big piece of their success."

Credit: (AP Photo/Lydia Ely)
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty runs the ball during a game against Oregon, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene.

The Broncos are now looking to bounce back against the 0-2 Portland State Vikings on Saturday night.

The status of the game itself was called into question earlier this week after Portland State had to cancel its game last Saturday against South Dakota after the Vikings team had an outbreak of pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory illness also known as whooping cough.

The school announced Monday that all affected players were given antibiotics and everyone is expected to be healthy for the game against Boise State.

The two teams have met eight times in the past, with Boise State winning seven of the games. The last time they faced each other was in 2019, with BSU coming out on top 45-10. 

Portland State's sole win in the series came in 1992, when BSU was still in the Big Sky Conference.

The Broncos enter Saturday's game with a 98.7% to win, according to ESPN Analytics

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