Game Day Guide: Boise State hosts San Jose State for homecoming
The Broncos look to bounce back against the Spartans in front of a sold-out crowd Saturday at Albertsons Stadium. Here's everything Bronco Nation needs to know.
AP
Boise State football looks to leave its 2-3 performance during the month of September in the rearview mirror as the Broncos turn their attention to Mountain West play. San Jose State visits Albertsons Stadium on Saturday for a 6 p.m. showdown on The Blue.
After blowing a 17-0 lead against Memphis last week, Boise State will flirt with a new-look offense against the Spartans featuring split quarterback responsibilities. Head coach Andy Avalos against the Tigers made the decision to pull Taylen Green and move forward with redshirt freshman Maddux Madsen, who has succeeded in early opportunities.
Madsen has gone 22-of-32 (68.8%) for 319 passing yards and four touchdowns, without a turnover this fall. The Broncos are still confident in Green and what he can accomplish moving forward – as they should be considering the 2022 Mountain West Freshman of the Year took the region by storm one year ago. However, Boise State believes Madsen has earned a bigger opportunity.
"Each guy brings something to the table right now and they both deserve to play, and really it's as simple as that," offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said. "I really don't think this is a thing about Taylen and his development, I really don't. The reality is Maddux has played well enough to deserve an opportunity."
As reported by KTVB, Green will be the first quarterback out on the field Saturday, marking his 16th-straight start dating back to last season. Sources also told KTVB Sports Director Jay Tust that Madsen will likely play a significant amount against the Spartans, however, individual performance and the “flow of the game” will dictate how much either quarterback is used.
"In terms of the game plan, it's going to be consistent," Avalos said. "There might be a few [plays] that are specific, but otherwise, we want to see the efficiency out of both guys, and, obviously, we'll proceed from there."
Boise State's 28.6 points per game ranks 69th among FBS offenses. As the Broncos look to generate more points, production and keep the defense off the field, Hamdan is now also tasked with formulating a two-quarterback system – unless Green is able to break free as he did around this time last year, or Madsen shines early.
The good news is, San Jose State ranks 113th in scoring defense, allowing 33.4 points per outing. The Spartans also sit at No. 117 in the FBS in red zone defense and No. 126 in rushing defense, giving up an average of 216 yards on the ground. The numbers bode well for Jeanty, who currently leads the nation with 12 total touchdowns.
On the flip side, the Spartans rank in the top 15 nationally in passing defense, despite having already squared off with USC's Caleb Williams and Oregon State's DJ Uiagalelei. Leading the defense is junior linebacker Bryun Parham, who has already racked up 40 tackles this season. Defensive lineman Tre Smith is already up to four tackles-for-loss and three sacks as well.
Defensively, the statistics would tell you Boise State's defense has been one of the worst in all of college football five weeks into the season. The Broncos are not in the top 100 in total defense (433.6 yards per game), scoring defense (30.4 points per game) and passing yards allowed (289.2 yards per game).
On Wednesday, Boise State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Kane Ioane told KTVB the problem at large actually isn't that small, and they are close to getting it fixed.
"If they can continuously emphasize the small, little details within – whether it's the scheme, whether it's our fundamentals or technique – and overemphasize those throughout a course of a week and just be consistent again with how we're executing, we should hopefully start to see that consistency on Saturdays as well," Ioane said.
This is Boise State's second 2-3 start in three seasons under Avalos. Last year, the Broncos started 0-2, before ripping off four-straight wins to begin Mountain West play. While the staff under defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson is the same proven group capable of turning the ship around, it is worth noting the amount of talent gone from last year.
Boise State no longer has JL Skinner, Scott Matlock, Tyreque Jones, Caleb Biggers, Ezekiel Noa, Divine Obichere, Tyric LeBeauf, George Tarlas, Jackson Cravens or Isaiah Bagnah, just to name a few. Bronco starters DJ Schramm and Alexander Teubner are also battling injuries.
While the likes of Marco Notarainni, Seyi Oladipo and Ahmed Hassanein have stepped up in a major way, the Broncos have only gained six turnovers, including just one interception each from Teubner and Jaylen Clark. If Boise State can help itself get off the field and keep the offense in rhythm, the potential for a turnaround is there.
Notarainni this week gave praise to Schramm for leading him and fellow starter Andrew Simpson while on the sideline. San Jose State will certainly have its eyes on No. 53, who leads the Broncos with 36 total tackles, 15 more than any other player on the defense. If Schramm is a no-go Saturday, his presence will still be felt.
"He's another coach, really … He's drawing up plays on the whiteboard. He can point out things on film that I don't even see," Marco Notarainni said of Schramm.
Prior to the season, San Jose State's Chevan Cordeiro topped Green in the running for preseason All-Mountain West quarterback and offensive player of the year. The Honolulu native is 102-of-167 (61.1%) on the year, with 1,022 passing yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He has added 92 yards and two scores on the ground.
Both Kairee Robinson and Quali Conley have surpassed 220 rushing yards this fall, with Robinson finding the end zone six times. The duo averages more than six yards per carry.
Boise State football on Friday announced tickets are sold out for the homecoming and parent and family weekend game Saturday night at Albertsons Stadium. The Broncos-Spartans matchup kicks off at 6 p.m. MT on CBS Sports Network.
Scroll down for more information on Saturday's matchup, how to watch and listen to the game, predictions, a breakdown of KTVB's coverage, a fan guide for those headed to Albertsons Stadium and more:
Game Information Broncos vs. Spartans
Boise State (2-3, 1-0 MW) vs. San Jose State (1-4, 0-1 MW)
- Saturday, Oct. 7
- Albertsons Stadium - Boise, Idaho
- Capacity: 36,363
- Kickoff: 6 p.m. MT
- Channel: CBS Sports Network
- Weather: Sunny and 77 degrees at kickoff, 65 degrees at end of game
Ways to Watch TV, Radio, Streaming
ON TV
Saturday's showdown between the Broncos and Spartans will be televised on CBS Sports Network, available on the following TV channels:
- Cox: Channel 234
- DirecTV: Channel 221
- Dish Network: Channel 158
- Sparklight: Channel 139 / 1139 (HD)
ON THE RADIO
Fans can listen to Saturday's contest through the Bronco Radio Network, with Bob Behler calling play-by-play for Boise State alongside former offensive lineman Pete Cavender. Click here to stream the Bronco Radio Network online. Radio affiliates are listed below by location:
- Boise: KBOI 670 AM / 93.1 FM
- Idaho Falls: KSPZ 980 AM / 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
- Baker City: KBKR 1490 AM
- La Grande: KLBM 1450 AM
STREAMING
Streaming for Boise State's bout with San Jose State is available through a majority of popular platforms, including Paramount+, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and more. Live streaming is also available on CBSSports.com and the free CBS Sports mobile app for subscribers of participating cable and satellite television providers (including Dish Network and DirecTV).
For more information on ways to watch CBS Sports Network outside of standard TV channels, click here and visit the website's 'watch' dropdown.
KTVB on The Blue Bronco Coverage Plan
BRONCO ROUNDUP GAME DAY
Get ready for Boise State football with the official TV station for Bronco Nation both Saturday morning and Saturday evening ahead of kickoff! The Bronco Roundup Game Day Show featuring KTVB's Jay Tust and Brady Frederick gives fans an up-close look at players warming up, provides an in-depth preview, hits on matchup storylines, features interviews with leaders of Boise State Athletics and more.
The first exclusive pre-game show airs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. MT on KTVB Channel 7, KTVB.COM, KTVB+ on Roku and Amazon Fire TV and the KTVB mobile app. The second Bronco Roundup Game Day Show runs from 5 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. MT on KTVB.COM, KTVB's YouTube channel, KTVB+ and the KTVB mobile app.
Tust and Frederick will be live on the sidelines of Albertsons Stadium, showcasing the sights and sounds from homecoming and parent and family weekend at Boise State. The show also provides last-second injury updates, compares statistics and highlights all things Bronco football.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
KTVB will live stream Boise State's post-game press conference on KTVB.COM, the KTVB YouTube channel and the KTVB mobile app Saturday immediately following the end of the game. Bronco Nation will hear from head coach Andy Avalos and select Bronco players, see highlights and get reaction from Tust and Frederick.
Post-game interviews will also be posted online shortly after the press conference ends, so fans can watch whenever and wherever they want. Stay tuned to KTVB.COM Saturday night for a game recap, extended highlights, a photo gallery and comments from Boise State vs. San Jose State.
Odds and Predictions Home Favorites
ESPN's Matchup Predictor, creating using ESPN Analytics, gives Boise State a 70.8% chance to defeat San Jose State on Saturday at Albertsons Stadium. The Broncos opened as a touchdown favorite, but are now favored by 9.5 across most major sportsbooks.
According to VegasInsider, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, bet365, BetRivers and more have a spread of 9.5. FanDuel stands alone as of Thursday afternoon with a 10-point spread. FanDuel and BetMGM have an over/under of 58.5, while most other sportsbooks have the total at 59.
Both squads are 3-2 against the spread this year, per DraftKings. Roughly 60% of people have bet Boise State to cover the platform's 10-point spread, while bets on the over/under are split 50-50.
The Spartans are seeking their first win in nearly a month after consecutive losses to Toledo (21-17) and Air Force (45-20) prior to last week's bye. The Broncos are coming off a 35-32 loss at Memphis and are looking to start 2-0 in Mountain West play.
Stats Comparison FBS Ranks
Team: Stat Per Game | FBS Rank:
TOTAL OFFENSE
- Boise State: 420.4 YPG | No. 51
- San Jose State: 355.6 YPG | No. 89
SCORING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 28.6 PPG | No. 69
- San Jose State: 28.2 PPG | No. 71
RUSHING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 165.6 YPG | No. 57
- San Jose State: 135.2 YPG | No. 93
PASSING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 254.8 YPG | No. 49
- San Jose State: 220.4 YPG | No. 85
RED ZONE OFFENSE %
- San Jose State: .882 (12 TDs, 3 FGs) | No. 48
- Boise State: .833 (11 TDs, 4 FGs) | No. 67
TIME OF POSSESSION
- Boise State: 30 minutes (avg.) | No. 65
- San Jose State: 29 minutes (avg.) | No. 73
TOTAL DEFENSE
- San Jose State: 378.2 YPG | No. 74
- Boise State: 433.6 YPG | No. 116
SCORING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 30.4 PPG | No. 101
- San Jose State: 33.4 PPG | No. 113
RUSHING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 144.4 YPG | No. 78
- San Jose State: 216.0 YPG | No. 126
PASSING YARDS ALLOWED
- San Jose State: 162.2 YPG | No. 13
- Boise State: 289.2 YPG | No. 122
RED ZONE DEFENSE %
- Boise State: .810 (15 TDs, 2 FGs) | No. 55
- San Jose State: .947 (16 TDs, 2 FGs) | No. 117
Leaders Individual Stats
PASSING
- Taylen Green: 70-of-133 (52.63%), 938 yards, 4 TDs, 4 INTs
- Chevan Cordeiro: 102-of-167 (61.1%), 1,022 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs
RUSHING
- Ashton Jeanty: 96 carries, 489 yards (5.1 avg.), 8 TDs
- Kairee Robinson: 46 carries, 284 yards (6.2 avg.), 6 TDs
RECEIVING
- Eric McAlister: 25 receptions, 426 yards (17.04 avg.), 3 TDs
- Nick Nash: 25 receptions, 234 yards (9.4 avg.), 3 TDs
TACKLES
- Marco Notarainni: 36 total tackles (23 solo, 13 assisted)
- Byrun Parham: 40 total tackles (19 solo, 21 assisted)
TACKLES-FOR-LOSS
- Ahmed Hassanein: 5 TFLs (-16 yards)
- Tre Smith: 4 TFLs (-26 yards)
SACKS
- Ahmed Hassanein: 2.5 sacks (-13 yards)
- Smith: 3 sacks (-25 yards)
INTERCEPTIONS
- Alexander Teubner and Jaylen Clark: 1 INT each
- Chase Williams and Tre Jenkins: 1 INT each
Color Scheme Blue Out
For the second time this year, Bronco Nation is asked to "blue out" Albertsons Stadium on Saturday for homecoming and parent and family weekend. On Wednesday, the student section sold out and total ticket sales surpassed 36,000. The game was officially declared a sellout Friday afternoon.
Boise State football announced it will wear blue helmets, with black jerseys and blue pants against San Jose State. The Broncos have only wore the uniform combination once – in last year's win over North Texas in the Frisco Bowl. The black jerseys feature a blue trim and number outline, with "Boise State" across the chest in gray.
The Spartans also plan to wear blue helmets and blue pants, with white socks and blue cleats. White jerseys will separate the two, with gold decals and white facemasks on the lids.
Boise State Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey earlier this offseason reintroduced "Bronco Fan Friday," a long-time tradition encouraging fans to wear Bronco gear or fly a blue and orange flag every Friday. Those who post a picture and tag @BroncoSports on social media may win prizes.
A full schedule of fan color schemes for the 2023 season is shown below:
Tailgating Pre-game Info
FORD FAN ZONE
Prior to kickoff, Bronco Nation can enjoy activities and live music in the upgraded Ford Fan Zone. The fan space is free to enter and includes food trucks, concession stands, a Bronco Kids Club booth with inflatables and sports gardens with alcohol sales.
Located along Bronco Lane between DeChevrieux Field and the Larry and Marianne Williams Plaza, the Ford Fan Zone opens four hours before each home game, or 2 p.m. on Saturday. The area gives fans a front-row seat to the Bronco Walk.
'Guilty Pleasure' will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday. A rotating list of bands provide pre-game concerts three hours before action gets underway on The Blue each time the Broncos play at home. Also going live at 3 p.m. Saturday is the two-hour Bronco Tailgate Show on the Hall of Fame Plaza, hosted by Richie Brockel and Nate Shelman alongside Daryn Colledge.
BRONCO ALLEY
Also opening four hours prior to kickoff each week is the Bronco Alley, located on the east side of Albertsons Stadium. The area will be open from 2 p.m. Saturday through halftime. Bronco Alley consists of food trucks, beverage stands and extra restrooms.
Serving food at Bronco Alley this week is Fly, Basilios Tacos and Meltz. Against Wyoming on Oct. 28, Mad Mac and Fusion Frites will join Meltz in Bronco Alley.
BRONCO WALK
The Bronco Walk, a tradition outside Albertsons Stadium prior to Boise State home games, is scheduled to begin two hours and 40 minutes ahead of kickoff, or 3:20 p.m. Saturday, and goes from the Student Union Building, along Bronco Lane, and through the Larry and Marianne Williams Plaza to the Allen Noble Hall of Fame.
Get hyped for kickoff and help the Blue Thunder Marching Band and Boise State's cheer team send Bronco players and coaches into game preparation in style!
10 TO 10 ZONE
According to the Boise Police Department, the 10 to 10 Zone remains in place for home games this season. It specifies off-campus areas where people over the age of 21 may consume alcoholic beverages from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Boise State home football game days only.
Alcoholic beverages are allowed in opaque plastic cups within the zone. Glass containers, beer cans and types of liquor bottle and cups with alcoholic labeling are not allowed.
The 10 to 10 Zone begins at Broadway Avenue and Myrtle Street, extends south down Broadway to Beacon, turns west along Beacon, north up Oakland Avenue, west on Potter Drive, north again up South Joyce Street, and then west along University Drive all the way to Capitol Boulevard.
The boundary extends north along Capitol and turns east onto Cesar Chavez Lane, crosses Friendship Bridge north, and leads into Julia Davis Park. In the park, the 10 to 10 Zone boundary is the area east of Zoo Boise to Broadway Avenue, and south of the Julia Davis pond.
A map of the 10 to 10 Zone is shown below. For more "2023 Bronco Game Day Reminders" from Boise Police, click here.
Transportation Parking, Traffic, Shuttles
Expect increased traffic on all roads surrounding Boise State before and after the game. University Drive, from Capitol Boulevard to Broadway Avenue, will be congested throughout Saturday morning and afternoon. Due to limited public parking on-campus, fans are encouraged to park off-campus and walk/bike or use a shuttle to get to the game.
Parking in Boise Parks:
Parking is allowed in designated parking spots within Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park. Parking for Boise State home games is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Towing will be delayed at all city parks until 9 a.m. the day after each home game, regardless of kickoff time.
Officers will be on the lookout for parked vehicles blocking sidewalks, crosswalks and fire hydrants, as well as those parked too close to intersections or stop signs. Most parking tickets for vehicles, motorcycles and scooters have a fine of roughly $60. Your vehicle may be towed if it is blocking a driveway, access way, fire hydrant or parked illegally in an alleyway.
Game Day Shuttle:
Valley Regional Transit introduced a new resource for Boise State football game days – a free to ride service which will operate for the six home games and stop seven times on its way to Albertsons Stadium.
The Game Day Shuttle will go through Main Street Station, downtown parking garages and other areas, VRT said in a press release prior to the home opener. The shuttle will run two hours before the game and one hour after the game, with stops every 10 minutes.
Locations for the shuttle's seven stops on its way to the stadium are listed below, in addition to a route map from VRT. The eighth and final stop is Caesar Chavez and Broadway, taking fans right on campus:
- Idaho & 6th
- River & Pioneer
- Front & 9th
- 11th & Main
- Main & 8th
- Main & Capitol
- 6th & Broad
Stadium Entry Gates and Security
ENTRY PROCEDURES
Tickets for 2023 Bronco sporting events are digital and screenshots no longer work, according to Boise State Athletics. Fans should use the Boise State Broncos Athletics app and their Boise State Ticket Account Manager to have full access to tickets on a smartphone. Tickets can also be saved to the wallet app before arriving to Albertsons Stadium and should be pulled up before the ticket scanner area.
New this year, each digital ticket will provide a recommended entry point and gate (see map below). However, fans outside of the Stueckle Sky Center and student section can enter through any gate. VIP fans will have an expedited entry process by going through gates labeled 'Stueckle Entry.'
Four Entry Plazas:
Entry Plaza 1
- Gates L, M (Main Student Entry)
Entry Plaza 2
- Gates N, P (ADA Accessible Entrance)
Entry Plaza 3
- Gate A (ADA Accessible Entry Only)
- Gate B (Player Pass List Entry Only)
- Gate C (Stueckle Entry Only)
- Gate D
- Lyle Smith Society @ Hall of Fame
Entry Plaza 4
- Gate E
- Gate F (Stueckle Entry Only)
- Gate H
Bronco fans should arrive early. The only bags allowed in Albertsons Stadium are included below with maximum sizes:
- Clear plastic or vinyl bags: 12 x 12 x 6 inches
- Clear plastic freezer bag: One gallon
- Purse, bag or clutch: 4.5 x 6.5 inches
Prior to entry, fans will pass through metal detectors, and any bags carried in will be subject to search. Remember to leave prohibited items behind, including all weapons, alcohol, glass, and coolers. For a breakdown of permitted and prohibited items, click here.
Concessions Stadium Options
Boise State Athletics and Boise State University Dining continue to feature local businesses and products in their concessions menu for the 2023 football season. Designated stands brought back favorites such as Hammer Frys, mini donuts, pizza cones and Blue 32 BBQ sliders, in addition to options from Meraki Greek Street Food and La Tapatia.
Of course, the classics like hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, pretzels, popcorn and candy are offered to Bronco Nation. Boise State Athletics announced Albertsons Stadium will have six Mashgin self-checkout kiosks this year. The locations of the self-checkout kiosks are described below:
- Two adjacent to the west Locals Corner concession area
- Two near the east Locals Corner concession area
- Two at the Double R Ranch concession area on the east side of the stadium
In addition to bottled water, Coca-Cola products and selections from Anheuser-Busch such as beers and seltzers, Boise State also offers options from local vendors. Lost Grove Brewing, Meriwether Cider Co., Payette Brewing, Sockeye Brewing, Woodland Empire and Western Collective will be represented at Saturday's games.
Western Collective's Horseshoe Golden Ale will be available at Albertsons Stadium, with a portion of the proceeds going to The Horseshoe Collective, supporting Boise State student-athletes. Fans are required to show proof of identification to receive a wristband to purchase alcoholic beverages.
Albertsons Stadium concession map:
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