Only 30 Schools Have More Players in the NFL Wild Card Games Than Boise State

 Only 30 schools in the nation have more NFL players in the 5 Wild Card games this week than Boise State. The Broncos have no players in the Packers-Eagles game nor the Steelers-Ravens matchup, but former Boise State great Kellen Moore is the offensive coordinator of the Eagles. Former great offensive line coach Chris Strausser is now the offensive line coach for the Houston Texans.

Boise State is tied with BYU, North Carolina, UCLA, USC and Virginia in the #31 spot with five players each.

Here is the representation of the top football teams in the country with at least 5 players in the 5 games:

1. Alabama 29
2. Georgia 23
3. Notre Dame 15
3. Ohio State 15
5. Washington 14
6. Penn State 13
7. Florida 12
7. Oklahoma 12
9. Iowa 10
9. LSU 10
9. Mississippi 10
9. Wisconsin 10
9. Texas 10
14. Oregon 9
14. Texas A&M 9
16. Auburn 8
16. Clemson 8
16. Illinois 8
16. Michigan 8
20. Boston College 7
20. Nebraska 7
20. Pittsburgh 7
20. Utah 7
24. Florida State 6
24. Kentucky 6
24. Maryland 6
24. Memphis 6
24. Mississippi State 6
24. Stanford 6
24. TCU 6
31. Boise State 5
31. BYU 5
31. North Carolina 5
31. UCLA 5
31. USC 5
31. Virginia 5

Boise State Represented By Five Players in NFL Wild Card Games

 Five former Boise State stars will play in the five NFL Wild Card games this weekend:

BOISE, Idaho – Five former Boise State players will represent the Blue and Orange and NFL Wild Card Weekend kicks off. The action begins Saturday when Scott Matlock and the Los Angeles Chargers travel to Houston for a 2:30 p.m. game against the Texans. Sunday features an 11 a.m. battle between former teammates Khalil Shakir (Buffalo Bills) and JL Skinner (Denver Broncos). John Bates and Jeremy McNichols cap the weekend with the Washington Commanders, playing in a Sunday night showdown with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

SATURDAY

Los Angeles Chargers (Scott Matlock) at Houston Texans – CBS/Paramount+, 2:30 p.m.

Last Week: Matlock played in all three phases of the Chargers’ 34-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. He started at fullback, earning a season-high Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade of 78.7. He also played on defense, making one tackle. The victory gave Los Angeles an 11-6 record and the AFC’s top wild card spot. Matlock concluded the regular season with 730 snaps, including 362 on offense, 137 on defense and 231 on special teams.

SUNDAY

Buffalo Bills (Khalil Shakir) vs. Denver Broncos (JL Skinner) – CBS/Paramount+, 11 a.m.

Last Week: Shakir was one of several Buffalo players to rest during a 23-16 loss to the New England Patriots. The Bills finished the year with a 13-4 record, tying the franchise record for most wins in a season. Buffalo won the AFC East for the fifth-straight season, clinching the AFC’s No. 2 seed and the team’s sixth-straight postseason appearance. The Boise State product finished the season with a team-high 76 catches for 821 yards and four touchdowns. Skinner played 21 total snaps in Denver’s 38-0 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, which clinched the Broncos’ first playoff berth since 2015. The Boise State product ranked second on the team with 310 special teams snaps, making significant contributions to a unit that finished third in the league with a PFF grade of 90.1.

Washington Commanders (John Bates, Jeremy McNichols) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers – NBC/Peacock, 6 p.m.

Last Week: Bates played 29 total snaps and McNichols played 12 in Washington’s 23-19 win over the Dallas Cowboys. The victory clinched the NFC’s No. 6 seed and a 12-5 record for the Commanders, the team’s best record since 1991. Bates finished the year with eight receptions for 84 yards while McNichols totaled career-highs in rushes (55), yards (261) and touchdowns (4).

Oregon, Boise State Are 1-2 in the Final Top 25 Before the Playoffs

Oregon and Boise State have plowed through their schedules undefeated except for #2 Boise State's 37-34 loss to #1 Oregon as a field goal sailed through the uprights as time expired to give the Ducks the win on their home field.  That instant classic is what a football aficionado would expect in a battle between the nation's top two teams.  But the battle for #2 tightened this week with Texas's win over Georgia, avenging a loss earlier in the season to the Bulldogs.

There were some exciting games in the conference championships, with Boise State's defense putting on its best show of the year in stopping a potent UNLV offense, 21-7.  Oregon had a solid 28-10 lead in the second quarter and double-digit leads several times in the second half only to see Penn State storm back to make it interesting before the Ducks took it, 45-37.

Georgia's starting quarterback suffered a bad injury to his elbow when he was sacked and had to go to the sidelines in the second half as his relatively inexperienced backup sparked his team to a comeback.  Texas was able to tie the game 16-16 on a field goal in the final seconds, sending it into overtime, and took a 19-16 lead on another field goal in the extra period.  On the ensuing possession, the substitute Bulldog quarterback had to leave the field for one play when his helmet came off, and who should enter the game but the banged-up starter.  He approached the line of scrimmage with a noticeably-limp left arm and even when handing it off, had to do it ever so slowly because of the injury.  But his running back grabbed the ball and went into the end zone for the win.

But the most exciting of the championship games was in the ACC, as Clemson controlled the first half and owned a 31-14 lead in the fourth quarter only to see SMU storm back to tie it at 31 with just 16 seconds left.  But Clemson got an excellent kickoff return and then hit a pass over the middle to the SMU 38 with 3 seconds left.  Their best chance was to let their kicker try a 55-yard field goal, and he nailed it with room to spare for the dramatic win.

Here is the Blue Football Through and Through Top 25 heading into the playoffs!

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1.  Oregon 13-0, prevailed over #6 Penn State 45-37, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #2 Boise State, #6 Penn State, #7 Ohio State and #25 Illinois, Losses:  None, Bad Losses:  None) 

7-7-7-7-4-4-3-2-2.  Boise State 12-1, throttled #14 UNLV 21-7, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #14 UNLV (2), Lost to #1 Oregon, Bad Losses:  None)

23-12-11-11-20-15-7-6-3.  Georgia 10-2, defeated #4 Texas 22-19 in overtime, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #4 Texas (2), #11 Tennessee and #19 Clemson, Lost to #16 Alabama and #17 Mississippi, Bad Losses:  None)

6-18-17-14-10-8-6-3-4.  Texas 11-2, lost to #3 Georgia 22-19 in overtime, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #23 Texas A&M 17-7, Lost to #3 Georgia (2), Bad Losses:  None)

4-5-4-4-5-3-5-5-5.  Indiana 11-1, did not play (Impressive Wins:  None, Biggest Win:  Beat Nebraska, Lost to #7 Ohio State, Bad Losses:  None)

3-3-3-9-7-5-4-4-6.  Penn State 11-2, lost to #1 Oregon 45-37,  (Impressive Wins: #25 Illinois, Lost to #1 Oregon and #7 Ohio State, Bad Losses:  None)

10-13-9-6-3-2-2-8-7.  Ohio State 10-2, did not play, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #3 Penn State and #5 Indiana, Lost to #1 Oregon and Michigan, Bad Losses:  Michigan)

32-25-19-16-14-12-10-9-8.  Notre Dame 11-1, was idle, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #9 Army, #23 Texas A&M, #28 Louisville and #30 Navy, Lost to Northern Illinois, Bad Losses:  Lost to Northern Illinois)

17-19-16-13-8-6-11-10-9.  Army 11-1, annihilated #26 Tulane 35-14, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #26 Tulane, Lost to #8 Notre Dame, Bad Losses:  None)

11-14-12-5-6-10-8-7-10.  SMU 11-2, lost a heartbreaker to #19 Clemson 34-31 on a 55-yard field goal as time expired, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #28 Louisville, Lost to #13 BYU and #19 Clemson, Bad Losses:  None)

21-17-14-12-11-17-13-11-11.  Tennessee 10-2, did not play, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #16 Alabama, Lost to #3 Georgia and Arkansas, Bad Losses:  Arkansas)

19-35-32-27-32-24-16-13-12.  Arizona State 11-2, clipped #22 Iowa State 35-19, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #14 BYU, #22 Iowa State and #27 Kansas State, Lost to Cincinnati and Texas Tech, Bad Losses:  Cincinnati and Texas Tech)

2-2-2-2-2-9-17-14-13.  BYU 10-2, was idle this week, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #6 SMU and #27 Kansas State, Lost to #12 Arizona State and Kansas, Bad Losses:  Kansas)

31-28-30-26-18-19-14-12-14.  UNLV 10-3, fell to #2 Boise State 21-7  (Impressive Wins:  None, Biggest Win:   San Jose State, Lost to #2 Boise State (2) and Syracuse, Bad Losses:  Syracuse)

14-6-6-3-13-11-9-15-15.  Miami of Florida 10-2, did not play,  (Impressive Wins:  Beat #28 Louisville, Losses:  Lost to Syracuse and Georgia Tech, Bad Losses:  Syracuse and Georgia Tech)

22-32-21-17-12-7-19-17-16.  Alabama 9-3, did not play, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #3 Georgia, #18 South Carolina, #19 Missouri and #29 LSU, Lost to #11 Tennessee,  Oklahoma and Vanderbilt, Bad Losses:  Oklahoma and Vanderbilt)

37-36-33-28-19-14-18-18-17.  Mississippi 8-3, was idle, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #3 Georgia 28-10 and #18 South Carolina, Lost to #29 LSU, Florida and Kentucky, Bad Losses:  Florida and Kentucky)

_-37-34-29-29-18-20-19-18. South Carolina 9-3, did not play, (Impressive Wins: Beat #19 Missouri, #19 Clemson and #23 Texas A&M, Lost to #16 Alabama, #17 Mississippi and #29 LSU,  Bad Losses:  None)

24-21-18-19-21-16-12-21-19.  Clemson 10-3, Stole a 34-31 win from #11 SMU in the final seconds, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #11 SMU, Lost to #3 Georgia, #18 South Carolina and #28 Louisville, Bad Losses:  None)

34-29-26-21-26-25-22-20-19. Missouri 9-3, did not play, (Impressive Wins:  None, Biggest Win:  Beat Arkansas, Lost to #16 Alabama, #18 South Carolina and #23 Texas A&M, Bad Losses:  None)

24-28-_-_-_-_-24-22-21.  Duke (8-3) was idle, (Impressive Wins:  None, Biggest Win:  Connecticut, Lost to #6 SMU, #15 Miami of Florida and Georgia Tech, Bad Losses:  Georgia Tech)

11-8-15-_-_-_-27-16-22.  Iowa State (10-3), lost to #12 Arizona State 45-19,  (Impressive Wins:  Beat #27 Kansas State, Lost to #12 Arizona State, Texas Tech and Kansas,  Bad Losses:  Texas Tech and Kansas)

33-26-20-18-16-13-21-23-23.  Texas A&M 8-4, did not play,  (Impressive Wins:  Beat #19 Missouri and #29 LSU, Lost to #4 Texas, #9 Notre Dame, #18 South Carolina and Auburn, Bad Losses:  Auburn)

_-16-23-_-31-_-24-24.  Memphis (10-2), was idle, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #26 Tulane, Lost to #30 Navy and Texas-San Antonio, Bad Losses:  Texas-San Antonio)

12-8-15-34-30-27-25-26-25.  Illinois 9-3, did not play,  (Impressive Wins:  None, Biggest Wins:   Beat Nebraska, Lost to #1 Oregon, #3 Penn State and Minnesota, Bad Losses:  Minnesota)

Dropped Out of Top 25: 

Louisiana

Also Considered:

_-_-_-32-26-20-15-27-26. Tulane (9-3), lost to #10 Army,  (Impressive Wins:  Beat #30 Navy, Lost to #10 Army, #24 Memphis, #27 Kansas State and Oklahoma, Bad Losses:  Oklahoma

18-15-13-23-24-28-28-27.  Kansas State 8-4, did not play, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #26 Tulane, Lost to #12 Arizona State, #13 BYU, #22 Iowa State and Houston, Bad Losses:  Houston)

35-38-31-22-22-_-29-28.  Louisville (8-4), was idle, (Impressive Wins: Beat #19 Clemson, Lost to #6 SMU, #9 Notre Dame, #15 Miami of Florida and Stanford, Bad Losses:  Stanford)

25-22-24-20-28-_-_-30-29.  LSU (8-4), did not play, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #17 Mississippi and #18 South Carolina, Lost to #16 Alabama, #23 Texas A&M, USC and Florida, Bad Losses:  USC and Florida) 

13-4-22-30-27-_-31-30.  Navy (9-3), was idle, (Impressive Wins:  Beat #24 Memphis, Lost to #9 Notre Dame, #27 Tulane and Rice, Bad Losses:  Rice)

Dropped Out of Consideration:

Louisiana