With Boise State's win over Louisiana-Lafayette, the Broncos set an NCAA Modern Record by becoming the fastest four-year school to reach 400 wins. Here is a chronology of Boise State's 400 wins. The early games will be updated with new facts and figures as time permits.
1968: (8-2)
#1--50-2 pasting of Westminster in what is now Albertsons Stadium
#2--20-0 shutout over
Eastern Washington at home. Punter Dennis Baird kept EWU at bay the entire game with his 11 punts, tied for the Bronco record.
Boise State jumped on EWU for 3 touchdowns in the first quarter and held on for the win. Abe Brown scored on a 16-yard run and Eric Guthrie threw touchdowns to Baird (40 yards) and Larry Smith (5 yards). Smith led the Broncos with 106 yards rushing on 17 carries.
Quarterbacks Zimmerman and Eric Guthrie (6-9 for 186) combined to lead Coach Tony Knap's aerial attack.
The Bronco defense held
Eastern Washington to just 123 yards of total offense and only 45 rushing, and Steve Forrey helped out with a 54-yard interception return to stop one threat.
#3--49-0 win over Whitworth on the road, as the
Boise State defense allowed just 102 yards of total offense for the entire game and -16 yards passing, both all-time Bronco records. Abe Brown ran for 69 yards on 9 carries and scored touchdowns of 2 and 35 yards, while Dennis Baird hauled in a 42-yard pass from Eric Guthrie for another score. Gary Stivers also booted a 53-yard field goal for the Broncos. The Bronco secondary shined with 6 interceptions, led by Jim Murgoitio with 2.
#4--50-27 win at
Eastern Oregon, as Abe Brown (15 carries for 115 yards) and Larry Smith (10-64) ate up big chunks of yards on the ground and time on the clock.
Eastern Oregon totaled -6 yards rushing against the Bronco defense.
#5—7,500 fans witnessed a 27-20 shocker over
Idaho State at home. Ed "The Flea"
Bell was one of the top receivers in the nation, but it was Steve Forrey that made headlines. Forrey picked off no less than 4
Bengal passes, an all-time
Boise State record.
Bell still nearly prevailed in the end.
He hauled in a 63-yard bomb from
Bengal quarterback Larry Kerychuk with
1:11 left to pull ISU within seven.
The ensuing onside kick resulted in a Bronco recovery, however, and
Boise State ran out the clock.
Abe Brown enjoyed his second straight 100-yard day, bulldozing his way for 132 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Running mate Larry Smith also picked up 111 yards on 17 carries and another score.
Gary Stivers added 2 field goals to aid the Bronco cause.
#6--41-0 win at home against
Western State, the Broncos' 3rd shutout of the year, with Brown picking up 100 yards and two touchdowns.
It was
Boise State's fifth straight win as 3,500 fans looked in.
The alert Bronco secondary held Western to just 57 yards passing and picked off four passes, two of them by Steve Forrey.
#7--61-7 win over
Central Washington on the road, the Broncos' sixth straight win.
Central came into the game sporting a 6-2 record.
The
Boise State defense, however, held them to 30 yards rushing on 31 attempts.
Wright and Eric Guthrie each scored two touchdowns to lead the Bronco offense.
#8--16-7 win over
College of Idaho on the road, with the tough Bronco "D" holding the Coyotes to four yards rushing and 175 of total offense.
Faddie Tillman aided the Bronco cause with two field goal blocks, while linebacker Steve Svitak had nine tackles and lineman Rocky Lima had eight--
Boise State finished the season with 34 interceptions to lead the nation. The Broncos averaged 38.9 points while holding opponents to just 12.5.
1969: (9-1)
#9--37-7 win at
Central Washington, as
Boise State broke open a 9-7 game in the second half.
Sophomore Pat Ebright, a former
Boise High School star, led the Bronco charge with a pair of touchdown passes, one a 30-yarder to Dennis Pooley and the other a 10-yard throw to Butch Baird.
#10--66-7 win at home against Whitworth,
Boise State's 10th win as a four-year school and fifth straight win at home.
#11--17-7 victory over Cal Poly-SLO on the road for
Boise State's 10th consecutive win
#12--45-7 decision at
Eastern Washington, as
Boise State jumped out of the gate with three touchdowns and never looked back.
Abe Brown scored first on a nice 16-yard run,
then quarterback Eric Guthrie tossed a 40-yard scoring strike to Dennis Baird and a 5-yard pass to Larry Smith.
Guthrie later hooked up with Baird for a 42-yard pass play and Brown scored touchdowns of 35 and 2 yards.
The Bronco defense shone as well, holding
Eastern Washington to just 141 yards of total offense and only 53 rushing.
#13--62-0 whitewashing of
Southern Oregon on the road. Bronco quarterback Ron Autele was 10-13 for 117 yards, and three touchdowns and ran for another score. Two of the scoring strikes were to Allen Dykman, tight end Dave Toney caught 5 passes for 69 yards and the other TD, and former
Capital High School star Dale Leatham grabbed 3 passes for 44 yards.
Boise State intercepted six passes, including a 54-yard return by Steve Forrey.
Coach Tony Knap's team rang up 545 yards of total offense to just 141 for
Southern Oregon.
Abe Brown led the Bronco ground game with 69 yards on nine carries while Haley picked up 67 yards on 16 carries.
Gary Stivers booted a 53-yard field goal as well, a record that would stand 13 years until Mark Jensen topped it in 1982 with a 54-yarder.
The Bronco defense was amazing once again in holding their opponent to two yards rushing.
Linebacker Steve Vogel led the Bronco defense with 10 tackles.
#14--51-7 win at home against Hiram Scott, as Ken Johnson gained 111 interception return yards, an all-time Bronco record. 6,506 fans looked on as
Boise State recorded 7 interceptions. Johnson stole three himself and scored on returns of 56 and 52 yards.
The Bronco offense scored on its first three possessions.
Hiram cross the 50 just once in the second half and managed just 23 yards rushing against the stout Bronco defense.
Larry Smith hit paydirt twice for the Bronco offense.
#15--23-20 come-from-behind win at
Western State, led by the foot of placekicker Gary Stivers. Stivers hit 3 field goals in the game, including a 33-yard effort that split the uprights for the winning score. Moments before, punter Dennis Baird's 44-yard rumble after a fake punt tied the score at 20, allowing Stivers to perform his heroics.
The Bronco placekicked also booted field goals of 45 and 39 yards.
The Broncos totaled 451 yards of total offense.
#16--35-27 win over
Idaho State at home for
Boise State's fifth straight win.
Henry Jenkins returned an
Idaho State punt for 91 yards and a touchdown. Jenkins field the ball on his own 9, cut to the left right through the heart of the ISU kickoff return team. Somehow, he emerged untouched, cut to the sidelines and sped to the pylon. Kenzie Davis had another 65-yard punt return that went the distance. Ed "The Flea"
Bell had gained national attention as
Idaho State's superb receiver and 11,600 fans came out to see what the buzz was about.
Bell was contained by the Bronco secondary that picked off 5 Dan Halt passes to thwart
Bengal drives. Ken Johnson and Steve Forrey grabbed two interceptions each and helped limit Halt to 11-of-44 passing.
The Flea did grab 6 catches to lead the Bengals.
Bell finished the season with 96 receptions, 1,522 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, all small college records. Quarterback Eric Guthrie's 45-yard scramble for six and Larry Smith's 75 yards on 16 carries led the ground attack. Abe Brown also gained 62 yards on 21 carries.
Guthrie fired three touchdowns for the Broncos.
Dennis Baird was the top receiver for the Broncos with 6 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. Coach Tony Knap's team amassed 402 yards of total offense, exploding for four first half touchdowns and then holding on.
Idaho State Coach Ed Cavenaugh had this to say, "We got beat by a helluva ball team. And that was the best defense we have seen all season long, including
Montana."
#17--45-0 win at home against
College of Idaho led by Abe Brown, who had an outstanding day carrying the ball with 134 yards on 23 attempts and 3 touchdowns. Alan Ellert had four sacks of Coyote quarterback Lon
Troxel.
1970: (8-3, 2-2 Big Sky)
#18--49-14 win over
Chico State at home in the first game in Bronco Stadium
#19--35-0 win at home against
Eastern Montana
#20--34-20 win vs.
Central Washington at home thanks to the effort of Ebright, who started the game instead of regular starter Eric Guthrie. Ebright hit wide receiver Al Marshall in the end zone for a 31-yard pass play that was the Bronco's go-ahead score. John Walker finished with 15 tackles for
Boise State, and Scott Bowles blocked a
Central Washington field goal.
#21--17-10 win on the road in
Bozeman in
Boise State's first Big Sky Conference game and the Broncos' 10th consecutive win as well as their 10
th straight road victory (against 1 loss). Faddie Tillman's fumble recover at the Bobcat 14 set up a 15-yard run by Guthrie for Boise State's first-ever Big Sky touchdown. It was a defensive struggle throughout, as the Bronco defense held
Montana State to 57 yards passing and 210 yards of total offense.
Boise State put together a solid 72-yard drive for the game-winner, capped by Ross Wright's 1-yard plunge.
#22--57-0 shutout over
Southern Oregon at home
#23--12-0 blanking of
Eastern Washington at home, another 3-shutouts season for
Boise State. At the time,
Eastern Washington was known as the Savages. Reserve quarterback Pat Ebright's 2 touchdown passes and a superb defense allowed the Broncos to escape with the wine
#24--24-3 win in the Minidome in
Pocatello over
Idaho State. Prior to the game, the Boise State Beta Sigma Chi fraternity rolled an empty beer keg 250 miles from
Boise to the Minidome, setting a national record.
#25--41-7 win at
College of Idaho, as Ebright was 15-24 for 161 yards and 3 touchdowns. Halfback Gary Evans hit Rob Wates for another 5-yard score. Ross Wright had 76 yards on 13 carries and Cary Hoshaw had 4 rushes for 66 yards as the Broncos held a 21-6 edge in first downs.
1971: (10-2, 4-2 Big Sky)
#26--42-14 win over Division I Idaho
#27--18-14 decision at home vs. Cal Poly-SLO
#28--First win over
Nevada, 17-10 in
Reno, a game which featured 11 punts by
Boise State's Eric Guthrie, tying the Bronco record.
#29--47-24 win at home against Montana--The Grizzlies had enjoyed back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 1969 and 1970 to go along with Big Sky titles and berths in the Camellia Bowl each year.
#30--34-28 win on the road against
Eastern Washington
#31--35-26 win over
Central Washington in Bronco Stadium
#32--52-24 win at home against
Montana State, as receiver Don Hutt hauled in 4 touchdown passes to set the single-game Bronco record that has been tied twice.
#33--22-17 win at home against
Northern Arizona to clinch
Boise State's first-ever
Big Sky Conference title. Placekicker Eric Guthrie (who was also the punter and starting quarterback) kicked 5 field goals to set an all-time record in the game.
#34--28-21 win at home over
College of Idaho, allowing
Boise State to climb to 7th in the NCAA Division II polls.
#35--32-28 win over
Chico State in the Camellia Bowl, at the time the equivalent of the Division II national championship at the time.
Boise State scored 25 points in the 4th quarter to get the win. The game was broadcast nationally on ABC-TV with Keith Jackson doing the play by play. In 1971, a player could not play professional in one sport and college in the other, and
Boise State was forced to forfeit the bowl trophy, but not the win in the standings (Bronco quarterback Eric Guthrie also played pro baseball).
1972: (7-4, 3-3 Big Sky)
#36--36-16 win at home against UNLV and the Broncos' first win over the Rebels. The two teams racked up 945 yards in total offense between them in front of 13,418 in Bronco Stadium. Boise State started out of the gate with 23 points within 7:28 of the first quarter to take control of the game. Safety Joe Larkin keyed the surge when he recovered a Steve Matousek fumble and ran it back 71 yards for a touchdown. Larkin, also the Broncos' placekicker, was too pooped after his long run to get the ball through the upright! Quarterback Ron Autele hit Rod Stearns with 52 seconds remaining in the half. Stearns had two catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, while Don Hutt was on the receiving end of four passes for 49 yards and another score.
#37--21-15 win at
Humboldt State, as
Boise State won it in style.
With
7:53 to play, defensive end Mark Goodman forced a fumble and John Walker recovered to breathe life into the Broncos.
Ron Autele engineered a drive down the field, hitting
Marshall from 17 yards out for the go-ahead touchdown with
2:36 left.
The Humboldt defense double-covered All-American receiver Don Hutt the entire game, leaving speedy Al Marshall to take advantage with eight catches for 121 yards and a touchdown.
The Bronco defense intercepted five passes on the evening, three of them halting Lumberjack scoring opportunities.
#38--49-16 win in Bronco Stadium against
Weber State.
Although the Broncos had beaten
Weber State consistently in junior college, the Wildcats had been a thorn in
Boise State's side since the move to a four-year school in1968, defeating Coach Tony Knap's team three out of the four years.
In 1972, 14,776 turned out in Bronco Stadium to help turn the tide.
Quarterback Ron Autele had one of his finest games as a Bronco, tossing touchdown passes of 26, 37, 39 and 38 yards and running for two TD's himself.
Don Hutt caught two of those scoring strikes from Autele.
The opportunistic Bronco defense recovered five Weber fumbles and picked off three passes as
Boise State moved into a tie for the Big Sky Conference lead with
Montana State and
Montana.
#39--56-19 decision over
Nevada at home for
Boise State's 10th straight win in Bronco Stadium as
Boise State bounced back from a 26-21 road defeat at the hands of Cal Poly-SLO. In the game, Bronco runners carried the ball a record 83 times for 516 yards.
Harry
Riener led the explosion with 130 yards.
Quarterback Ron Autele threw two touchdown passes and scored another on the ground.
#40--33-7 win at
Portland State despite 210 yards in penalties assessed against the Broncos.
Coach Tony Knap's group exploded for 19 fourth-quarter points to break open a close game.
The back-breaker for
Portland State came when
Boise State was pinned in at
their own 10-yard line.
Ron Autele went pack to pass, just steps outside his own end zone.
He found wide receiver Al Marshall on the 18, who turned on the jets and simply outran the entire Viking secondary for a 90-yard touchdown.
The long-distance TD set a school record that would last 30 years and still stands as #3 all-time.
Marshall averaged 40.8 yards per catch (5-204) in the game, which remains a record for the highest yards per catch total with a minimum of 5 receptions.
Autele also lofted aerials of 30 to Don Hutt and 38 to Rod Stearns during the onslaught and an earlier scoring strike to Hutt.
Autele finished 7-16 for 243 for the Broncos.
Hutt had three receptions for 80 yards while Stearns ended with two catches for 80 yards.
The Bronco defense played one of the better games in school history, holding
Portland State to just 68 yards rushing and three complete passes for a total of eight yards through the air.
#41—A crowd of 14,017 jammed Bronco Stadium to witness the budding rivalry with Idaho State. Although the Broncos had prevailed three of four years, all of the games had been thrilling. With Idaho State on the Bronco 26, Linebacker Don Rae knocked down a Tom Lee pass on fourth down with less than a minute left to preserve a 31-28 squeaker over the Bengals. Wide receiver Don Hutt broke the school record for receptions with 11 for 126 yards.
Hutt and Al Marshall held the existing record with nine catches each.
The win, which ended
Idaho State's Big Sky Conference title hopes, was ironic in that the Bengals' 26-21 win over the Broncos the previous year had knocked
Boise State out of the championship.
The Bronco defense was responsible for three of the four
Boise State touchdowns.
Greg Frederick picked off two passes to lead the charge.
With the Broncos trailing 21-17 in the third quarter, Blessing Bird blocked a punt and defensive end Mark Goodman scooped it up and ran 11 yards into the end zone to put
Boise State ahead
#42--39-12 win at
Northern Arizona to finish the season at 7-4.
The Bronco defense stepped up big by stopping the Lumberjacks twice within the four-yard line in a scoreless fourth quarter.
Boise State broke open a tight 14-12 halftime lead, aided by a 72-yard scoring strike from Ron Autele to John Smith.
Billy Stephens (8 carries for 69 yards) and Chester Grey (7-69) paced the Bronco running attack.
1973: (10-3, 6-0 Big Sky)
#43--47-24 win in
Moscow over
Idaho--
Idaho players, fresh from a 62-14 romp over UTEP the week before, strutted through the Bronco locker room before the game doing chants and assorted nonsense before a surprised group of Broncos.
#44--27-17 win at home vs.
Montana State for
Boise State's 25th win at home (vs. 4 defeats)
#45--64-7 victory against
Portland State, featuring 642 yards of total offense by the Broncos.
The
Portland State game represented the 10
th time that a Bronco team had scored 50 or more points.
#46--34-7 win at
Weber State
#47--21-6 win against
Northern Arizona
#48--55-7 win over
Montana in Bronco Stadium, when the Bronco ground game was in perfect form, picking up 531 yards for an all-time record.
#49--21-17 barnburner in
Pocatello against
Idaho State to clinch
Boise State's first Big Sky Conference title and the Broncos' first undefeated Big Sky season.
Quarterback Ron Autele led the Broncos 89 yards in the final minute, arching a 10-yard scoring pass to Don Hutt to defeat the Bengals.
Autele and Hutt hooked up earlier for a touchdown,
Hutt's 10
th of the year, and Autele also ran one in for Coach Tony Knap's team.
Idaho State dominated for three quarters as the Bengals kept
Boise State's offense off balance.
Dave
Nicely's 43-yard run set up Autele's touchdown with
5:52 left to cut the margin to 17-14.
Nicely picked up 71 yards as the Broncos were without both John Smith and Ron
Emry the second half.
Autele finished 10-of-16 passing for 129 yards.
Ron Davis led the Bronco defense with 15 tackles while Mark Goodman had 11.
#50--42-10 victory over the #4 team in Division II, Cal Poly-SLO for
Boise State's 50th win
#51--wild 32-31 win over U-C Davis on the road in one of the most exciting games in Bronco history. A touchdown pass from Jim McMillan to Dave Nicely with six seconds left, followed by Rolly Woolsey's extra point, captured the win in dramatic fashion.
Boise State finished the season #7 in the Associated Press Division II poll.
#52--53-10 win at home against South Dakota for Boise State's first NCAA Division II playoff win (quarterfinal game) Quarterback Jim McMillan set postseason records for passing percentage by hitting 21 of 30 and touchdown passes with 4. John Smith also set a mark with his 86-yard kickoff return. Receiver Don Hutt snared 3 McMillan missiles for touchdowns.
1974: (10-2, 6-0 Big Sky)
#53--41-21 win on the road against Cal Poly-SLO. Running back John Smith averaged 12.5 yards per carry (12-150), setting a Bronco record with a minimum of 10 attempts.
#54--41-7 win over
Chico State
#55--40-37 win in
Bozeman vs.
Montana State
#56--36-16 win over
Nevada
#57--61-3 victory against
Idaho State, one of the largest margins in Bronco history.
Quarterback Jim McMillan and the Bronco offense were unstoppable.
McMillan hit 12 of 17 passes for 187 yards while backup Lee Huey connected on 9 of 12 with two touchdowns.
John Crabtree led the Bronco receivers with eight catches for 152 yards and one touchdown.
Boise State generated 500 yards of total offense to just 184 to their visitors from the east.
Reserves were plentiful in the second half, with Bob Cleveland catching two touchdown passes.
A crowd of 14,310 watched the contest between the state rivals.
#58--45-13 win on the road against
Northern Arizona, as two Bronco interceptions paved the way.
The first was by Clint
Sigman in the end zone that thwarted a Lumberjack drive.
The Broncos then went on a 78-yard drive to go ahead 10-6 with
2:31 left in the half.
On
NAU's next possession, Rolly
Woolsey intercepted a pass and returned it to the Lumberjack 18.
Three plays later, running back Ron
Emry scored from three yards out with 37 seconds remaining.
Quarterback Jim McMillan hit 16 of 27 passes for 202 yards, while Lee Huey was 8-12 for 88 yards.
John Crabtree once again led
Boise State with six catches for 64 yards.
Linebacker Ron Davis had 13 tackles to pace the Bronco defense.
#59--42-14 win in Bronco Stadium vs.
Weber State,
Boise State's 10th consecutive Big Sky Conference win
#60--41-20 win over UC Davis
#61--56-42 thriller against Montana for Boise State's first win in Missoula and the Broncos' 25th road win (vs. 11 defeats) Quarterback Jim McMillan set the all-time record of 6 touchdown passes and running back John Smith caught 4 of those to tie the receiving touchdowns record in that game.
#62--53-29 win over
Idaho to give
Boise State a 3rd Big Sky Conference championship. McMillan capped his
Boise State home career by completing 30 of 42 passes.
The win over the Vandals was the 15
th time that
Boise State had scored 50 or more points.
1975: (9-2-1, 5-0-1 Big Sky)
#63--42-20 home opening win over Cal State-Hayward
#64--35-29 win at home against Cal Poly-SLO, when Quarterback Greg Stern found Mike Holton for a 46-yard scoring play with 44 seconds left.
#65--28-13 win on the road against
Weber State
#66--35-34 victory against
Montana State, as Holton's heroics again propelled the Broncos to a close win. With 31 seconds remaining, Holton once again got loose in the secondary, and this time Quarterback Lee Huey hit him with a 32-yard strike for the go-ahead touchdown.
#67--34-21 win at home against UNLV
#68--48-0 win over
Northern Arizona, as the Bronco defense forced 6 Lumberjack fumbles to set an all-time record and allowed just 1 pass completion.
#69--39-28 win against
Montana, at the time a record 18th straight home win
#70--49-6 win in
Reno vs.
Nevada,
Boise State's 25
th Big Sky Conference win (vs. 7 losses and a tie).
#71--20-17 win over
Idaho State on the road to clinch
Boise State's 4th Big Sky Conference title, 3rd in a row and 18th in a row without a loss.
Boise State ended the remarkable 3-year Big Sky run of 18 games without a loss (with a tie as the only blemish). It was also the Broncos' 25th road win since 1968 (a record of 25-12-1).
1976: (5-5-1, 2-4 Big Sky)
#72--42-14 home win over Augustana
#73--33-0 shutout over
Humboldt State,
Boise State's 10th shutout victory
#74--26-8 decision over
Nevada
#75--36-0 win on the road against
Idaho State
#76--56-31 victory vs.
Weber State
1977: (9-2, 6-0 Big Sky)
#77--19-9 win on the road over
Weber State
#78--45-14 win against UNLV, the 50th win in Bronco Stadium against 8 losses
#79--26-0 shutout over defending Division II National Champion Montana State
#80--43-17 win in
Missoula against
Montana
#81--27-13 win against
Northern Arizona in Bronco Stadium
#82--23-16 win on the road in
Boise State's first win over
Utah State
#83--31-7 home win over
Idaho State
#84--42-21 win over Cal Poly-SLO
#85--44-14 win at
Idaho to clinch a 5th Big Sky Conference championship and 4th undefeated run through the Big Sky.
Boise State finishes its Division II years with a record of 85-26-2)
1978: (7-4, 3-3 Big Sky)
#86--42-12 win over Division I-A Cal State-Fullerton,
Boise State's 1st win as a Division I-AA program
#87--19-13 win over Division I-A Long Beach State
#88--31-21 win in Bronco Stadium over
Northern Michigan. Cedric Minter set the all-time single game rushing record of 261 yards in the game.
#89--30-15 win over Division I-A San Jose State. Minter carried the ball 38 times in the game, a Bronco record.
#90--14-13 squeaker at home over
Weber State
#91--16-14 win over
Idaho State on the road
#92--48-10 win over
Idaho
1979: (10-1, 7-0 Big Sky)
#93--22-3 win over Division I-A Cal State-Fullerton on the road
#94--31-21 win over
Akron
#95--14-0 win over
Montana State,
Boise State's 10th I-AA win (vs. 5 losses)
#96--37-35 thriller on the road vs.
Montana
#97--41-17 win on the road against
Idaho
#98--44-0 win over Idaho State (Rick Woods set the all-time record for punt returns with 9 in that game, and Bronco runners set another all-time mark with a 9.4 yards per carry average (46-433).)
#99--23-7 win in
Ogden over
Weber State
#100--44-7 win over
Northern Arizona for
Boise State's 100th win (against 31 losses and 2 ties)
#101--28-27 win in
Reno vs.
Nevada to complete another undefeated Big Sky season (the Broncos were ineligible for the conference crown or any post-season action due to an illegal scouting violation in 1978)
#102--56-14 win over Cal Poly, helped by
Boise State's record 7 interceptions.
1980: (10-3, 6-1 Big Sky)
#103--28-7 shocker over Division I-A Utah in Salt Lake City s 3,000 Bronco fans traveled to see the first matchup of the two teams, Boise State's 11th straight win. Running Back Terry Zahner rushed for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns to pace the Bronco offense while Linebacker Dan Williams stopped the Utes cold with 15 tackles.
#104--20-18 win in
Flagstaff over tough
Northern Arizona, behind Running Back Cedric Minter's 171 yards rushing.
#105--44-10 win against
Montana
#106--44-21 win over
Idaho (#9 in Division I-AA) in Bronco Stadium before a then-record crowd of 21,812.
#107--24-0 shutout over
Weber State, the Broncos' 15th shutout since 1968.
#108--26-11 win over Division I-A Cal State Fullerton
#109--14-3 decision over
Nevada to clinch the Broncos' 6th Big Sky Conference crown
#110--22-13 win at
Idaho State for
Boise State's 50th Big Sky Conference win (against 15 losses and 1 tie) and 25th win as a I-AA school (vs. 8 losses)
#111--amazing 14-9 win over Grambling in Bronco Stadium in
Boise State's first-ever Division I-AA playoff game (I-AA semi-final game). Grambling was led by legendary coach Eddie Robinson and had supplied the NFL with top talent for years. They featured Trumaine Johnson and the "Trees of Terror" on defense.
#112--31-29 thrilling win over
Eastern Kentucky in
Sacramento, California for the I-AA National Championship! Aliotti completed 24 of 41 passes in the game.
1981: (10-3, 6-1 Big Sky)
#113--32-20 win over
Northwestern State
#114--33-9 win at home against
Rhode Island
#115--34-20 win in Bronco Stadium vs.
Northern Arizona, Boise State's 75th home victory
against 12 defeats.
#116--27-13 win at
Montana
#117--20-10 win vs.
Montana State
#118--33-19 decision over
Weber State on the road
#119--13-3 win at
Nevada
#120--17-6 win against Cal Poly
#121--45-43 win in
Moscow over
Idaho, fueled by John Broadous' 100-yard kickoff return, a Bronco record.
#122--19-7 win over
Jackson State in the NCAA Division I-AA national quarterfinals for
Boise State's first road playoff win and 5th post season victory (against 3 losses). Running back Rodney Webster set postseason records with 25 carries and 156 yards in the game.
The Bronco defense recovered four Tiger fumbles and intercepted two passes, including a spectacular pickoff by safety Rick Woods, who returned it for 73-yards.
Dan
LeBeau had 12 tackles to lead the defense, while Ray
Santucci and Curt
Hecker had 11 each and defensive tackle Randy
Trautman had 10.
1982: (8-3, 4-3 Big Sky)
#123--20-9 win over Division I-A Cal State-Fullerton
#124--A monumental 20-13 win over
Nevada
#125--22-15 win on the road against Division I-A Pacific
#126--21-14 home win over
Montana
#127--41-21 win over
Weber State
#128--26-24 win on the road at Cal Poly
#129--30-10 win over
Utah State in which linebacker John Rade recorded an amazing 8 tackles for loss, far and away the all-time
Boise State record.
#130--27-24 decision at
Idaho State,
Boise State's 50th road win vs. 25 defeats and two ties
1983: (6-5, 4-3 Big Sky)
#131--33-14 win over
Eastern Washington
#132--27-3 decision over Cal Poly
#133--42-0 blanking of
Montana State
#134--38-27 win at
Weber
State
#135--32-20 win over
Idaho State in Bronco Stadium for
Boise State's 50th win as a I-AA school (vs. 18 losses)
#136--28-3 win over
Northern Arizona
1984: (6-5, 4-3 Big Sky)
#137--37-12 win over
Nevada
#138--45-17 win at home against
Eastern Washington
#139--26-23 win in
Pocatello vs.
Idaho State
#140--14-12 win at
Northern Arizona
#141--35-7 win at
Montana
#142--14-10 win at Cal Poly, Boise State's 50th road victory against 26 losses and
2 ties
1985: (7-4, 5-2 Big Sky)
#143--13-9 win over UC-Davis, as kicker Roberto Moran nailed a 56-yard field goal, the longest in Bronco history.
#144--58-21 drubbing of
Montana State
#145--24-10 home win against
Northern Arizona
#146--24-21 win at
Weber State
#147--29-15 win vs.
Idaho State when placekicker Roberto Moran booted 5 field goals to tie the all-time Bronco record.
#148--28-3 win at
Montana
#149--42-14 decision over Cal Poly
1986: (5-6, 3-4 Big Sky)
#150--74-0 win over Humboldt State, so dominated by the Bronco defense that the Humboldt running game averaged a negative 1.1 yards per carry, an all-time Bronco record.
#151--31-14 win in
Bozeman vs.
Montana State
#152--31-0 win over
Montana,
Boise State's 75th Big Sky Conference victory (against 28 losses and a tie)
#153--23-13 win against
Weber State
#154--31-17 win over
Northwestern State, as
Boise State recovered a record 6 fumbles.
1987: (6-5, 4-4 Big Sky)
#155--34-13 win over
Delaware State
#156--30-0 win over Cal State-Northridge The victory was
Boise State's 100th win in Bronco Stadium (vs. 22 losses)
#157--35-13 win over
Montana State
#158--38-13 win over
Eastern Washington
#159--36-31 in at
Nevada
#160--48-18 win against
Northern Arizona
1988: (8-4, 5-3 Big Sky)
#161--29-10 win at Division I-A Long Beach State
#162--14-10 win vs.
Sam Houston State, as Duane
Halliday fired a six-yard pass and wide receiver Terry
Heffner caught it in the back of the end zone with only his toes touching the ground.
Boise State drove 81 yards in three minutes to pull out the victory.
The Bronco defense was amazing, stopping
Sam Houston State on fourth down three separate times.
In two other drives, the Bronco "D" forced field goal attempts that failed.
#163--24-21 win at
Northern Arizona, where linebacker Scott Russell dominated, making an incredible 28 tackles, the all-time Bronco record.
#164--31-27 win against
Weber State
#165--31-28 home win against
Montana
#166--40-28 win over
Nevada
#167--31-10 win at
Idaho State
#168--12-7 win against
Eastern Illinois
1989: (6-5, 5-3 Big Sky)
#169--23-12 decision over
Stephen F. Austin State
#170--41-24 road victory over
Weber State
#171--20-7 win over
Idaho State
#172--21-14 win against
Northern Arizona, getting the tie at 14 when Chris Thomas runs it back 94 yards for a touchdown.
Then, the Broncos win the game when quarterback Mike Virden scrambles to his right and finds Terry
Heffner in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown.
Boise State held the top Big Sky Conference rushing team to just 54 yards on the ground.
#173--37-10 win vs.
Montana State
#174--27-20 win over
Eastern Washington.
Boise State fought back from a 13-0 halftime deficit.
Quarterback Mike Virden dropped back to pass at his 32 and found tight end Larry
Stayner for a short play at the 40.
Stayner got a block and headed toward the right sideline.
He broke a tackle and continued down the field.
An Eagle had him collared at the EWU 40, but
Stayner slipped out of that, then broke another tackle and had his eyes on the end zone.
Stayner was finally brought down as he fell into the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown to tie the game.
1990: (10-4, 6-2 Big Sky)
#175--14-10 win over
Stephen F. Austin State
#176--24-14 win over
Idaho State
#177--34-21 win in Bronco Stadium against
Boston University
#178--41-3 win over
Montana
#179--28-20 win over
Northern Arizona in
Flagstaff
#180--44-16 win at
Idaho State
#181--31-27 win at
Montana State
#182--30-14 win over
Nevada
#183--20-3 win over
Northern Iowa in the NCAA Division I-AA first round, which saw punter Mike Black tied the Bronco record with 11 punts and cornerback Frank Robinson halt 3
Northern Iowa drives with interceptions. The Bronco defense held
Northern Iowa to a negative 5 yards rushing and only 156 yards of total offense.
#184--20-13 win over
Middle Tennessee State in the I-AA Quarterfinals, when the stingy
Boise State defense again excelled, limiting MTSU to 26 yards passing.
1991: (7-4, 4-4 Big Sky)
#185--35-14 victory over
Liberty for
Boise State's 100th win as a I-AA school (against 52 losses)
#186--48-14 win over Division I-A Long Beach State
#187--31-17 win over
Eastern Washington
#188--38-7 win at home over
Stephen F. Austin State
#189--57-14 win over
Northern Arizona, the 125th win for Boise State in Bronco Stadium (against only 29 defeats)
#190--38-16 win over
Idaho State
#191--31-14 win against
Montana State,
Boise State's 100th Big Sky Conference victory vs. 47 defeats and 1 tie)
1992: (5-6, 3-4 Big Sky)
#192--17-7 win over Division I-A Pacific
#193--24-20 win over
Stephen F. Austin State on the road
#194--27-21 win over
Montana
#195--20-14 win at
Northern Arizona
#196--24-21 win against
Weber State
1993: (3-8, 1-6 Big Sky)
#197--31-10 win over
Rhode Island
#198—Willie Bowens ran for 211 yards as Boise state earned a 27-13 win over Northeastern.
#199--34-27 win against
Idaho State
1994: (13-2, 6-1 Big Sky)
#200-- K.C. Adams ran for 172 yards and three touchdowns to lead
Boise State to a 36-26 win over Northeastern,
Boise State's 200th win as a four-year school (vs. only 96 losses and 2 ties).
19,509 in Bronco Stadium saw Tony Hilde hit 20 of 31 passes for 276 yards.
The game marked the first time that
Boise State started two 300-pounders on the offensive line, tackle Keith Jeffrey (6-5, 329) and guard Marty Benas (6-1, 305)
#201—Boise State broke open a tie game with 21 unanswered points in a 40-19 win over Cal State-Northridge.
The Broncos gained momentum on
a miraculous 3rd down and 49 play on their own 16. Tony Hilde hit Jarett Hausske for a 84-yard touchdown pass to shock Northridge. K.C. Adams also had a highlight 79-yard punt return, in which he took the ball at his own 21, bounced off several would-be tacklers, hit the jets and sprinted down the east sideline. Adams finished the game just six yards shy of the Bronco all-purpose rushing record for a game. Adams carried 24 times for 129 yards and caught three passes for another 27 yards. Adams became the first back since Chris Thomas in 1989 to get back-to-back 100 yard games. Tony Hilde was 18 of 32 passing for 252 yards.
#202—This one was for the Board.
The State Board of Education was to meet the next week to determine if Boise State would be allowed to go to the Big West Conference and Division I-A.
Boise State's opponent was none other than former Big Sky Conference rival
Nevada, who had moved on to the Big West themselves.
Rashid Gayle led a sterling effort by the Bronco defense with 12 tackles and two interceptions as
Boise State held off
Nevada for a 37-27 win in Bronco Stadium.
Coach Pokey Allen's Broncos put on quite a show for their distinguished guests.
Coach Pokey Allen's book of tricks opened early on
Nevada.
On the third play of the game, Tony Hilde handed off to Adams, who handed off to Ryan Ikebe on the reverse.
Ikebe then pitched it to Hilde, who hit a streaking Jarett Hausske with a perfect pass.
Then, with
Nevada lined up at the Bronco 17, Rashid Gayle stepped in front of a Mike Maxwell pass intended for Alex Van Dyke and took it 87 yards to the
Nevada 1.
The play of the game occurred with 18 seconds remaining in the half.
Boise State had opened a 24-0 first quarter lead, only to see the Wolf Pack storm back for 17 points
of their own.
With
Boise State lining up at the
Nevada 37, Tony Hilde fired a quick pass to Michael Richmond, who pitched it to K.C. Adams on the Hook & Ladder.
Adams sprinted the remaining 29 yards for the score right before halftime.
Adams finished with 23 rushes for 98 yards and Hilde added nine carries for 57 yards.
Greg Erickson kicked three field goals for the Broncos.
Nevada won the game between the hash marks with 538 yards of total offense to
Boise State's 348 and 28 first downs to 14 for the Broncos.
#203--35-7 win over
Liberty
#204--28-16 win over
Northern Arizona in
Flagstaff (Running Back K.C. Adams set an all-time Bronco record for his 80-yard touchdown in the game, the longest running play from scrimmage at the time.)
#205--24-17 win over
Weber State
#206--38-10 win in
Bozeman over
Montana State
#207--38-14 win over
Montana
#208--16-13 win against
Eastern Washington
#209--27-24 win over
Idaho to clinch
Boise State's 7th Big Sky Conference championship
#210--24-20 win over
North Texas in the First Round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs
#211--17-14 come-from-behind win over #2 Appalachian State in the I-AA Quarterfinals, as wide receiver Ryan Ikebe grabbed 4 catches for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns in the victory.
Boise State's opportunistic defense recovered three fumbles and interception four passes.
Stefan Reid recorded 12 tackles for the Broncos while Travis Thompson had 10.
Quarterback Tony Hilde and Ikebe hooked up for two huge scores, the first a 61-yard pass play in the second quarter and the second a 64-yarder with
1:27 remaining in the third.
K.C. Adams led the Bronco ground game with 87 yards on 20 carries.
#212--thrilling 28-24 comeback win over Marshall in the I-AA Semifinals before 20,068 in Bronco Stadium, Boise State's 10th straight home win, 8th I-AA playoff win (vs. 3 defeats) and 10th postseason victory (against 6 losses). Tony
Hilde's pass to Lee
Schrack completed the comeback that saw
Boise State rally from a 24-7 deficit.
Schrack had earlier scored on a 34-yard pass play from backup quarterback Mark
Paljetak, who entered the game due to an
injury to Hilde and promptly guided the Broncos 61 yards in five plays with
2:25 left in the first half.
Willie Bowens consistently gave
Boise State excellent field position with his postseason record of 146 kickoff return yards.
1995: (7-4, 4-3 Big Sky)
#213--38-14 win over Division I-A Utah State in
Logan
#214--38-14 win over
Sam Houston State,
Boise State's 11th straight win at home
#215--40-14 win at
Weber State
#216--27-17 win against
Idaho State
#217--49-14 win vs.
Portland State
#218--63-44 win over
Eastern Washington
#219--35-7 win over
Montana State in
Boise State's final Big Sky Conference game (114-61-1) and final Division I-AA game (134-76)
1996: (2-10, 1-4 Big West)
#220--33-22 win over
Portland State for
Boise State's 1st win as a Division I-A school
#221--33-32 win at
New Mexico State for
Boise State's 1st win in the Big West Conference.
New Mexico State had driven 80 yards in twelve plays to score what it hoped was the winning touchdown with 43 seconds left on the clock. On the
New Mexico State kickoff, Ryan Ikebe was deep for the return. Just before
reaching his blocking wedge he handed the ball to Andre Horace who was reversing his direction. Horace took the handoff and headed up the left sideline. At midfield he cut to the middle and made it to the New Mexico State 22 yard line before being brought down. On the second play of the possession and with no time outs remaining, Tony Hilde connected with Ikebe on a 22 yard pass for the winning points with 14 seconds left.
The victory halted the longest losing streak in the history of
Boise State at eight games.
1997: (5-6, 3-2 Big West)
#222--23-63 loss to Cal State-Northridge that was later forfeited to count as an official win by the NCAA, which penalized Northridge for letting three ineligible players play in the Boise State game. The win was
Boise State's 150th victory in Bronco Stadium (against 44 losses)
#223--24-7 win over
Weber State.
Gavin Reed gained 76 yards on the ground and fullback Davey Malaythong added 58, while Shaunard Harts caught three passes for 65 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos defeated former Big Sky Conference mate Weber.
#224--52-10 win over
New Mexico State for
Boise State's first Big West win at home.
Quarterback Nate Sparks hit 10 of 14 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns while Nicko Tatum ran for 100 yards (on 15 carries) and two more scores as the Broncos put away the Aggies in Bronco Stadium.
Big plays propelled the Broncos to victory:
Tatum's 50-yard run,
Sparks' 66-yard pass play to speedster Corey Nelson and Ross Farris's 73-yard interception return highlighted the
Boise State win.
Farris's pick six was the fifth longest in Bronco history.
#225--17-14 win at
North Texas. The Broncos controlled the clock for nearly 40 minutes, grounding out 278 yards on the ground.
Nicko Tatum led the Bronco attack with 110 yards on 19 carries, while Gavin Reed had 94 yards on 24 carries and quarterback Nate Sparks picked up 63 yards on 23 carries.
#226--30-23 win in overtime over
Idaho, a thrilling victory in
Moscow.
After a freak 99-yard fumble return by
Idaho's Gibbs gave the Vandals a 23-6 lead, the Broncos stormed back with 23 unanswered points, capped by a five-yard toss from Bart Hendricks to Eron Hurley in overtime.
It was the third TD strike from Hendricks, who threw for 378 yards on 26 of 38 passing.
Rod Smith excelled in the come from behind win with 13 catches for 165 yards.
Hendricks spread the ball to eight different receivers with Mike Davisson (3-88) and Tony Mamaril (3-52) coming up big.
Gavin Reed kept the Moscow defense honest with 87 yards on the ground to lead Boise State. The Bronco defense held Idaho to just 58 yards rushing and 252 yards of total offense.
1998: (6-5, 2-3 Big West)
#227--26-13 win over Cal State-Northridge.
Eron Hurley gained 93 yards on the ground and Bart Hendricks hooked up with Corey Nelson for a 79-yard touchdown play to lead the Broncos to victory before an opening day crowd of 25, 127.
#228--42-24 win vs.
Portland State before a crowd of 22,412.
The Broncos spotted
Portland State a 10-0 first quarter lead, then erupted for 555 yards of total offense, including 380 on the ground (6
th all-time).
Shaunard Harts squirted through the defense for 165 yards on 19 carries, Eron Hurley gained 123 yards on 22 carries and Bart Hendricks gained another 72 yards on six carries.
#229—Quarterback Nate Sparks tossed an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Rodney Smith with 45 seconds left as Boise State defeated Utah 31-28 in Salt Lake City.
The victory was Boise State's 75th road win (vs. 68 losses and two ties). Sparks completed 6-of-8 passes for 93 yards after replacing starter Bart Hendricks. Hendricks was 17-of-35 for 240 yards and three touchdowns. The win was the second in four meetings with Utah. Hendricks led the Broncos on an important drive just prior to halftime, taking the Broncos to the Utah 4, where Todd Belcastro kicked a 21-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to give Boise State a 17-14 lead going into the locker room. Smith ended with seven catches for 96 yards, while Antwain Wilson grabbed five passes for 139 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown from Hendricks.
#230--24-13 win vs.
Weber State before 20,766 fans, as quarterback Nate Sparks threw three touchdown passes, two to wide receiver Rodney Smith.
Eron Hurley was a workhorse for the Broncos, toting the ball 37 times for 183 yards.
#231--30-16 win against Utah State, as Boise State rallied from a 16-7 fourth-quarter deficit before 19,561 in Bronco Stadium. Shawn Sandoval and Jeff Davis each returned interceptions for touchdowns to rally Boise. Utah State held the Bronco offense to just 203 total yards, but return yardage (128) and the two interceptions proved to be the difference. A one-yard run by Bart Hendricks pulled Boise State within 16-14 4:51 into the final period and Todd Belcastro kicked a 52-yard field goal with just over 11 1/2 minutes remaining to give the Broncos the lead. Shaunard Harts led Boise State on the ground with 17 carries for 66 yards.
#232—Boise State outlasted New Mexico State 55-51 win in Las Cruces i
n one of the wildest Bronco games ever played, as Rodney Smith gathered in 4 touchdowns to tie the Bronco record for receiving TD's.
Smith (9 catches for 200 yards) and
Antwain Wilson (8-104) shattered the Aggie defense throughout the game, while Corey Nelson (3 for 91) provided a deep threat for
Boise State.
The teams combined for 1,203 yards of total offense
Boise State getting 621 (7
th all-time) and the Aggies 582.
The total offense generated by both teams is the second highest total ever in a Bronco game, while the 453 passing yards by
Boise State ranks 5
th.
Eron Hurley led
Boise State's ground game with 137 yards on 23 carries.
Quarterback Nate Sparks came in and did indeed spark the Broncos to the win with four touchdown passes, finishing 8-of-19 for 225 yards.
Starter Bart Hendricks completed 16-of-30 for 228 yards.
Denvis Manns ran for 180 yards for the Aggies while Ryan Shaw had nine catches for 204 yards.
1999: (10-3, 5-1 Big West)
#233--35-27 win over
Southern Utah, as Bart Hendricks threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another.
The Broncos raced to a 35-14 lead before 25,060 fans and then held off a late charge to win.
Hendricks finished 13-of-23 passing for 205 yards with Dave
Stachelski (6-108, one touchdown) being his favorite target.
#234--20-9 win over
New Mexico, as the Bronco defense held the Lobos scoreless in the second half, enabling the Broncos to recover from a 9-3 deficit.
Quarterback Bart Hendricks engineered the comeback, hitting 21-of-31
passes for 269 yards.
Wide receiver
Jeb Putzier hauled in five passes for 111 yards, while Lou
Fanucchi grabbed four for 60 and Dave
Stachelski had four receptions for 32 yards.
20,806 Bronco fans enjoyed the win over the Mountain West Conference
school.
#235--26-20 home win against
Utah, the Broncos' third win over the Utes vs. two losses.
An 80-yard pass play from Bart Hendricks to Dave
Stachelski opened up a 14-0 lead over
Utah before 21,817 in Bronco Stadium, then four Nick
Calaycay field goals kept the Utes at bay.
Davey Malaythong rushed for 94 yards on 27 carries while the Bronco defense forced four
Utah turnovers.
#236--41-7 pounding of
Eastern Washington before 21,981 fans in Bronco Stadium.
Quarterback Bart Hendricks was 10-of-12 for 154 yards and three touchdowns before putting on his
warmup jacket.
Aristole Thompson gained 94 yards on 16 carries and freshman Brock Forsey showed what he could do with 91 yards on 18 carries.
#237--52-17 win over
Nevada, as Bart Hendricks passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more scores for the Broncos.
Hendricks was 13-of-25 passing for 241 yards and was the leading Bronco ball carrier with 62 yards.
21,730 fans looked on as the
Boise State defense stiffened in the red zone against the potent Wolf Pack attack, blocked a punt for a touchdown and recovered two fumbles. It was the 25th game in which Boise State scored 50 or more points.
#238--33-27 win at
Utah State that featured a 77-yard run by Gavin Reed with
7:54 left in the game and four Nick
Calaycay field goals.
Reed finished the contest with 119 yards rushing on just 14 carries.
Utah State had rallied to take the lead 27-23 before Reed's heroics.
#239--63-10 win vs.
Arkansas State
#240--45-26 win over
New Mexico State,
Boise State's 10th Big West Conference win (vs. 10 losses)
#241--45-14 win at
Idaho to capture
Boise State's 1st Big West Conference Championship and 8th overall conference championship
#242--34-31 win over Louisville in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl before a nationwide audience on ESPN2 for Boise State's 1st Division I-A bowl win and the Broncos' first win over a Conference-USA team (in their 1st matchup against a team from that conference). Freshman running back Brock Forsey picked a great time to emerge onto the scene with a postseason record 269 yards of all-purpose offense. Shaunard Harts set another mark with his 80-yard interception return for a touchdown of
Louisville quarterback Chris Redman.
2000: (10-2, 5-0 Big West)
#243--31-14 win at
New Mexico,
Boise State's 5th win over a Mountain West school (vs. 2 losses and their 75th game on the road since 1968, a road record of 75-73-2.
#244--42-17 win over
Northern Iowa, a game in which Brock Forsey accounted for 292 yards of all-purpose offense, breaking the all-time record.
It was
Boise State's 25
th win as a Division I-A school (against 24 defeats)
#245--47-10 win at
Central Michigan
#246--41-23 win against Eastern Washington, Boise State's 10th straight win in Bronco Stadium and 25th win as a Division I-A school (vs. 26 losses). Quintin Mikell's 126 yards on punt returns set a Bronco record.
#247--59-0 win in Bronco Stadium over
North Texas,
Boise State's 20th shutout win as a four-year school, but the first since 1987.
#248--34-31 win at
New Mexico State
#249--42-14 win at
Arkansas State
#250--66-38 win vs.
Utah State, the 250th victory for
Boise State as a four-year school.
#251--66-24 win over
Idaho to win
Boise State's 2nd straight Big West Conference title, 9th overall conference championship and 6th overall undefeated conference season--
Boise State ends its short run in the Big West Conference with a record of 16-10.
#252--38-23 win over UTEP in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl, nationally televised on ESPN2, for
Boise State's 2nd straight I-A bowl win and 14th straight win in Bronco Stadium. Quarterback Bart Hendricks' thrilling 77-yard run up the middle led the Broncos' 2nd-half surge.
2001: (8-4, 6-2 WAC)
#253--Brock Forsey gained 132 yards on 32 carries and scored a touchdown as Boise State scored a 42-17 win over UTEP for
Boise State's 1st Western Athletic Conference win. Quintin Mikell, Travis Burgher, and LaGary Mitchell all had 10 tackles to lead the Bronco defense.
#254--Brock Forsey scored two touchdowns in the first half, and quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie had TD passes and ran for another in the second, as Boise State won 45-13 at Idaho. Eight different receivers caught passes, led by Billy Wingfield's five catches for 82 yards and another score. The Bronco defense held the Moscow school to 57 yards rushing on 31 carries.
#255--Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie hit 27 of 37 passes for a career high 405 yards as Boise State topped Tulsa 41-10. Dinwiddie threw touchdown strikes of 28, 37, and 42 yards to tight end Jeb Putzier, and 20 yards to Jay Swillie. Swillie finished with 10 catches for 156 yards and Putzier grabbed eight passes for 164 yards. Hard-running Brock Forsey had 127 yards on 20 carries, and safety Wes Nurse totaled eight tackles to lead the Bronco defense, which held Tulsa to just 34 yards rushing on 18 carries.
#256--Ryan Dinwiddie hit 20 of 32 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns as Boise State shocked
#8
Fresno State (live on ESPN) in Fresno. It was
Boise State's 1st win over a Top 25 team and 1st Western Athletic Conference road win. Dinwiddie was named both ESPN Magazine and The Sporting News National Player of the Week for his efforts. Behind 20-14 at the half, Dinwiddie led the historic win with touchdown passes of 18 and 19 yards to Jeb Putzier to bring the Broncos within 7 at 28-21. Brock Forsey then made a leap for the end zone from five yards out, soaring over four waiting Bulldogs to tumble into the end zone for the tying score with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter. Boise State took a 35-28 lead with 7:12 remaining on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Dinwiddie to Jay Swillie, who miraculously kept his feet following a collision after the catch at the 25, and sped to the end zone untouched. Fresno State had to punt on its next possession, but pinned the Broncos deep in their te3rd-and-22 from the 1, Dinwiddie was tackled in the end zone for a safety. Fresno had one last chance, but Heisman Trophy candidate David Carr was sacked at the 5 on fourth down. Dinwiddie finished 20 of 32 for 297 yards.
#257--49-7 win vs.
Nevada
#258--28-21 win at
Hawai'i for
Boise State's first win against the Rainbow Warriors and first win in
Honolulu
#259--56-6 win over
San Jose State, the Broncos' 175th home win against 48 defeats, and the 30th time that Boise State went over the 50-point barrier
#260--26-10 win against
Central Michigan,
Boise State's 5th straight win on the blue at Bronco Stadium.
2002: (12-1, 8-0 WAC)
#261--Tailbacks Brock Forsey and David Mikell combined for 328 yards of offense and five touchdowns as Boise State ran over Idaho 38-21 in Bronco Stadium. Mikell had 108 yards and three TD's on 10 carries and caught three passes for 14 yards, while Forsey had 91 yards and a score on 19 carries and caught seven balls for 115 yards and another TD. Boise State never trailed, and grabbed a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter with an 87-yard drive punctuated by Mikell's four-yard touchdown. Forsey added a 12-yard touchdown run later in the quarter. Ryan Dinwiddie completed 18 of 23 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Jones was true on a 48-yard field goal. 30,878 fans were on hand to see the intrastate game.
send Boise State to the locker room with a 10-point cushion.
#262--B.J. Rhode passes for 204 yards in his first start of the season and Brock Forsey diverted attention away from the quarterback spot with a 155-yard rushing performance as Boise State downed Wyoming 35-13 in Laramie. Coach Dan Hawkins inserted Rhode into the lineup after Ryan Dinwiddie broke an ankle midway through the second quarter in last week's loss to Arkansas, and Boise State didn't miss a beat. Rhode connected on 20 of 29 passes to lead the Broncos to the win. Forsey dove over for a one-yard touchdown to give Boise State an early lead, then linebacker Travis Burgher intercepted a pass and ran it in 18 yards for another score. Wyoming cut the margin to 14-7, but Rhode scored on a one-yard keeper with 2:05 left in the third quarter. The Cowboys once again scored in the fourth quarter, but David Mikell and Donny Heck came through with touchdowns to put the game away. The win was
Boise State's 5th straight over a Mountain West school
#263--B.J. Rhode continued to perform admirably as Boise State's new starter, throwing five touchdown passes in a 63-38 win against
Utah State Rhode became just the seventh player to throw five touchdowns in a game, one shy of Jim McMillan's record set in 1970. B.J. hit 17-of-28 passes for 376 yards. The senior completed passes to running back Brock Forsey and wide receiver Jay Swillie for TD's of eight and 67 yards, respectively, as the Broncos jumped out to a 14-3 lead. Cornerback Julius Brown provided a spark with a 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown with 2:43 left in the quarter, and Boise State advanced the margin to 42-24 at halftime. Rhode later hooked up with Billy Wingfield for a 63-yard TD pass. The Bronco defense held USU to 65 rushing yards, and had four sacks and two interceptions. Wingfield finished with five receptions for 128 yards and Swillie had two catches for 124.
#264--Brock Forsey ran for 105 yards and scored twice as Boise State clipped Hawai'i 58-31 in a game broadcast nationwide on ESPN. Forsey was a workhorse for the Broncos with 31 carries, and moved within 73 yards of Cedric Minter to become Boise State's all-time leading rusher. After Boise State spotted the home team a 3-0 lead, the Broncos scored 21 straight points. Donny Heck scored on a 25-yard pass from wide receiver T.J. Acree on a reverse, Chris Carr blocked a punt and fell on the loose ball for another score, and Forsey scored on a two-yard run. Forsey capitalized on a fumble created when Quintin Mikell stripped Rainbow Warrior quarterback Timmy Chang of the ball and linebacker Andy Avalos recovered and returned it to the 7. Hawai'i pulled within 10, but David Mikell scored a nine-yard touchdown for Boise State and dependable Tyler Jones booted home a 52-yard field goal as time ran out in the opening half. B.J. Rhode completed 18 of 28 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns for the Broncos.
#265--Brock Forsey rushed for 208 yards and four touchdowns as Boise State toppled Tulsa 52-24 in Bronco Stadium. The victory was
Boise State's 15th consecutive home win. Forsey passed legendary Cedric Minter for all-time records in both touchdowns and all-purpose yards. Forsey rambled in from six yards out to give Boise State a 7-0 lead, one they never relinquished. Forsey added a five-yard run to paydirt in the second quarter to make it 21-0, and Tulsa never got closer than 14 points after that. Running mate David Mikell ran for 103 yards as Boise State outgained the Golden Hurricanes 353-82 on the ground. Meanwhile, B.J. Rhode completed 17 of 26 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown and also scored a TD on a one-yard run in the third quarter.
#266--Ryan Dinwiddie made a spectacular return to the starting lineup, throwing five touchdown passes in 2 1/2 quarters, as Boise State smothered Fresno State, 67-21 in Bronco Stadium. Boise State delivered a strong message that they were going to be a force to be reckoned with in a nationally televised ESPN game that set the all-time Bronco Stadium attendance record (30,924). Dinwiddie, who missed four games with a broken ankle, dame off the bench in the second quarter and set an all-time passing percentage record of 86.4% (19-22) in the game, with most of those passes of the 20-30 yard+ variety. This was a monumental game on so many fronts.
Fresno State and Boise State had finished tied in the Western Athletic Conference the year before, but the Bulldogs were chosen as the WAC's representative for the Silicon Valley Bowl despite a 35-30 loss on their home turf to the Broncos. "Leave No Doubt!" became Boise State's rallying cry for the 2002 season, and on this night, the Broncos didn't. Brock Forsey bulled his way for 132 yards and two touchdowns as Boise State set a school record with 688 total yards. Tight end Rocky Atkinson hauled in two touchdown catches and Lou Fanucchi gathered in eight passes for 178 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown, and Billy Wingfield had 146 yards receiving on seven receptions. The Bronco defense held Fresno to 36 rushing yards on 17 carries, and the Broncos posted 31 first downs to 17 for FSU. Boise State moved to 5-0 on the ESPN networks.
#267--Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie passed for 356 yards and Brock Forsey ran for three touchdowns as Boise State won 45-8 at San Jose State,
Boise State's 10th Western Athletic Conference win. Dinwiddie's 28-yard strike to Forsey with 1:35 remaining in the half gave the Broncos a 28-0 lead as Boise State won its sixth straight game. Forsey ran for 166 yards on 29 carries, helping the Broncos churn out 650 yards of total offense. Billy Wingfield had four receptions for 133 yards, and Boise State averaged 7.3 yards per play.
#268--Brock Forsey ran for three touchdowns and caught another for a score as Boise State demolished UTEP 58-3. Forsey had 100 yards in the first half alone as the Broncos raced to a 34-3 halftime lead. The Broncos posted their sixth straight game of 45 or more points to take over as the nation's top offense, and won their seventh consecutive game. Forsey took over the game with a nine-yard run, a 12-yard reception, and a one-yard run within the first seven minutes of the second quarter to give the Broncos a 27-3 lead. The Broncos held the Miners to 46 yards passing and intercepted four passes. It was the fifth time of the season that Boise State scored 50 or more points, the ninth time in the last three seasons, and the 35th time since 1968.
#269--Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie connected on 19 of 23 passes for 277 yards and four touchdowns to lead Boise State to a 49-7 win over Rice, the 10th straight win in Bronco Stadium and
Boise State's 50
th as a Division I-A school (vs. 31 losses). Dinwiddie and Billy Wingfield accounted for three of those touchdown passes, including a 17-yarder that opened the scoring. The Broncos then put up 28 points in the second quarter to lead 35-0 at the half, with two more Dinwiddie-to-Wingfield specials. Wingfield had eight catches for 137 yards in the game. Brock Forsey was his usual tough self, picking up 168 yards and three touchdowns, enabling Forsey to set a single-season school record with 17 TD's. Boise State advanced its winning streak to eight games by scoring at least 45 points in seven consecutive games.
#270--Ryan Dinwiddie and speedy Lou Fanucchi combined for a school-record 97-yard touchdown as #23 Boise State flew by Louisiana Tech 36-10. This was the first game in school history in which a Bronco football team played a game as a Top 25 team, and Boise State did not disappoint. Dinwiddie threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns. Tech led 10-7 when Dinwiddie threw a 25-yard touchdown to Jay Swillie with 44 seconds left in the half. Brock Forsey, who ranked #1 in the nation in scoring, bulled over the goal line with 6:51 left in the third quarter to put Boise State ahead 21-10. Forsey set new WAC records with 25 touchdowns and 150 points on the season. Chauncey Ako got in on the scoring with a sack of Luke McCown in the end zone, and Dinwiddie threw touchdown passes of 30 yards to Billy Wingfield and 15 yards to Rocky Atkinson to finish the scoring. Wingfield had five catches for 119 yards, Fanucchi grabbed two passes for 106, and Swillie had five receptions for 91 yards. Boise State won for the 25th time in its last 26 home games.
#271--Brock Forsey ran for 189 yards and four touchdowns to propel #21 Boise State to its first Western Athletic Conference championship with a 44-7 win at Nevada. The victory was Boise State's 50th win as a Division I-A school (vs. 33 losses), 10th consecutive Western Athletic Conference win, 10th straight win, and 5th straight road win to clinch Boise State's 1st
WAC championship, 10th overall conference championship since becoming a four-year school and 7th undefeated conference season. Forsey plowed through the Wolf Pack secondary for three short TD runs in the first half to help the Broncos build a 27-0 lead, then exploded for a 38-yard run shortly after the fourth quarter began for his 29th touchdown of the season, #1 in the nation. Boise State, which did not get a bowl berth in 2001 despite beating Fresno State and tying with the Bulldogs in the standings, was on a mission to not let that happen again. "Our motto all along was 'Leave No Doubt,'" Forsey said. "I
think we left no doubt by going undefeated in the WAC season."Nate Burleson, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, had eight catches for 102 yards with a touchdown.
The Bronco defense held Nevada to 28 rushing yards on 24 carries, and had four sacks and an interception. Ryan Dinwiddie completed 10 of 15 passes for 165 yards for Boise State.
#272--Brock Forsey rushed for 78 yards and three touchdowns as #15 Boise State downed Iowa State 34-16 in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl, nationally televised on ESPN2 for the Broncos' 1st win over a Big 12 Conference team, 3rd Humanitarian Bowl victory (against no bowl defeats) 5th overall bowl win (against 1 defeat) and 5th straight win on ESPN with no losses. Iowa State held a 10-7 lead at halftime, but the Broncos finished their first two drives of the second half with touchdowns to take command. Forsey bulled over from the 2 to give Boise State the lead, then quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie's one-yard plunge put the Broncos ahead 21-10. Forsey then capped a third drive with a nine-yard run in which he ran over a Cyclone into the end zone to make it 27-10 after a failed PAT. Then, after the Cyclones narrowed the margin to 27-17, Dinwiddie threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Lou Fanucchi for the final scoring. Forsey finished the year with 32 touchdowns, not only #1 in the nation but new Boise State and WAC records. There was only one player in Division I-A history to score more TD's in a season than Forsey--Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders, who had 38 in 1988. The Boise State defense forced three-and-outs on three of Iowa State's first four possessions of the second half. Quintin Mikell recovered a fumble to thwart another Cyclone drive, and the Boise State defense held on an Iowa State fourth down with nine minutes left. The Broncos tied a school record with their 11th straight victory, and won for the 26th time in 27 games in Bronco Stadium.
Boise State finished the season ranked in both major polls for the first time in history--the Broncos finished 12th in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and 15th in the Associated Press Poll.
2003: (13-1, 8-0 WAC)
#273--Boise State recorded its first shutout since 2000 with a 62-0 win over
Idaho State in Bronco Stadium. The Bronco defense held Idaho State to six yards rushing and 152 yards total. Meanwhile, the Boise State offensive juggernaut exploded for 600 yards of total offense in the victory over their formal rival from the Big Sky Conference. David Mikell ran for 99 yards on 16 carries in a Bronco attack that featured 3 quarterbacks, 10 receivers and 9 ball carriers.
#274--David Mikell ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns and the Bronco defense held Idaho to 55 yards rushing on 29 carries as Boise State scored a 24-10 win in Moscow. Boise State broke open the game on a brilliant 78-yard Mikell touchdown with 6:07 remaining as Boise State stretched its winning streak to 13 games, second longest in the country. Ryan Dinwiddie opened the scoring on a five-yard quarterback keeper to finish off an 11-play, 80-yard drive on Boise State's first possession. After a Bronco recovery of a fumbled punt, Mikell sprinted in from 23 yards out to make it 14-0. After the Vandals closed to 14-10, Tyler Jones booted a field goal, and Mikell worked his heroics down the stretch.
#275--Ryan Dinwiddie passed for 285 yards and four touchdowns and the Bronco defense held Wyoming to 32 yards rushing, and had two interceptions and three sacks in a 33-17 win over the Cowboys in Bronco Stadium. After trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, Boise State scored 12 points in the final 68 seconds of the half, tying it on a 23-yard Dinwiddie to Donny Heck TD strike, getting a safety, and then a 22-yard field goal from Tyler Jones as time expired to send the Broncos into half with a 19-14 lead. Dinwiddie was accurate on 27 of 38 passes, and tossed scoring passes of 23 yards to Derek Schouman and 16 yards to Jerry Smith in the second half.
#276--Ryan Dinwiddie outdueled Luke McCown in a wild 43-37 Boise State win in
Ruston against Louisiana Tech. Dinwiddie set all-time records for total offense (542 yards), passing yards (532 yards), completions (40) and attempts (60) in the game and wide receiver Tim Gilligan broke the record for receptions in a game with 16. The Bronco offense rang up 732 yards, shattering another record. Boise State came back from a 23-16 halftime deficit with 24 points in the third quarter with Dinwiddie's one-yard plunge tying the score. Dinwiddie then found tight end Trent Lundin for a 42-yard touchdown and Tyler Jones added a 30-yar field goal to make it 33-23. After McCown's 73-yard touchdown bomb, Dinwiddie led the Bronco offense to a touchdown with a three-yard pass to Jerry Smith. Tech once again closed the margin to 43-37 with 3:12 remaining, but the Bulldogs ran out of time. David Mikell gained 99 yards rushing and Lawrence Bady had six receptions for 102 yards as the Broncos won their 11th straight WAC game.
#277--David Mikell ran for 139 yards and a touchdown and Tyler Jones booted field goals of 25 and 52 yards as Boise State topped Tulsa 27-20, the Broncos' 15th straight win in Bronco Stadium. Mikell ran it in from five yards out to finish off a 68-yard drive that gave Boise State a 27-14 lead with 49 seconds remaining. Tulsa scored on the next play, but Boise State recovered the ensuing onside kick. The Broncos opened a 20-0 lead when Ryan Dinwiddie scored from one yard out late in the first half, but Tulsa rallied to put a scare in the home crowd before the Broncos secured the victory.
#278--Ryan Dinwiddie passed for 509 yards and four touchdowns as Boise State routed Craig James' former school, SMU in Dallas, 45-3. Dinwiddie threaded the Mustang secondary repeatedly, hitting 27 of 36 passes to pass the 500-yard plateau for the second time in three games. The game featured the longest reception in Bronco history, a 98-yard pass from Dinwiddie to Lawrence Bady from
Boise State's own 1-yard line to the
SMU 1. Bady finished with four catches for 173 yards, while Jerry Smith caught six passes for 151 yards and a TD and T.J. Acree was credited with nine receptions for 110 yards and Tim Gilligan had 65 yards receiving and two touchdown catches. Dinwiddie, who also scored a touchdown, threw a 28-yarder to Smith 48 seconds in the half to give Boise State a commanding 31-0 lead. The Broncos amassed 641 yards in total offense to 214 for SMU.
#279--Ryan Dinwiddie threw for 350 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as Boise State set a school record with 77 points in a 77-14 win over
San Jose State in Bronco Stadium. Tyler Jones nailed 10 PAT's for another Bronco record to lead a superb effort from the Boise State special teams. The Broncos started only one of its nine first-half possessions inside its 30-yard line, and scored 30 points in the second quarter for a 47-7 lead at halftime. Dinwiddie threw two touchdowns to T.J. Acree, and one each to Tim Gilligan, Lawrence Bady, and Derek Schouman. Meanwhile, the Bronco defense held the Spartans to 64 yards on 37 carries. Gilligan finished with five receptions for 114 yards, including a 51-yard TD catch from Dinwiddie in the second quarter.
#280--Cam Hall recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and Boise State routed BYU in Provo 50-12 in a nationally televised ESPN game,
Boise State's 11th win against a Mountain West school. Ryan Dinwiddie threw two touchdown strikes to Tim Gilligan and ran for another in a game played in a steady snowfall. The Bronco defense stymied the high-powered Cougar offense, with Wes Nurse returning an interception 42 yards for a touchdown to advance the score to 21-2 with 10:11 remaining in the half. The Cougars closed the lead to 28-12 with 2:04 left in the third quarter, but Boise State scored touchdowns on their next three possessions. Dinwiddie threw a 28-yard pass to Gilligan and the duo hooked up again for a 27-yard score late in the fourth quarter. Gilligan had a sensational game with eight receptions for 209 yards.
#281--Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in a 51-21 win over UTEP for
Boise State's 15th straight Western Athletic Conference win. David Mikell had 18 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown. Lee Marks dashed in from 13 yards out less than 4 minutes into the game, Mikell added a 16-yard scamper 96 seconds later, and Donny Heck ran it in from two yards out with 5:14 left in the quarter. Dinwiddie completed 13 of 22 passes for 198 yards and also ran three times for 40 yards.
#282--Ryan Dinwiddie threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, and the Boise State defense held Fresno State to 30 rushes for 48 yards in a 31-17 win at
Fresno State in a nationally televised ESPN game. Dinwiddie hit on 22-of-31 passes for 273 yards, with favorite target Tim Gilligan catching six passes for 149 yards and a TD. The Broncos jumped on the Bulldogs for 21 points, with the speedy Gilligan sneaking into the FSU secondary for a 73-yard touchdown catch.
#283--Boise State scored 49 unanswered points as the #18 Broncos secured their second straight WAC title with a 56-3 win over
Nevada in Bronco Stadium. Ryan Dinwiddie completed 17-24 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for a pair of scores. Tony McPherson got loose on the second play from scrimmage to be on the receiving end of a 76-yard bomb from Dinwiddie--McPherson finished with four catches for 101 yards. Dinwiddie's two runs and a TD pass to David Mikell gave Boise State a 21-0 lead after the first quarter, then hit T.J. Acree and Lawrence Bady for touchdowns as the Broncos went into the locker room with a 42-0 lead. Dinwiddie set school records for career passing yards (9,165) and touchdown passes (79), and single-season marks for passing yards (3,702) and total offense (3,775). While Boise State posted 577 yards of total offense, the Bronco defense held Nevada to 276 yards. It was the the fifth game that Boise State scored 50 or more points, and the 40th time since 1968.
#284--Donny Heck rushed for 87 yards and four touchdowns as #17 Boise State pulled away from Hawai'i, 45-28, for their 18th straight WAC victory in a nationally-televised ESPN game. Boise State clinched its second straight WAC championship, 11th overall conference championship since becoming a four-year school and 8th undefeated conference season.
Quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie was 20 of 31 for 329 yards as the Broncos won their 10th straight overall and improved to 24-2 over the last two seasons. Boise State had a tenuous 24-21 lead before Heck crossed the goal line with his second touchdown, an eight-yard dash with 11 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Heck added scores of two and 13 yards in the fourth quarter. 45-28 win at
Hawai'i in a nationally televised ESPN game for the Broncos' 10th consecutive win.
#285--Derek Schouman hauled in an 18-yard pass from Jared Zabransky in the end zone early in the fourth quarter and Boise State put the game in the hands of its defense as the Broncos defeated #19 TCU on their home turn in the Plains Capital Fort Worth Bowl, nationally televised on ESPN. TCU drove the ball into Bronco territory in the game's final moments, but a 51-yard field goal was short. The winning score was set up when rover Chris Carr caused then recovered a fumble on the Horned Frog 29. Dinwiddie, who threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns, led the Broncos from 14 points down to take home the trophy. TCU grabbed a 31-27 lead with 5 1/2 minutes gone in the third quarter, then were shut out from there. Dinwiddie threw TD passes of 27 yards to T.J. Acree and 54 yards to Jeff Carpenter as the two teams combined for 600 yards in a 24-24 first half tie. The victory was Boise State's fourth Division I-A bowl win. . For the 2nd consecutive year,
Boise State finished in the top 15 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and was also ranked in the top 20 in the Associated Press Poll for the 2nd straight year.
2004: (11-1, 8-0 WAC)
#286--Quarterback Jared Zabransky scored on Boise State's first three possessions and the Bronco defense held Idaho to 91 yards passing and 212 total yards in a 65-7 win in Bronco Stadium.
The Broncos scored on their first five possessions to open up a 31-0 lead and coasted the rest of the way as Coach Dan Hawkins played his entire roster. Lee Marks had 14 carries for 105 yards and tight end Derek Schouman proved to be a matchup problem for the Vandals with four receptions for 120 yards.
#287--Korey Hall had three interceptions and Jared Zabransky threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, as Boise State rolled over Oregon State, 53-34 win in a game nationally televised by ESPN. It was the Broncos' 1st win over a PAC-10 school. Boise State spotted the Beavers 14 first-quarter points, then a highlight reel 46-yard pick six from linebacker Korey Hall on a ball that had been tipped twice changed momentum. After Hall's interception, the Broncos scored 34 straight points to take command. Tyler Jones hit a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 20-14. Zabransky and tight end Derek Schouman connected on their second scoring pass and catch of the night, and running back Jeff Carpenter tossed a 21-yard halfback option pass to a wide open T.J. Acree as the Broncos pulled away. Zabransky was 20 of 34 for 225 yards and also ran for 73 yards on 14 carries. The landmark win was a nation's best 20th straight at home for the Broncos and the 10th win without a loss on ESPN. A record crowd of 30,950 was delighted with Boise State's play. The Broncos dominated time of possession--39:42 for Boise State to 20:18 for OSU.
#288--Jared Zabransky threw for 392 yards and two touchdowns as #23 came from behind to knock off UTEP 47-31. Zabransky completed 26 of 37 passes and Antwaun Carter ran for two touchdowns in Boise State's WAC opener. Lawrence Bady had seven receptions for 149 yards as the Broncos totaled 567 yards of total offense to 291 for UTEP. The Miners shocked Boise State by running out to a 10-3 lead, one which the Broncos chipped away at. Tyler Jones got Boise State on the board with a field goal in the early minutes of the second quarter. Boise State went ahead for good with 7:09 left in the third in an unconventional way--Andy Weldon fell on a Zabransky fumble in the end zone for a 27-24 Bronco lead.
#289--Daryn Colledge partially blocked a last-minute field goal that drifted left and #21 Boise State held on for a 28-27 nail biter over BYU in Bronco Stadium. A national television audience watching on ESPN saw the Broncos collect their 15th straight win. The Broncos burst out to a 26-0 lead, but BYU rallied to take its first lead 27-22. Jared Zabransky and the Broncos responded, with T.J. Acree breaking free for a 44-yard scoring pass from Zabransky with 3:42 left. BYU drove deep into Boise State territory before the field goal try. Zabransky passed for 302 yards and two touchdowns, both to Acree.
#290--38-20 victory over
SMU on Homecoming as #21
Boise State gets their 20th straight Western Athletic Conference win and 25
th overall (against only two defeats).
Chris Carr returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown and Jared Zabransky threw two touchdown passes to lead the Bronco win.
Zabransky finished 20-31 for 190 yards, with 13 Broncos catching at least one pass.
Antwaun Carter led the ground game with 98 yards on 17 carries.
SMU was held to 32 yards in the opening half by the Bronco defense.
#291--45-42 win at Tulsa, as #18 Boise State's Tyler Jones nailed a 46-yard field goal with three seconds remaining to give the Broncos the close win. The win extended their nation's leading winning streak to 17 games. The Broncos won their 21st straight Western Athletic Conference game and their 30th out of 31 games overall. Boise State trailed 42-35 when running back Antwaun Carter scored from two yards out with 1:24 left, capping a 13-play, 90-yard drive. The Bronco defense then held and quarterback Jared Zabransky marched them down the field to set up Jones' game-winner. T. J. Acree caught nine passes for 181 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bronco rally. Lee Marks compiled 85 yards rushing on 17 carries for Boise State. The game in Tulsa was Boise State's 175th on the road as a four-year school, with the Broncos going 94-79-2 away from home.
#292--33-16 win over
Fresno State in front of a nationally televised audience on ESPN.
The 16
th-ranked Broncos held
Fresno to 17 rushing yards and just 191 yards of total offense, while Tyler Jones booted four field goals.
Quarterback Jared Zabransky was 15-of-23 for 227 yards passing.
Lee Marks passed the century mark with 112 yards rushing on 21 carries.
#293--69-3 win over Hawai'i as the Bronco defense dominated in a game nationally televised by ESPN2. Meanwhile, the Bronco offense scored eight touchdowns on the ground (four by quarterback Jared Zabransky) to set a school record. Zabransky's 85-yard run for a touchdown set another Boise State mark. As a team, the Broncos rushed for 425 yards on 50 carries. No less than five players for Boise State gained at least 50 yards on the ground—Zabransky (10-123), Quinton Jones and Calvin McCarty (5-67 each), Jon Helmandollar (12-59) and Lee Marks (8-51). Hawai'i quarterback Timmy Chang set an all-time NCAA record, but not the one he was going for. Chang came into the game needing 241 yards to eclipse Ty Detmer's career passing yardage record, Chang was 14 yards short but instead set the NCAA record for career interceptions with 74 as the Broncos picked off four Chang passes.
#294—Cornerback Gabe Franklin drove San Jose State quarterback Adam Tafralis out of bounds at the 4 on a fourth-down option play as Boise State escaped with a wild 56-49 win on the road in two overtimes. The early morning game was televised nationally on ESPN beginning at 9
San Jose time.
The Spartans led 35-28 midway through the third quarter after scoring a touchdown on a fake field goal, and then a blocked punt led to another San Jose touchdown. But the Broncos scored two touchdowns in 90 seconds, taking the lead on Jon Helmandollar's 3-yard run late in the quarter. San Jose State came back to tie with 4:42 left and they rallied for another lengthy drive. But a 30-yard field goal attempt with 1:07 left was blocked by Gerald Alexander and the contest went into overtime. After a Spartan score in the first overtime, Lee Marks scored from 12 yards out to tie the game once again. Helmandollar then hit paydirt for the third time of the game to force San Jose to score a touchdown to tie. It was
Boise State's 20th straight win and their 75
th as a Division I-A school (vs. 32 losses)--the Broncos owned the longest winning streak in the nation.
#295--55-14 win over Louisiana Tech in Bronco Stadium as Jon Helmandollar rushed for 91 yards and scored a school record 5 touchdowns. Lee Marks chipped in with 89 yards on the ground for the Broncos.
Jared Zabransky was 20-30 for 317 yards and another score, hitting nine different receivers.
T. J. Acree (6-102) and Lawrence Bady (5-108) both topped the century mark in receiving yards.
The win was
Boise State's 25th straight in the Western Athletic Conference and 25th consecutive home win. Boise State scored over 50 points for the fifth time of the season, the 10th time in the last two years, and the 45th time since 1968.
#296--Boise State scored a 58-21 win on the road against
Nevada in a game nationally televised by ESPN that clinched a third straight WAC championship, the 11th overall conference championship and 8th undefeated conference season since 1968.
Quarterback Jared Zabransky was 17-25 for 244 yards and three touchdowns to lead the 10
th-ranked Broncos.
T.J. Acree was Zabransky favorite target with six catches for 105 yards and one of the three scores.
Lee Marks carried the ball 15 times for 93 yards while Quinton Jones gained 75 yards on the ground in just six carries and Jon Helmandollar scored two short touchdowns.
Cam Hall stepped in front of a Jeff Rowe pass for a 52-yard interception return for a touchdown, and ran another one back 64 yards to set up another score to pace the Bronco defense while Tyler Jones booted three field goals.
It was
Boise State's 22nd straight win, easily a school record, and 15th in a row on ESPN.
Boise State finished the season in the Top 15 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll for the third straight year and made a strong run for the top 5 in the Bowl Championship Series Standings before slipping to 9th in the final
BCS release.
2005: (9-4, 7-1 in WAC)
#297--48-20 win over
Bowling Green, broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
Lee Marks' 92-yard kickoff return in the second quarter ignited the Bronco team that had started the year 0-2 and were tied with
Bowling Green 6-6 at the time.
Boise State took out their frustration with 559 yards of total offense, with their starters scoring on eight of their ten possessions.
Quarterback Jared Zabransky was 16-23 for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Ian Johnson ran for 85 yards on 16 carries while Gerard Rabb led the receiving corps with four catches for 83 yards for the Broncos.
Boise State moved their record to 16-3 on ESPN networks.
#298--44-41 thriller in Honolulu as the Bronco special teams featured a 92-yard punt return by Quinton Jones (school record), and two Orlando Scandrick runbacks, one on a blocked field goal by Daryn Colledge and the other on a blocked extra point, also by Colledge.
After
Hawai'i had pulled within one point at 42-41, Colledge blocked the game-tying extra point and Scandrick ran it all the way for two points, providing the final margin of victory.
Scandrick's 69-yard return of the blocked field goal had given
Boise State a 35-28
lead.
Two Jared Zabransky to Legedu Naanee passes covered six yards each, but they were monumental.
The first tied the game at 28 in the ESPN televised contest, while the second put the Broncos
ahead 42-35.
Behind 20-7 at the half,
Boise State scored 37 points in the second half to extend their Western Athletic Conference winning streak to 27 games.
Boise State did not gain the lead until the third quarter on a 92-yard punt return by Quinton Jones that set a
Boise State record. Jones caught a booming punt on the right side and broke across the field.
Jones got key blocks near the sideline, cut back and sped into the end zone.
Ian Johnson led the Bronco rushing attack with 66 yards on 13 carries.
Hawai'i's Colt Brennan threw for 426 yards and four touchdowns despite battling the flu all week long, including during the game.
#299--Lee Marks scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 8:03 remaining as Boise State came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Portland State 21-14 and keep intact the nation's longest home win streak.
Boise State tied Vanderbilt for the 18
th longest streak in Division I-A history.
Drisan James led all receivers with seven catches for 100 yards.
Quarterback Jared Zabransky was 21-29 for 256 yards to lead the Broncos to the hard-fought win.
#300--38-21 win over
San Jose State as Jared Zabransky passed for one touchdown and ran for two others in
Boise State's 300
th win as a four-year school against 137 defeats and 2 ties. Zabransky was 20-27 for 249 yards in leading the Broncos to the historic win.
Boise State became the fastest school in history to win 300 games as a four-year school.
The junior also engineered a nine-play, 84-yard drive with
6:46 left to put
Boise State up for good after the Spartans scored 14 unanswered points to open the fourth quarter.
It was the 28th straight Western Athletic Conference win for Boise State and the 28th straight win in Bronco Stadium, tying Michigan and Notre Dame for the 16th longest of all time in Division I-A..
#301--Jared Zabransky threw for 328 yards and four scores as Boise State scored a 45-21 road win over Utah State in Logan. The win was the Broncos' fifth straight, their 15th straight win on the road, and 29th straight Western Athletic Conference victory, the longest conference winning streak in the nation at the time. Boise State capitalized on a costly Aggie penalty, as Zabransky hit tight end Ryan Putnam from 16 yards out to give the Broncos the lead 17-14 with 6:01 left in the second quarter, a lead they never relinquished. Zabransky also fired scoring strikes to Legedu Naanee, Cole Clasen, and running back Jeff Carpenter, who finished with seven catches for 99 yards. Zabransky completed 26 of 39 passes for Boise State.
#302-- Sophomore safety Marty Tadman had two interceptions and made a clutch fourth-down tackle as Boise State rocked Nevada 49-14 in Bronco Stadium. It was the Broncos' sixth straight win and extended Division I-A's longest home winning streak to 29 games, the 16th-longest home winning streak in the history of college football. Boise State posted their nation-leading 30th straight league win. Tadman made the first of four Bronco fourth-down stops when he stopped the WAC's leading rusher, Nevada running back B.J. Mitchell, for no gain on fourth-and-one from the Bronco 5-yard line. Tadman picked off Wolf Pack quarterback Jeff Rowe on the next possession, then Chris Barrios and Mike Dominguez combined to sack Rowe on another fourth down at the Bronco 8. Rashaad Richards also picked off Rowe in the end zone and returned it 76 yards. Quarterback Jared Zabransky finished 12-16 for 180 yards and two touchdowns, while freshman Ian Johnson ran for 84 yards and another score. The win also was
Boise State's 200
th victory in Bronco Stadium against 48 losses.
#303--Lee Marks rushed 18 times for 112 yards and a TD and quarterback Jared Zabransky ran for one score and threw for another as Boise State crushed New Mexico State 56-6. The Bronco running attack chalked up 303 yards and six touchdowns in the win, Boise State's seventh straight. The Broncos ran their home winning streak to 30 games, tying Auburn, Florida and Tennessee for the 13th longest streak in NCAA history. It was also Boise State's 31st straight WAC win. Antwaun Carter also gained 60 yards and scored twice for the Broncos. Zabransky threw for 138 yards, leaving him just 30 shy of 5,000 career passing yards.
#304--Quinton Jones returned one punt 73 yards and ran 50 yards for a score as Boise State
scored 35 points in the fourth quarter to put away Idaho 70-35 in Bronco Stadium.
Quarterback Jared Zabransky completed just four-of-15 passes for 93 yards before being
replaced by Taylor Tharp. With the score tied at 21 in the third quarter, Zabransky lost a
fumble and was replaced by Tharp, who finished with four completions in 8 attempts for
75 yards and a touchdown. Austin Smith returned a fumble 39 yards for the go-ahead
touchdown in the third, then Boise State scored 21 points in less than to minutes to begin the
fourth quarter. Jones scored on a 50-yard run, as Austin Smith returned a fumble 39 yards
for the go-ahead touchdown, then barely over a minute later, Antwaun Carter scored from
16 yards out, and cornerback Orlando Scandrick completed the scoring binge with a pick six
of 50 yards. Jerard Rabb had three catches for 69 yards to lead the Bronco receiving corps,
while Drisan James had one reception for 69 yards. The win over Idaho was Boise State's
31st consecutive home victory.
#305--Freshman Ian Johnson ran for 103 yards and scored the final touchdown as Boise
State downed Louisiana Tech 30-13 in Ruston. The Broncos were in the rare position of
being behind at halftime, 10-7, but Lee Marks' 16-yard touchdown gave Boise State the lead
with 3:45 left in the third quarter. Louisiana Tech edged in front 14-13, but Boise State came
back with quarterback Jared Zabransky hitting tight end Sherm Blazer for a 10-yard score.
Zabransky hit 10-of-17 passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Boise State scored over 50
points for the fifth time of the season, the 15th time in the last three years, and the 45th time
since 1968. The Broncos clinched a tie for their fourth straight WAC championship and their
12th overall conference championship since becoming a four-year school.
2006: (13-0, 8-0 in WAC)
#306--Boise State kicked off the 2006 season with a 45-0 drubbing of Sacramento State in
Bronco Stadium in Chris Petersen's debut as Bronco head coach. Petersen took over from
Dan Hawkins, who left to become the new coach at Colorado. Quarterback Jared Zabransky
threw two touchdown passes and ran for another, as Boise State scored on four of their first
five possessions to go into the locker room ahead 28-0. Meanwhile, Boise State's defense
held the Hornets to one first down and 33 total yards in the first half. Ian Johnson ran for
89 yards on 13 carries with TD runs of 19 yards and 4 yards in the first quarter.
#307--Boise State shocked Oregon State and the nation with a 42-14 rout of the Beavers
before an ESPN nationally-televised audience in Bronco Stadium. Sophomore running back
Ian Johnson showed speed in the open field, the ability to break tackles, and patience in
destroying the OSU defense, outrunning the PAC-10 Beaver secondary for a career-high
240 yards and a school record five touchdowns. Johnson's game was the third-most rushing
total in school history. The Broncos spotted Oregon State 14 points, then got back in the
game on a highlight reel 59-yard run by Johnson into the end zone. Boise State scored four
touchdowns in a span of 16:12 in the first half to take control, with Johnson adding runs of 4
and 3 yards. Johnson then carried defenders into the end zone on his 19-yard TD jaunt in the
third quarter, and finished his night with an explosive 50-yard TD run with 11:41 left.
#308--Ian Johnson ran for 119 yards and quarterback Jared Zabransky scored a touchdown
as Boise State held off Wyoming 17-10 in Laramie. The Bronco defense picked off Cowboy
quarterback Jacob Doss twice and sacked him four times. Wyoming went out in front 3-0, but
Bronco kicker Anthony Montgomery tied the game with a 23-yard field goal late in the first
quarter. A six-yard scamper by Zabransky accounted for Boise State's first touchdown, then
on the ensuing drive, Quinton Jones picked off a pass and returned it 61 yards for a TD. It
was Boise State's 100th win on the road (against 82 losses and two ties).
#309--Orlando Scandrick returned a botched extra point 86 yards for a two-point conversion
that helped Boise State down Hawai'i 41-34 in Bronco Stadium. It was Boise State's 200th
win in Bronco Stadium as a four-year school. The play was reminiscent of a play that
Scandrick had the previous year in a win in Honolulu, when he returned a blocked extra point
for a two-point conversion. Quarterback Jared Zabransky threw for 273 yards and three
touchdowns, while running back Ian Johnson ran for 178 yards and two scores. It was Boise
State's 48th home win in the last 50 games in Bronco Stadium. The Broncos grabbed an
18-point lead in the second quarter, but Colt Brennan's TD pass to Davonne Bess brought
the Rainbow Warriors to 34-27 early in the fourth. After Hawai'i had driven the ball into
Bronco territory again, Quinton Jones recovered a Brennan fumble, and Boise State marched
55 yards, with Zabransky hitting tight end Derek Schouman for an 18-yard score that made it
41-27. Hawai'i scored with 2:59 left, but an onside kick failed, and the Broncos ran out the
clock. Drisan James had five catches for 66 yards to lead Boise State.
#310--Undefeated Boise State scored 33 straight points and forced five turnovers to hand
Utah a 36-3 loss, the Utes' worst home loss in 17 years. Quarterback Jared Zabransky
completed 15-of-21 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score, and Anthony
Montgomery booted three field goals for the Broncos. The Boise State defense held Utah to
178 yards of total offense, as the home fans booed their team before halftime. The Broncos
put away Utah with three touchdowns in the second quarter, as linebacker Colt Brooks had a
key play with an interception returned for a score. Fellow linebacker Korey Hall set up two
scores with two picks of his own. Ian Johnson ran for 88 of Boise State's 188 rushing yards.
Boise State had 18 first downs to just eight for Utah.
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#311--#20 Boise State fumbled away the opening kickoff to trail 7-0, but roared back with 31
straight points before halftime in Bronco Stadium on the way to defeating Louisiana Tech
55-14. Two-yard runs by Ian Johnson and Jared Zabransky put the Broncos in front 14-7,
then Zabransky ran in from a yard out and hit Jerard Rabb with a five-yard pass as the
Broncos assumed command. Safety Marty Tadman picked off a pass in the third quarter and
returned it 98 yards for a touchdown, the second-longest interception return in school history.
Zabransky finished 11-of-18 for 184 yards and two scores, and he had 54 yards rushing as
well. Johnson carried 14 times for 92 yards and the TD.
#312--Ian Johnson ran for 192 yards and four first-half touchdowns as #15 Boise State
celebrated its first-ever appearance in the BCS Standings with a 40-28 win on the road at
New Mexico State. Johnson scored on touchdown runs of 7, 1, 3 and 17 yards and
quarterback Jared Zabransky tossed two second-half touchdowns in the win. Zabransky was
14-21 for 215 yards and the Bronco defense held the Aggies to 8 rushing yards on 20
attempts.
#313--Ian Johnson rushed for 183 yards and scored four touchdowns as #15 Boise State
turned back Idaho 42-26 in Moscow for the Broncos' eighth straight win of the year without a
loss. Johnson scored three times after Idaho had closed to 21-17 early in the third quarter
Johnson's effort gave him 1,181 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the season.
Boise State won their eighth straight game of the year without a loss. Idaho cut the lead to
28-26 with 7:05 remaining, but Rashaun Scott ran the ensuing kickoff back to Idaho's 40, and
the Broncos received 15 more yards on a late hit penalty on Idaho to start the drive on the 25.
Johnson's 4-yard touchdown extended the lead to 35-26. Johnson added a late touchdown
for insurance. Johnson became the first Bronco to top 1,000 rushing yards since David Mikell
in 2003, and the ninth back in Boise State history to top the milestone. Meanwhile, the Boise
State defense held Idaho to 69 yards on 28 carries.
#314--Six representatives from three BCS Bowls--the Orange, the Sugar, and the Fiesta,
watched #14 Boise State whip Fresno State 45-21 in a game nationally-televised by ESPN in
Bronco Stadium. With the win, the Broncos avenged a Bulldog win in 2005, Boise State's
only Western Athletic Conference loss since 2002. Quarterback Jared Zabransky fired
touchdown passes to Vinny Perretta and Jerard Rabb as Boise State built a 24-7 halftime
lead. Zabransky and Rabb hooked up again in the third quarter, Perretta scored on a
four-yard run on the next possession to make it 37-7, and Ian Johnson completed the scoring
with a two-yard run in the fourth stanza. Rabb led the Broncos with four receptions for 68
yards, while Johnson toted the ball 24 times for 136 yards and two scores. Zabransky was a
sharp 19-25 for 180 yards passing. Six Broncos combined for 300 yards rushing against
Fresno State.
#315--With San Jose State fans chanting "Overrated", Boise State staged a great
fourth-quarter rally and held off the Spartans 23-20 in San Jose to preserve their unbeaten
season and BCS Bowl hopes. Quarterback Jared Zabransky shook off three frustrating
quarters to lead the Broncos, #12 in the BCS, on two scoring drives in the game's final
minutes, and Anthony Montgomery's third field goal of the game - from 37 yards - sailed
through the upright as time expired. Boise State trailed 7-6 at halftime and 13-12 after three
quarters, then fell behind 20-12 early in the fourth quarter before coming back. Zabransky
marched the Broncos on a 63-yard drive, capped by his 1-yard sneak and two-point
conversion pass to Jerard Rabb with 5:22 to play. When the Broncos held San Jose State on
the next drive, Marty Tadman's gutsy 44-yard punt return put Boise State in excellent position
on the Spartan 37-yard line with 2 minutes left. Zabransky and Ian Johnson moved the
Broncos to the 20, and Montgomery calmly booted the ball through for Boise State's 37th
victory in its last 38 Western Athletic Conference games. Montgomery's two field goals were
all Boise State had to show for its effort until a 2-yard score by Johnson midway through the
third quarter. Johnson ran for 149 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos despite suffering a
partially collapsed lung in the game. Boise State scored its tenth win of the year without a
loss, and stayed with Ohio State, Michigan and Rutgers as the only unbeaten teams in
Division I-A. Zabransky's leadership despite a draining illness was also remarkable--he
finished 14-20 for 181 yards, and favorite target Drisan James came up big with four catches
for 118 yards. The Bronco defense held the Spartans to 75 rushing yards and 248 yards of
total offense.
#316--Jared Zabransky hit 21-of-23 passes for a school completion percentage record of
91.3% for 236 yards and three touchdowns and Brett Denton filled in for the injured Ian
Johnson with 125 rushing yards and two scores as #12 Boise State stopped Utah State 49-10
in Bronco Stadium. With the victory, the Broncos moved to 11-0 on the season and 7-0 in
Western Athletic Conference play with their 51st win on the Blue Turf in its last 53 games. It
was Boise State's 175th conference win since 1968 (175-74-1). Boise State scored on each
of its first three possessions to take a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter on two Denton
runs and a 46-yard pass from Zabransky to Jerard Rabb. Senior Jovan Hutchinson, who
rarely plays, scored late in the game on a memorable 10-yard pass from reserve quarterback
Taylor Tharp. Rabb finished with four catches for 89 yards while fellow senior Legedu Naanee
had three catches for 57 yards. The stiff Bronco defense held Utah State to 98 yards passing
and only 90 rushing on 30 attempts.
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#317--Boise State closed out the regular season with a 38-7 win over Nevada in Reno to
finish 12-0, the Broncos' second undefeated season in three years. Ian Johnson ran for 147
yards and three touchdowns and Jared Zabransky passed for 299 yards as the Broncos
wrapped up a berth in the BCS. Boise State, which needed to finish in the Top 12 to earn an
automatic berth in one of the nation's four major bowls, came into the game ranked #11 in the
Bowl Championship Series Standings. Zabransky enjoyed one of his best career games with
a 20-27 effort, including a 45-yard TD pass to Legedu Naanee. Boise State advanced to
39-1 in the Western Athletic Conference since 2002 and won their fifth straight league title.
The Broncos won their 13th conference championship since 1968 with their 9th undefeated
conference season. Officials from both the Fiesta and Orange bowls watched the game from
the press box. About 4,000 Bronco fans who made the trip to Reno rushed the field after the
game, waving flags and banners and crowding around their team. Nevada entered the game
leading the nation in turnover margin, but three fumbles in the first 24 minutes - four on the
game - led to a 17-0 deficit at the half. Naanee finished with seven receptions for 129 yards
for the Broncos, who stopped Nevada's 10-game home winning streak in front of 25,506, the
10th-largest crowd in Mackay Stadium history. Johnson, who wore a flak jacket under his
pads to protect cracked ribs suffered in the San Jose State game, ran 31 times and set a
school record with 1,613 yards rushing for the season, breaking the old mark of 1,611 set by
Brock Forsey in 2002. Johnson finished the regular season as the national leader in scoring.
Meanwhile, the Bronco defense held Nevada to 35 passing yards and 136 yards of total
offense. Defensive tackle Andrew Browning had seven tackles, including three sacks, and
linebacker Korey Hall also had seven tackles. Boise State opened the third quarter with a
workmanlike 80-yard touchdown drive, and Vinny Perretta's 5-yard score off a direct snap put
the Broncos up 24-0. Bronco fans began a chant of "BCS, BCS" when Anthony Montgomery's
extra point sailed through. The victory was Boise State's 175th conference win, including
victories in the Big Sky, Big West, and WAC conferences, against 74 losses and one tie.
#318--#9 Boise State surrendered a big lead to powerhouse Oklahoma, then came up with
three plays that made history in a 43-42 overtime victory in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale,
Arizona. Ian Johnson's run around the left end on a Statue of Liberty play sealed the Bronco
win and pandemonium for weeks and years to come in Broncoland. The play completed a
wild trifecta of plays that gave Boise State the win in a game they dominated until the fourth
quarter. Oklahoma stormed back from a 21-10 halftime deficit that became 28-10 when Marty
Tadman returned an interception that had been deflected by Korey Hall 27 yards for a
touchdown. An Adrian Peterson run cut the margin to 28-17, then Oklahoma tied it on a fourth
quarter field goal and a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:26 remaining in the game.
With 1:02 left, Marcus Walker stepped in front of a Bronco receiver to intercept a Jared
Zabransky pass and return it 33 yards for a touchdown. But just then, when all hope seemed
lost, Zabransky marched the Broncos to the Oklahoma 42. A sack set the Broncos back eight
yards, and two incompletions followed, leaving Boise State with a fourth-and-18 on the 50
yard-line. With 18 ticks of the clock left, Zabransky dropped back once again to pass.
Drisan James had gotten open at the 35, and caught the pass. Then, to the amazement of
millions watching on national television, James made a perfect lateral to Jerard Rabb who had
crossed the field in back of him. Rabb ran past the startled Sooners 35 yards, with a last dive
of three yards into the end zone. Anthony Montgomery calmly booted the extra point for the
tie to send the game into overtime. But Boise State again found themselves down in the extra
period when Adrian Peterson ran 25 yards to give Oklahoma a 42-35 lead. With the pressure
on, Boise State again methodically moved the ball to the Oklahoma 5. On fourth down yet
again, wide receiver Vinny Perretta lined up behind center, took the long snap, and headed
over to the right side. But just when Oklahoma's defenders came up to make the play, tight
end Derek Schouman slipped behind the line and Perretta heaved a pass. Schouman came
down with it in the end zone to make the score 42-41. On the extra-point try, Boise State lined
up with three receivers to the right and only Ian Johnson behind quarterback Zabransky.
Zabransky took the snap in his left hand, faked a throw to the right with his right, and swung
the ball around his back. After a brilliant acting job stepping back and looking to the right side,
Johnson snatched the ball from Zabransky and ran into the end zone untouched to give Boise
State the win in the game that people still call the greatest college football game ever played.
Boise State had struck first with a 49-yard pass from Zabransky to James to take the lead 7-0.
After a fumble recovery, Johnson's 2-yard run made it 14-0. Oklahoma cut the lead to 14-10,
but with 33 seconds left in the half, Zabransky found James on the sideline. Rather than
going out of bounds, Drisan made a nifty cut up the sideline and jumped to the pylon to give
Boise State the 21-10 halftime lead. Johnson led Boise State with 101 rushing yards on 23
carries, while the dependable Schouman had eight catches for 72 yards. Zabransky finished
the game 19-29 for 262 yards.
2007: (10-3, 7-1 in WAC)
#319--#24 Boise State ran its winning streak to a nation's best 14 games with a 56-7 win over
Weber State. Ian Johnson ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns and senior Taylor Tharp
guided the Broncos to touchdowns on eight of its first seven possessions for a 49-0 halftime
lead. The Bronco defense held the Wildcats to two first downs in the half. Boise State won
its 52nd home game in its last 54. Tharp finished the game 14-19 for 184 yards and a
touchdown, while Johnson scored on TD runs of 1, 54 and 5 yards. Bronco rushers picked up
386 yards and seven touchdowns, with Jeremy Avery gaining 105 yards and scoring twice on
ten carries. Jeremy Childs led the Bronco receivers with five catches for 71 yards. Boise
State ran its record to 100-37 as a major college football team. It was the 50th time that the
Broncos scored 50 or more points.
#320--Boise State held Wyoming to 35 rushing yards on 24 carries and just 51 yards of total
offense in the first half as Boise State downed Wyoming 24-14 in Bronco Stadium. Ian
Johnson ran for 83 yards and D.J. Harper picked up 37 yards for the Broncos, who won on the
blue turf for the 53rd time in 55 games and eighth in a row. Boise State struggled in the first
half, when finally Harper ran it in from eight yards out to complete a 12-play, 70-yard drive with
6:38 left. Quarterback Taylor Tharp found Jeremy Childs behind the defense for a 52-yard
scoring play midway through the third quarter to make it 14-0, and then hit tight end Chris
O'Neill for a nine-yard touchdown pass towards the end of the stanza. Childs led Bronco
receivers with four receptions for 88 yards.
#321--Ian Johnson ran for 111 yards and three scores as Boise State rocked Southern
Mississippi 38-10 in Bronco Stadium. Boise State built a 28-3 lead late in the first half before
the Golden Eagles scored a touchdown shortly before halftime. Southern Mississippi cut the
lead to 28-16 early in the third quarter, but Johnson capped a Bronco drive with a two-yard
score. Johnson also caught three passes for 80 yards, while quarterback Taylor Tharp was
19-27 for a career-high 307 yards and two TD's. Vinny Perretta had four catches for 74 yards,
while Titus Young had four grabs for 71 yards and Jeremy Childs snared four passes for 51
yards.
#322--Boise State rang up 604 yards in total offense and the defense pitched a shutout in a
58-0 win over New Mexico State in Bronco Stadium. Taylor Tharp threw a career-high four
touchdown passes and Ian Johnson had 158 total yards and a touchdown for the Broncos.
Tharp finished 19-26 for 251 yards, with Jeremy Childs catching six for 102 yards and three
TD's and Titus Young grabbing five passes for 84 yards, including a 50-yard score. Boise
State's special teams also came through with two blocked punts. The Bronco defense
allowed just 64 passing yards in the first half for the vaunted Aggie passing attack, the nation's
seventh-ranked, coming into the game.
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