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

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

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

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

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

Boise State Represented By Five Players in NFL Wild Card Games

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

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

SATURDAY

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

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

SUNDAY

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

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

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

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