So, I might have mentioned once or twice that I hate playing Air Force. Like, primally. I hate it with the fire of one thousand wedgies. This game sucks on ice. It should not be. So, OF COURSE the Broncos had to pull a win from their proverbial nethers in Colorado Springs tonight. It started as well as a game against Air Force could and ended as only a game against Air Force can. Alas, Broncos SURVIVE.
The first quarter got off to a rather inauspicious start, with the Broncos receiving the kick and having a 40 yard Taylen Green scamper negated due to penalty (remember those flags…they’ll be back) and they ended up having to punt after a few modest gains. Thankfully, Air Force went NOWHERE on their first drive of the evening…with Tyreque Jones sniffing out the option pass perfectly and the Falcons punting their own first touch away. The next drive for the Broncos was much better…chewed up lots of yards, had some big plays and of course, ended with an Ashton Jeanty TD run (Holani was dinged up…that will ALSO be back).
On Air Force’s next possession, more nothing and even moreso as the Broncos forced an errant pitch that we recovered in Falcon territory. Unfortunately, the Broncos could not get in the endzone, but a Dalmas FG gave them a 10-0 lead and it looked like they were rolling. AFA finished the first quarter without a single first down and couldn’t establish their legendary run game either. Things looking UP.
The second quarter the Broncos traded Falcon punts for field goals and several started to wonder out loud if perhaps we should be finishing the drives with TDs instead? I mean, no way that would ever haunt us, right? Okay…hang on. The Broncos would push their lead to 16-0 (more FGs) before Air Force finally got on the board with a TD of their own set up by a 37 yard reception to a wide open receiver (that never happens against Air Force!). Anyhoo, Broncos tack on another FG and it’s 19-7 at the break. No matter, Broncos are a 2nd half team now, remember?
Falcons start with the ball but the Broncos defense came to play and forces the early punt. Now, the Bronco offense appears to be rolling after a couple nice tosses from Taylen Green, who seems to have found some pocket presence and gotten a little hazy on the whole “chewing up 5 yards per stride” end arounds, but we’re splitting hairs. The Broncos look like they’re ready to score again to start the 2nd half when an actually beautiful throw from Green to Stefan Cobbs deep in Falcon territory is tipped in the air after a BRUTAL hit on Cobbs. Seriously, it was a beautiful throw and Cobbs was open (I know!). The Falcon defender made a great play and the promising Bronco drive ends in pain. Boredom ensues as neither team finds the end zone or another FG in the 3rd quarter. Two score game remains.
Here’s where it gets “interesting”. More hot punting action started the 4th with the Broncos killing several promising drives with idiotic penalties. Real unforced error types. Refs gonna fight us too, eh? Well, DID YOU SEE THAT REF?! So, with not much time remaining in the sudden back and forth contest, the Falcons get a big 24 yard first down reception, but guess what? It wasn’t a reception. At least, it might not have been if the officiating crew had been as concerned with balls hitting the turf as they were about pancake and low blocks. Air Force hurries up…and Haaziq Daniels scampers around the end for a 27 yard gain. Huh…that no-review looming large? OUTRAGEOUS. You’ll never guess, the Falcons scored on the drive. It’s now 19-14 and I’m not coping well. Little did I know, I was about to empty all the Pepto bottles in the house (we have a few).
Boise State’s defense steps up…forces an Air Force punt with roughly 5 minutes remaining. Cool…Broncos can run out the clock—wait, where’s Jeanty?! We all realize at once we haven’t seen our freshman bowling ball in a while and now Holani is in street clothes. AWESOME. No matter, let’s kill some clock and ice this thing. Wait, why are the officials all meeting? What’s going on? Wait…what?! The crew ran back that Falcon punt and lo and behold, Mr. Latrell Caples receives the punt with Mr. Zeke Noa on block team. Slight problem—they both wear #7 (remember the countdown?). PROCEDURAL penalty on the punt gives the Falcons a FIRST DOWN. They now have 4ish minutes to score and ice this one and yeah, it kinda looks like they’re gonna until a 4th and medium turns into a 4th and 13 on a Falcon holding penalty (they can be called for penalties too?!). The 4th and 13 pass is knocked down by who else…Zeke Noa and this time he was the only #7 on the field.
Minute and a half remains, Broncos have the ball in own territory. Get a first down and this one is over. First down play goes for MINUS four yards as Elelyon Noa is blown up in backfield. 2nd down down frun from Noa nets only 3, so it’s 3rd and 11 with the game literally on the line. Not good. UNTIL Taylen Green recalls he’s a pretty decent runner himself and fakes the Noa handoff and scampers for 15 to get the first down and ice the game. Broncos 19, Air Force 14. Egad.
Not always a “win’s a win” guy, but wins in Colorado Springs don’t come easy. Especially with top two RBs down and the refs (and Aaron Taylor) drinking Falcon Berry Blast Kool-Aid. Broncos are 4-0 in conference somehow and this insane stretch we saw approaching a month ago has the Broncos in first place in the Mountain Division and the only undefeated MWC squad. One more win and they’re bowl eligible for the 83rd straight year (or something). Did you think that was in the cards after UTEP? Be honest.
Final stats via ESPN.
Jeanty missing is concerning. Had to have been disciplinary since he wasn’t even on the sideline after the half. I hope it’s a minor bump, cuz we can’t afford another Balthazar scenario. Taylen’s inability to throw hasn’t seemed to have improved at all over the last several weeks. He actually throws better on the run which is why we need a steady dose of roll out and bootleg options in the coming weeks. Or some more Vidlak packages, because the pocket passing game is dead in the water without some major tweaks. Always happy to beat AF and to have… Read more »
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I enjoy Green as QB but his decision making when throwing still needs work. But I’m just wondering why he was throwing so much more than running. Glad he finally peeled off a run when it was needed most.
Game ball to Dalmas. Best most consistent kicker we’ve had in a long time. He’s the margin of victory in this one.
And another to the defense. Again.
I pray we get at least one of the main RBs back against CSU. Noa ran hard but he is more of a change of pace back as opposed to a workhorse. Green definitely needed to run more.
The thing won’t let me reply to existing comments, so I’m good trust y’all can sort out the various parts of this reply. Jeanty not appearing in the second half does not mean it was a discipline issue. Making that kind of assumption is a slippery slope. Further, Andy is not Pete or Bryan – we don’t know how he’d respond to that kind of situation and I hope we don’t find out. With Holani and Jeanty out, it makes sense why they’d not want Green to run as much, Chill out with the whole “Green decision making” or “Green… Read more »
To start with, I have to agree about hating this game…..bleh. I’ve been following BSU since my son was a freshman in 2006 (and yes, we are at THE Fiesta Bowl). Obviously, I’m a USAFA alum (class of ’82), so this game is very distasteful year after year. It’s my “Schrodinger’s Cat” game, and I hate it. Neither team was on display. I submit we had imposters on the field. The start was so very uncharacteristic of Air Force, and they never really got on track, even with the fullback dive. Keeping the #1 rushing offense to less than half… Read more »
We survived a comedy of errors. It happens. Alabama wasn’t so lucky, so let’s celebrate our good fortune!
Also, our team didn’t totally melt down and turn the ball over 7 times. #HarsOut
There’s nothing Koetter can do about our top two rbs being injured, balls getting tipped in the air, and 3&1s getting turned into 3&6s.
TG improved again. Had some nice throws and some Wrs finally made plays. But Cobbs let him down big time.
Oh yeah, and all those dambed penalties. Unforced errors!
Most penalties are forced errors (holding, PI, etc) as players resort to dirty tricks to supplement poor play, but two of the same numbers on the field? Body slamming a guy when he’s already down? Again, it was just a comedy or errors on offense after halftime.
Major props to our defense. Holding AFA to minimal points and a respectable number of rushing yards is the only reason we won the game.
We beat AF! The team predicted by most to be MW Champs this year! We beat them with a second string qb and our 3rd, 4th, and 5th sting RBs. Not to take anything away from what Jeanty did in the first half. Noa ran the ball well and Crowe had an impressive reception. This is not what I expected coming off the bye week. All the last two weeks we heard this was the opportunity for players to get rested, to let their bodies heal. I hope we get everyone healed up soon. Game ball to our defense and… Read more »
Sure would like to know where Jeanty was? Anyway, a good game. I wanted to see more offense but Holani not playing and Jeanty out the second half, not so bad. Frankly, I see nothing wrong with Green’s passing. I don’t think the passing game is the problem, it’s the catching game. I think by season’s end Green will be tossing some more frozen ropes. He has some speed on the ball when he cuts loose. I laughed when the Broncos went so deep at RB the announcer couldn’t indentify the 5th stringer, Kaden Dudley. Hope Holani and Jeanty return… Read more »
I am confused about the dual 7 situation. It seemed like they called that penalty after the play way over. From my understanding that is not a reviewable call, so unless there was a flag thrown during the play it should have never been enforced.
To JayWeston: I listened to the post game interview with #7 Noa. He said they practiced all week that way and nobody noticed. To your point about the play being over, that sounds resonable. But we are talking NCAA. You call the infraction when it occurs or during the play, not after. The exception would be a personal foul or unsportsman like stuff. Of course, you wouldn’t call that before a snap because the offending team could say they weren’t given an oppertunity to call a time out and address the issue. This all begs the question, why don’t teams… Read more »
Broncos defense played lights out. They held the #1 ground attack IN THE COUNTRY to 175 yards on the ground and 14 points!
We also won the time of possession! Amazing!
Not pretty but we hung on at the end and pulled one out on the road. Good win!
Go Broncos!
I noticed my current comment is listed last. In other words, the comments order is reversed with newest comments last and oldest comments first.
Also as mentioned by another poster cannot reply to other users post.
For Jeanty, I saw on Facebook that he was out for concussion protocol. Can’t confirm, but was optimistic he won’t miss next week
Here’s my theory on why Holani didn’t play: he could have, but the staff said “let’s see how well Noa and Crowe do before we potentially make things worse for Holani”. Noa played well enough, and when Jeanty left I think the staff decided it wasn’t worth missing Holani and Jeanty going foward. All things considered, it was a good win.