“Hate” is a strong word and frankly, there’s too darn much of it in this world nowadays. That said, the “dislike index” just didn’t roll off the tongue quite as well. No one on the following list is wished any harm…perhaps some mental anguish inside the confines of a 60-minute football game or maybe the team bus breaking down outside Shell station with no working toilets. With one ROUNDLY disliked team coming to town this weekend for the last time in the foreseeable future, I thought it’d be wise to rank the teams on Boise State’s Mountain West slate OR part of a 13-year home-and-home on my own Buzzfeed-style list. Disagree? Well, I hate you too (just kidding, you’re very smart and likable and smell like sandalwood and sage)
12. Hawaii
I just can’t conjure up much hatred for the “braddahood”. There was a time when June Jones was scowling on the sidelines and Colt Brennan was passing for 450 yards that I didn’t necessarily LOVE the Warriors, but they haven’t posed much of a threat to the Broncos since George W. Bush was in office and since they are a football-only member of the MWC, they are spared my righteous anger.
11. UNLV
On the basketball court, there’s probably a tinge of disdain—like the kind I have for those late night catheter commercials—but the Rebels just haven’t been much of a threat to our Broncos since forever, and we also used to consider their old home field a home-away-from-home when we were wining all the Las Vegas Bowls.
10. San Jose State
Generally, I’ve felt pity for the Spartans…who we knew from a previous relationship…er…conference and frankly, them stomping on our midfield logo before Dan Hawkins went mega-Gandhi on them to the tune of 77 points was actually sort of endearing. Lately, they’ve had a pulse and even defeated the Broncos in our last appearance in the MWC title game. Their “never been here before” gloating was a little much, and put them a bit further up the rankings but no one thinks of these guys as a true rival yet…they are only 10th on the list,
9. New Mexico
I’ll be honest, this team would probably be a complete afterthought if it weren’t for one thing: 2015. At the time (thanks, UTEP) that home loss was considered by many to be the worst loss in the last 20 years…compounded by Bob Davie’s dumb face in a dumb team selfie on The Blue. This team is also rather annoying on the basketball court, so I’m giving them a spot inside the top ten.
8. Colorado State
The Rams have never beaten the Broncos on the field, so from that standpoint it’s ALL love. Their fans are Vandal-level @#$%-talkers though every year, even though they have ZERO reason to be. They are particularly fond of the old “academics’ barbs, which are the last refuge of teams that can’t beat you on the field. Their basketball program is mucho annoying and doggone it, this three shoulda counted
7. Wyoming
Wyoming isn’t a team that normally poses much of a threat and used to be a tune up game for the Broncos, but I must admit Principal Strickland has turned them into an annoying team…one that plays sound defense and usually stops our offense from getting too comfy. Their unis are ugly, their stadium causes nosebleeds, and seeing this gif fills me with a lot of rage. Seven it is.

6. Utah State
Again, my animus toward this team probably stems from the same season as the Lobos’—2015. Other than that, they’ve been harmless as kittens. Their excessive gloating over a MWC title last season was probably flag-worthy, but hey…the Broncos could’ve prevented that (not by beating Utah State…they already did that). On the court, probably a top 3 hateworthy team in the conference.
5. Fresno State
Another WAC holdover. I can’t be TOO mad at the Bulldogs, they pretty much MADE us, but their title win in 2018 on The Blue still sticks in the craw and their battery-chucking fanbase makes them considerably less cuddly than other foes. We have a long history with the Bulldogs, and most of it is filled with Bronco victories, but man those few losses were INOPPORTUNE and we might see them again this year if both teams play their cards right.
4. Air Force
I love our armed forces—let me get that out of the way. I HATE the triple option. Like, I seriously loathe it…and just look at the walking wounded (and season enders) we had last week because of that special, special offense we face every damn year. That, and Troy Calhoun is a turd and no amount of pre-game Lou Holtzing will change my mind on that.
3. San Diego State
You’d think my distaste for the Aztecs would have waned once Rocky Long left—not much. Brady Hoke is another unsavory character in San Diego and the Aztecs hold more than one “how’d they win that?” type of win over the Broncos in the last decade. Bashing their butts last month on The Blue felt really, really good.
2. Nevada
The hatred of the Wolf Pack goes all the way back to the Big Sky days and their string of contemptible coaches really sealed the deal. 2010 will live in infamy as probably the most consequential loss in Boise State history and seeing that elf Chris Ault sets off my heart rate monitor on my watch. Add in that they scored a b-ball coach who never set foot in a high school and couldn’t keep his shirt on (Muss now at Arkansas and still afraid of high schools) and Nevada is a team that could lose every game and I’d laugh and laugh. Oh, how I’d laugh.
1. BYU
This probably isn’t a huge surprise as they are the team that spurred this list from the start, but I rather dislike this southern neighbor of ours. Forget the head-to-head recruiting wars, the seesaw series (of late), or any religious matters…I just don’t like BYU. Their fanbase is uncommonly delusional, and the team is filled with nut-punchers and cheap shotters. Them getting into the Big 12 punched the jealousy part of a few upper thighs in Boise as well. This is the only acceptable remaining loss on the Bronco schedule, but try convincing my heart of that. BYU could play Idaho and darn it, I might just root for the “Tribe from the North”…someone help.
Agreed Drew. The only team I’d add if I may is TCU. It’s been mostly a really good matchup, but the two losses to them were also highly disappointing (two of Kellen’s three total losses). And losing on the Blue to them at the end of the 4th quarter sucked buttocks so hard.
If we had a current series with TCU (or Idaho, let’s be honest)…they’d have made the list
Hate is a good and necessary emotion, as long as it is directed correctly. From what I just read, your hatred is under complete control and directed properly.
P.S.
I get the whole Vardal dilemma as I secretly listen to some of their games on the radio. PLEASE HELP!
I feel the same way. We had a 7-5 record last year but the win at BYU while they were ranked made me feel ok about life. Listening to BYU sports nation the Monday after their defeat at our lowly hands was sweet music. The euphoria of that one game lasted for weeks. To see BYU fans scurry like roaches out of my path as I approached was glorious and beautiful. If they win, BYU fans are like a bulwark to avoid at every turn. If they lose, they are no where to be seen. The only thing that compares… Read more »
I would definitely root for the tribe up north if they were playing byu. I used to HATE the vandals. I have lived in boise my whole life and remember the 90’s when U of I would kick the crap out of us. Their fans were relentless. No chance of peace making in a conversation. The rise of our boise team since the 90’s and the fall of whatever their doing up there, truly warmed my heart and quenched some of my hatred. That coupled with age I find it hard to hate their pathetic excuse for competitive athletics. So… Read more »
As Ecclesiastes says, “There is a time for every purpose under heaven. . . a time to love and a time to hate.” So with that said, two notes. First, I don’t hate TCU at all. Those losses hurt–the one at home with the missed field goal at the end was the second most painful in my fandom life, with only Nevada exceeding it. But I nonetheless like the Horned Frogs and have rooted for them ever since, aside from when they were playing us. I think they’re a class act. They always respected us–very different from the Wolfpack, who… Read more »
[…] ICYMI: Drew has a ‘Hate Index’ […]
I think that I’d have to switch your top two, while I can’t stand BYU and REALLY hoping our guys give them a proper send off to end the series, I hate Reno far more. Reasons being, they have more effect on the outcome of things since they are an MW team, BSU still has to play them in conference and we don’t know if we will ever play BYU again, the real deciding factor is that “one game” against Reno. My hatred stems less from the losing that game, but the fans reactions afterwards. I guess if you’ve only… Read more »
Three notes: 1. As I remember it, the “upper thigh” punch happened the same year as the USU turnover-fest and the New Mexico fiasco. Man, that year sucked! 2. Seeing that slo-mo video of the CSU basketball heist made me very sad at first. Then I started wondering why their logo looks like a scrotum with two flacid penises. Now I can’t stop laughing. 3. I don’t hate Air Force, and I don’t hate SDSU. I hate PLAYING Air Force and SDSU. For that reason, I would list _yoming and Fresno higher than both of those. Because I hate them… Read more »
There aren’t a lot of teams we play that I truly detest. DuI will always be first on my hate meter because, well, it’s Idaho; of course that’s moot since we no longer play against them. Nevada, now, is my number one team to hate. My feelings go back to 1974 or 1974, when a Nevada player drove his shoulder into Terry Hutt’s knee as he lay on the turf after a catch. Hutt was out for the season after that shot. Then, of course, there’s Chris Ault and his remark that he saw no reason to play BSU if… Read more »
Good spot for BYU. Personally, I hate them because of all those turn coat Bronco fans that you spend the season high fiving, then they show up at the BYU game with their BYU gear. Makes me want to elbow drop them from the top ropes. Either you bleed blue or you don’t get the touchdown high five!!! Nevada for the reasons stated above but mostly because their fans are scuzz bags. That 2011 game was scarring. The hate we endured on the walk back from that stadium was unforgivable as was the disrespect they showed our players exiting the… Read more »
Nevada has to edge out BYU for the #1 spot for a few reasons.
1. The first kick was good. If they had regulation goal posts it wouldn’t have been a question.
2. That photo of Nevada fans flipping the bird to grieving BSU players after the loss that should have been a win.
3. We have them to thank for bringing Kaepernick to the world.
Great article, but where’s Oregon on this list? Oregon #1 & Nevada #2 in my book.
I’m so glad that OBNUG lives on, BSU fandom wouldn’t be the same without it.
Did anyone mention how much they HATE byu?