Game Facts
- Date: 12/02/2023
- Location: Las Vegas, NV, Allegiant Stadium (LV Raiders home)
- Weather at kickoff: Irrelevant, since it’s a dome (…or a giant Roomba) but, if you insist…61 degrees and cloudy
- Odds: Boise State, -2.5
- TV: Fox (national) 1 p.m MT Time
- Radio: 670 KBOI/Here or Stream. There will also be a with a simulcast, airing on SiriusXM Ch. 382 and on the app. Bob Behler (play-by-play) and Pete Cavender (color commentary)
- Commentators: Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Brock Huard (analyst) and Allison Williams (sidelines)
Other facts
1. Blue Streak
No, not “blue streaker”. Mystique will not be in attendance. Streak! As in, if the Broncos win tomorrow, the 2023 senior class would become a (nation-leading) 25th straight Boise State class to win at least one conference championship. Additional fun fact: 19 of those classes won multiple championships and 11 won three or more.
2. No Pressure
Boise State is 12th in the country in sacks allowed, with just 1.08 per game. Part of that has been quarterbacks that can scramble, but a HUGE part of that has been an offensive line that has just been really, really good.
3. Ground and Pound
Speaking of that offensive line, Boise State enters the game averaging 207.7 yards per game on the ground. The line has opened holes that trucks could drive through…and they do! The particular truck models are called Ashton Jeanty and George Holani. While both of them also know their way around the circle button, both are more than capable of breaking through an arm tackle or five. Jeanty might even have one of those battering rams attached to the front too. The statline for the rushing attack the last three games has been 219, 352, and 206 yards, respectively.
4. Gamblin’ Men
Ironic that Boise State has made it to a conference championship being hosted in a city that’s built on wild outcomes from varying degrees of astronomical probability. Why? With three games to go in the season, Boise State had only a 0.1% chance of things going the way they did. Being left out of the championship was 99.9% likely.
Streaks
Boise State – Won 3
Losing Team – Lost 1
Best Name On Their Roster
TIGER. SHANKS. Junior, OL
…not a description of stabby, striped jungle creatures. That’s a dude’s actual name. Not a wrestler-that-never-was-from-the-80’s stage name either. Like, on his birth certificate and everything. For real, I stopped even scrolling through the UNLV roster when I saw that one. Nothing was going to top it.
Best Picture On Their Roster
Honestly?…same haha. With that hair and grin of contentment, my man looks just like the boys and me the morning after a Mountain Dew and breakfast cereal-fueled Halo party, circa 2004. And I respect the heck out of it!
Players To Watch
WR, #11 Ricky White
Between that three headed monster in Washington, Tyler Horton’s little brother in Colorado, and now Ricky White, Boise State has faced some incredible wide receivers this year. Aside from Odunze, Ricky White might be the best of them. The 6’1″ 190 lbs pass catcher is a machine, with 1,300 yards, 7 TDs, and a 17.3 yard per catch average.
LB, #7 Jackson Woodard
The quintessential “always-around-the-ball” linebacker, Woodard was mentioned by the Boise State coaches specifically as a player they’re expecting to be a difficulty. The 6’3″, 230 lb junior has 104 tackles (47 solo), 1.5 sacks, and one INT on the year.
Keys to Victory
Run It Back
Literally. Run it back with them runnin’ backs. In addition to the Peoples’ Champion for the Doak Walker award, Ashton Jeanty, and George Holani, the Broncos ALSO have ultra-talented true freshman Breezy Dubar. Watching the UNLV-San Jose game, it became apparent whilst observing the Rebels defense that, despite the presence of Woodard, they can be a tad susceptible to the run. Specifically, to the tune of 233 yards. So, if the galloping Cerberus that is the Boise State ground game can get rolling, then putting points on the board shouldn’t be a problem.
Don’t Pass on Getting Defensive
Fully commit to and do it, please. The Bronco pass defense has struggled at times this year. At other times, tackling has been…a challenge. Those problems have not surfaced as frequently the last few games but they’re not gone. On the bright side, Simpson, Fely, and The Hassassin have all turned on the jets in recent weeks with stacks of sacks and forced fumbles. Hopefully that means that Maiava has less time to find White and he has less time to get open.
Score Prediction
Boise State 34, UNLV 21
Everybody is saying a close one to a blowout in favor of BSU–everybody except UNLV. I hope the team isn’t riding so high that they are overconfident.
I tuned in to a BNN podcast last night–for about two minutes. They were partying like it was 1999–it was like they already won. Players see crap like that and they lose focus.BJ Raines has set himself up as a “homer” extraordinaire. He bears some responsibility to set a certain tone when organizing an excursion.
The key to the Broncos’ success in the last two games was the pass rush. Bring it early and bring it often. That’s what teams did to Bachmier. And also make sure somebody covers the QB run.
Offensively, TG’s arm has to show up. He has to make UNLV pay for loading the box; which they will. I hope the Broncos have plays designed for RBs over the middle. The two-headed monster (Holani and Jeanty) will work by sending Jeanty in motion and then dumping the ball to Holani sneaking out into the middle of the field.
Agreed completely with the aggressive D line play. We need to send in a blitz early and often to get after their QB. He’s good, but can be rattled. Keeping the ball out of their 1300 yard receiver’s hands is also top priority. Listening to their MW conference discussion, the Lobos apparently think Jeanty is our entire offense. I love the idea of catching them off guard with a few short passes to Holani, who is outstanding in his own right. Holani was doing it all before Jeanty showed up. Oline play has been the best it’s been in a… Read more »