Boise State returns home Saturday night with a straightforward assignment: clean up the defense, lean on the run game, and keep South Dakota from getting comfortable.
The Broncos and Coyotes meet at Albertsons Stadium at 8 p.m. Mountain time, with the game set to air nationally on CBS Sports Network. Boise State enters at 1-1 and is a 24.5-point favorite, according to the latest FanDuel odds.
The biggest issue hanging over Boise State is impossible to miss. The Broncos have already allowed too many explosive plays, including a pair of 80-plus-yard touchdowns in last week’s win over Memphis. That has left them sitting last nationally in passing defense at 381 yards allowed per game and No. 136 of 138 teams in total defense at 508 yards per game.
Head coach Spencer Danielson didn’t soften the message when asked about it Monday.
“We can’t give up nine or 10 explosive plays,” Danielson said during his Monday press conference. “You’re not going to be successful as a defense when you give up those kind of yards.
… Giving up 500 yards of offense two weeks in a row is not OK. Period, end of story, end of discussion.
We’ve got to get it fixed.”
One obvious way to keep control of the game is to stay on schedule with the ground attack. After a mixed showing against Oregon, Boise State’s rushing offense looked like itself again in Week 2, rolling up 357 yards on 47 carries for 7.6 yards per attempt. Dylan Riley delivered a career-best 206 yards and earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Sire Gaines added 93 yards and a touchdown.
South Dakota’s defense has been stout against the run so far, allowing 123.7 rushing yards per game, so that matchup will be worth watching. Boise State will still want to establish that part of the offense and make the Coyotes defend every snap.
The other major concern is pressure, or the lack of it. Boise State managed just one sack in its Week 1 loss to Oregon and followed that with two against Memphis.
Fourth-year senior defensive end Max Stege had the best pass-rushing day of the bunch, finishing with a career-high five quarterback pressures, two total tackles and a sack. Logan Brantley, Boen Phelps and Jayden Virgin-Morgan each added two tackles for loss.
That matters because South Dakota redshirt freshman quarterback Austyn Modrzewski has been efficient and protected through three games. He has been sacked only once, and he’s completed 46 of 66 passes for 727 yards with 11 touchdowns and one interception.
If Boise State wants to avoid an upset, the formula is clear: make South Dakota uncomfortable, keep Modrzewski from working from a clean pocket and don’t let the explosive plays keep piling up.
In Other News...
Boise State Has One Built-In Edge Against South Dakota
As Boise State gets ready for South Dakota, one of its quieter advantages is sitting right in the Broncos secondary. Senior defensive back Roman Tillmon spent time at South Dakota before arriving in Boise, and now hes been able to give the coaching staff a firsthand look at what the Coyotes like to do and which players matter most. That kind of built-in familiarity is especially useful in a matchup between an FBS program and an FCS opponent, where small details can help shape the early-game plan.
Tillmon has opened the season as Boise States top nickel defensive back, so his role is already important on the field as well as in the film room. His background gives the Broncos a better sense of South Dakotas tendencies, including a team that likes to establish the run, and that sort of information can matter when a favorite is trying to avoid getting dragged into an unfamiliar type of game. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States New North End Is Already Dividing Broncos Fans
Boise States new $70 million North End Zone finally made its debut at Albertsons Stadium during the 2026 home opener, giving the Broncos a fresh look behind one of the most recognizable backdrops in college football. The two-story addition brings club seating and new locker rooms into the mix, and the athletic department says the suites and seats were filled as planned, a sign the school sees the project as a major step forward for the game-day experience.
Still, not everyone came away impressed. Some fans and former players said the area looked quieter and less crowded than the old setup, and the premium-priced club, ledge and loge seats have already sparked debate about who the new space is really built for. For a program that has long prided itself on a loud, packed home-field atmosphere, the conversation around the North End feels bigger than just a new building. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Has One Lingering Concern Heading Into South Dakota
Boise State gets its first chance to settle in at home on Saturday when South Dakota comes to town for a non-conference matchup that should tell the Broncos a lot about where they stand early in the season. Spencer Danielson has spent the lead-up pointing to the kinds of clashes that tend to define these September games, especially the Broncos pass defense and how their lines measure up against a physical opponent.
For Boise State, the passing-game questions are the ones that linger most. The Broncos need cleaner play from the quarterback position and steadier work on defense if they want to avoid turning a manageable home opener into a stressful one, and Danielson has emphasized that both sides of the ball will be tested by South Dakotas strengths. The answers should start showing up quickly, even if the final verdict on this group may take longer than one Saturday afternoon. [Read more 🡒]