Boise State heads to Colorado State on Saturday with a fresh quarterback question hanging over the matchup, and the Broncos may need to lean on Max Cutforth against one of the Mountain West’s most productive offenses.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Friday that Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen will not play, and the Broncos list him as questionable on their player availability report. If Madsen is out, Cutforth gets the start after throwing three fourth-quarter touchdowns in last week’s 46-45 escape against Texas State.
That’s the backdrop for a game that figures to feature plenty of points. Colorado State comes in averaging 35.5 points per game and 435.5 yards of offense, numbers that rank fourth in the Pac-12 and sit just behind Boise State’s 35.9 points and 449.3 yards in both categories. The Rams also flashed their ceiling in their last home game, hanging 56 points on San Diego State in a shootout win.
Boise State coach Spencer Danielson didn’t hide his respect for Colorado State’s attack earlier this week.
“Their offense is explosive,” Boise State (7-1, 4-0) head coach Spencer Danielson told local media earlier this week. “That quarterback (Hauss Hejny) is really, really good.
… I’ve seen DBs blitzing off an edge, he turns the corner on them and they cannot get him down. It’s impressive, the mobility he has.
He can make every throw. Probably one of the best deep-ball throwers we’ve seen all year.”
Hejny missed three games earlier this season because of a hamstring injury, then returned for the San Diego State game. The Oklahoma State transfer has completed 90 of 134 passes for 1,137 yards, with 17 total touchdowns and two interceptions.
Colorado State’s offense has been the strength of the team, but first-year coach Jim Mora is still trying to patch together a defense that has struggled badly. The Rams rank last nationally in several defensive categories and even made a defensive coordinator change in the middle of a loss to Oregon State. Still, Danielson said he saw signs of progress in last week’s 31-14 road loss to Utah State.
“Defensively, they’re really doing a good job starting to tighten things up,” Danielson said. “They’re talented on defense. Obviously we know they’ve kind of been through some things, but they’re finding their identity and we know they’re going to have a really good plan against us.”
The Broncos and Rams kick off at 4 p.m. Mountain time Saturday at Canvas Stadium. Boise State is trying to extend its road winning streak to eight straight.
The game will be streamed live on YouTube TV. Nate Gatter will handle play-by-play, Ryan Leaf will provide analysis, and Lauren Green will be on the sideline.
In Other News...
Boise State Just Added A Defensive Back Fans Needed To See
Boise State added another piece to its 2027 recruiting class with the commitment of versatile defensive back Bryson Ford, a prospect from North Gwinnett High School in Georgia who had already put himself on the radar of several high-level programs. Fords decision gives the Broncos another secondary target with length and flexibility, and it comes after he made an official visit to campus, a trip that clearly left an impression on the staff and the player.
For Boise State, the timing matters as much as the talent. The Broncos have been building out their defensive back group in this class, and Ford joins the list of known 2027 commitments as the program continues to lean into the secondary on the recruiting trail. It is the kind of addition that suggests Boise State is not just filling spots, but trying to stack options early at a position where depth and versatility can matter just as much as star power. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Still Has One Real Playoff Obstacle Left
The latest College Football Playoff projection has the bracket starting to take shape across the Power Four and the Group of Six, with recent results and injuries helping sort out who is in line for conference titles and who is hanging around the at-large conversation. For Boise State, the path is a little cleaner than it was a few weeks ago, but the Broncos are still very much part of the national picture as the season moves into its decisive stretch.
What makes their situation so interesting is that the margin for error is getting thinner even as the rsum keeps building. The Broncos have positioned themselves well enough to stay in the mix, but one remaining matchup looms as the kind of game that can either settle the debate or reopen it, and the playoff bracket projection reflects just how much is still hanging in the balance for Boise State. [Read more 🡒]