Boise State comes into Saturday night’s game with the kind of betting respect that makes the number jump off the page.
The Broncos are 24.5-point favorites against South Dakota when the teams meet at Albertsons Stadium at 8 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday. FanDuel Sportsbook listed Boise State at -4000 on the moneyline, with the Coyotes at +1400.
That’s a striking line for a South Dakota team that has quietly built some momentum. The Coyotes are 3-0 and climbed to No. 10 in the FCS Coaches Poll after beating Eastern Washington 41-23 at home last weekend. They’ve now reached the FCS playoffs in three straight seasons and made a semifinal run in 2024.
Still, oddsmakers don’t see much drama in this one.
Boise State is coming off a big win over Memphis and enters at 1-1 overall, 0-0 in Pac-12 play. The Broncos were also in this exact kind of spot in Week 1, when they were getting 24.5 points against then-No.
2 Oregon. Boise State led by 10 in the first half before falling 34-27.
That result has aged well for the Broncos. Oregon lost 39-31 at Oklahoma State the following week and dropped to No. 21 in the latest AP Poll, while Boise State picked up the third-most votes among teams outside the top 25.
Saturday’s matchup is one piece of a full Pac-12 slate, with all eight teams in action. Among the early Week 3 lines: North Texas at Texas State (-3), Utah State (+28.5) at No. 17 Utah, Duquesne at Washington State (-38.5), James Madison at San Diego State (-2.5), Montana at Oregon State (-17.5), and Fresno State (-6.5) at San Jose State.
Boise State is 2-0 against the spread so far. South Dakota has no spread record listed.
Game time is 8 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday, Sept. 19, with CBS Sports Network carrying the matchup.
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 🡒]