Coming off a key non-conference win over Memphis, Boise State is back in action Saturday night against South Dakota, and the game at 8 p.m. Mountain time brings three areas into sharp focus.
The Broncos enter at 1-1 overall and 0-0 in the Pac-12, while the Coyotes are 3-0 and 0-0 in the Missouri Valley. For Boise State, the challenge is less about the label next to South Dakota’s name and more about matching up with a team that has already shown it can create problems in a few different ways.
One of the biggest questions sits in the secondary. Through two weeks, Boise State ranks last in FBS in passing yards allowed per game at 381, even though the cornerback group of Jaden Mickey, Sherrod Smith and JeRico Washington Jr. has played better than the raw numbers indicate.
Oregon and Memphis still found several explosive throws, and South Dakota has receivers who can threaten deep. Tysen Boze, Tennel Bryant and Brayden White, along with running back Keyondray Jones-Logan, each have at least one catch of 30 yards or more this season.
Redshirt freshman Austyn Modrzewski has been efficient too, throwing 11 touchdowns against just one interception. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said Monday, “We have to make sure we do a good job defensively of eliminating those explosive plays,”
The passing game on the other side gives Boise State another clear measuring stick. Fifth-year senior Maddux Madsen has opened the year by completing 32 of 57 passes for 402 yards, with five total touchdowns and no interceptions or fumbles.
His 56 percent completion rate comes with a career-low 7.1 yards per attempt, but he has been much cleaner with the football. Now he draws a South Dakota defense that gives up just 199.3 passing yards per game and 323 total yards, good for No. 24 in FCS.
Danielson was impressed with what he’s seen on film: “They’ve got good corners, their safeties are sound,” he said. “I don’t see a lot of busts when they play defense.
I’ve got a lot of respect for how they play defensively.”
The trenches may tilt Boise State’s way, especially after the Broncos’ line and front seven took a step forward against Memphis. Up front on offense, Tyler Ethridge, Carson Rasmussen, Stewart Taufa, Roger Carreon and Daylon Metoyer formed the Broncos’ rebuilt line.
Defensively, the four-man interior rotation of Mikaio Edward, David Latu, Michael Madrie and Lopez Sanusi helped neutralize Memphis’ offensive line. South Dakota will bring two line units that lack much Division I experience, and Boise State looks positioned to press that edge.
Danielson pointed to how the Coyotes operate up front, saying, “Their O Line works really well together,” and adding, “There’s some similarities to what we do offensively. … Defensively, their front four does a really good job.
They work well together.”
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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 🡒]
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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 🡒]