Boise State walks into Saturday night with a simple task and a stubborn problem: stop Fresno State from stretching its rivalry streak to four.
The 23rd-ranked Broncos are 4-1 and 1-0, same as Fresno State, but the recent history in the Milk Can series has tilted hard toward the Bulldogs. Fresno State has beaten Boise State three straight times, including a 30-7 rout last November at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State still holds a 17-10 edge in the all-time series, but that cushion has shrunk fast.
“We have not done a good job against Fresno State for years,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said Monday. “The last time we beat them was mid-season in 2022, and that’s when (starting quarterback) Jake Haener was hurt.
… They beat us in the ’22 (Mountain West) championship, they kicked our tail down there in ’23, kicked our tail on The Blue last season, and here we are. We’ve got our work cut out for us.”
Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Valley Children’s Stadium.
Danielson’s weekly session spent plenty of time on what Boise State has to clean up after giving up nine explosive plays against Utah State. He called that number too high and said the Broncos need more consistency, especially in the pass game and in coverage.
“We gave up nine explosive plays (against Utah State), and it’s too much. We’ve got to find ways to continue to tighten up.
It’s a point of emphasis that we have been very open about in the media and obviously with our team. In the pass game, it comes down to eye control.
We’ve got to tighten up our eyes, especially in coverage. And it’s the front and the back end working together.”
He also said the Broncos showed good stretches but need to carry that level across all four quarters.
“Football is a game of momentum; momentum is created by execution. But we’ve got to be able to be consistent throughout an entire four quarters. I thought there was a lot of really good football on the field by our team, but there are still some things on the field that we’ve got to find a way to tighten up.”
Danielson had plenty of praise for Fresno State and coach Matt Entz, pointing to the Bulldogs’ balance and discipline in all three phases. He singled out their ball security and takeaway production as a major challenge.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Matt Entz and his program. Matt Entz has won everywhere he’s been, very consistent teams.
They play great in all three phases, offensively, defensively and on special teams. You look at their team now, they are one of the top teams in the country in regards to turnover margin.
They do not turn it over on offense, and they create a ton of takeaways on defense.”
He also credited Fresno State’s defense and defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto, saying the Bulldogs are tough to move and even tougher to rattle.
“They are stingy on defense. We saw that last season.
… They play great. Their defensive coordinator (Nick Benedetto) does a phenomenal job.
They play sound in their fronts. They’ve got great movement, four-man rush, some pressures.
But they just play really, really sound football, and they are relentless to the football.”
And Danielson didn’t ignore the atmosphere waiting in Fresno. He described the Bulldogs’ home crowd as a real factor and said the environment fits college football at its best.
“Their fans-and I love it, that’s the way college football should be-their fan base is relentless, they love the Bulldogs. … That walk from the locker room to the field, they’ll be heckling, they’ll be all over coaches and players. It’s a big-time home field advantage for Fresno State, and hats off to them.”
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