One of the most dangerous tests Boise State will see all season is arriving at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday, and it comes with a Memphis team that has already flashed big-play punch on both sides of the ball.
Spencer Danielson didn’t hide the challenge when he described the Tigers as “one of the best teams we’ll see all season.” That’s the kind of statement that carries weight in early September, especially with Boise State trying to reset after a 34-27 loss to No. 2 Oregon and Memphis rolling in at 2-0.
The Tigers have done plenty to earn the attention. They opened with a 27-21 win over UNLV, then followed that by beating Arkansas State 42-24. Across those two games, Memphis has piled up 983 yards of offense, including 335 on the ground against Arkansas State.
The clearest warning sign for Boise State is how often Memphis has struck quickly. Through two games, the Tigers have produced 28 explosive plays, defined as a passing play of 15 or more yards or a rushing play of 10 or more. That total is split almost evenly, with 13 through the air and 15 on the ground.
“They’ve got a bunch of tempo, they’re going to go fast,” Danielson said about Memphis on Monday. “They’re going to check what you’re in, see what’s going on, and be really, really explosive.”
Quarterback Marcus Stokes has already thrown for 411 yards this season, and he’ll be looking at a Boise State defense that gave up 11 explosive plays against Oregon, though eight of those came through the air against a much tougher opponent.
Memphis also brings a run game that can wear on a defense and set up the shot plays behind it. The Tigers have rushed for 554 yards in two games, with Jaylin Carter leading the way at 280 yards and Manny Covey adding 149. That balance is part of what makes the offense tricky: teams commit to stopping the run, and Memphis can punish them over the top.
“The quarterback does a really nice job with this offense, and he can run the ball as well, whether it’s designed quarterback runs or more pulling RPOs down,” Boise State defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said Monday. “It’s a talented, talented group.”
Boise State did find one encouraging sign against Oregon in how it handled the Ducks’ ground game. The Broncos limited Oregon to 119 yards on 25 carries, and 40 of those yards came on a single play. That kind of run defense will matter again this week, because Memphis has shown it can attack in multiple ways and force a defense to choose its poison.
The other threat is coming off the edge and straight through the middle. Memphis has already logged nine sacks, the most in the nation, and junior defensive lineman Elijah Kinsler leads the team with 3.5 sacks for 28 yards. Among teams that have played two games, Memphis ranks 15th on a per-game basis in sacks.
“Vicious front four. They do a really good job,” Danielson said. “Their defensive coordinator - I’ve watched him from afar for a couple of years, and man, it’s not just the pressure he brings, but they’re very sound, they’re very disciplined, and they’ve got a great mentality.”
That defensive coordinator is Lance Guidry, who previously put up top-20 sack numbers at Marshall in 2021 and 2022.
Boise State and Memphis will kick at 4 p.m. Mountain Time on Saturday at Albertsons Stadium.
The Broncos are 0-1, the Tigers 2-0, and Boise State is listed as an 8.5-point favorite. The forecast calls for a high of 83, a low of 55, humidity at 30 percent, partly sunny skies and a 5 percent chance of rain.
Radio coverage will be on KBOI 670 AM and KBOI 93.1 FM/Sirius XM Ch. 84 with Bob Behler and Pete Cavender.
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