Boise State took a noticeable step toward the top 25 on Sunday, and the timing matched the way the Broncos handled business on the field.
After a 32-7 road win over Western Michigan, Boise State climbed to 112 votes in the Week 4 Coaches Poll. That put the Broncos third among teams outside the rankings, behind only Oklahoma State and Kentucky, and well ahead of every other Group of Six program in the poll.
The Broncos entered the week with 29 votes. One strong performance later, they more than tripled that total.
Boise State’s win in Kalamazoo was its most complete outing of the season. The Broncos finished non-conference play with a controlled, convincing effort, and Western Michigan’s lone touchdown came late enough to keep the shutout off the final scoreline.
Maddux Madsen was sharp throughout the game, completing 16 of 23 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. Dylan Riley supplied the ground punch, carrying 28 times for 138 yards and a touchdown.
“He’s powerful and he’s built so low to the ground that he’s got natural leverage,” Western Michigan head coach Lance Taylor said of Riley in his postgame press conference. “He’s really hard to tackle, he has great contact balance and he creates those yards after contact.”
Boise State’s rise in the poll stood out not just nationally, but within its own tier. The Broncos were the top vote-getter among Group of Six teams, landing ahead of James Madison, North Dakota State, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Western Michigan and UTSA.
At the top of the Coaches Poll, Texas stayed No. 1, followed by Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Indiana. The back end of the top 25 featured No.
21 Duke, No. 22 Penn State, No.
23 UCLA, No. 24 Michigan and No.
25 Missouri.
Four teams fell out after losses: Louisville, Texas A&M, Washington and Oklahoma. Boise State, meanwhile, kept stacking votes and moving closer to the rankings picture.
In Other News...
Boise State Opens Pac-12 Play With Pressure To Look The Part
Boise State enters Pac-12 play carrying a three-game winning streak and the kind of attention that comes with a No. 22 ranking. After opening the season with a loss to Oregon, the Broncos have steadied themselves and now get their first conference test at home, where Utah State visits for a 5:30 p.m. Mountain kickoff on CBS Sports Network.
The opener brings more than the usual league-pageantry feel, because Boise State is expected to look the part in a conference race that will help define its standing nationally. Early betting lines have made the Broncos a strong home favorite, which only adds to the pressure to handle business and keep the momentum from their recent run from getting interrupted. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Sent A Clear Message Before Pac-12 Play
Boise States trip to Western Michigan offered the kind of complete performance coaches usually point to when the calendar starts turning toward league play. The Broncos left with a 32-7 win built on efficiency and control, with quarterback Maddux Madsen throwing three touchdown passes without an interception and Dylan Riley powering the run game with 138 yards and a score.
What stood out just as much was how thoroughly Boise State handled things on the other side of the ball. The Broncos owned time of possession and held Western Michigan to 223 total yards and seven points, the sort of road showing that can travel well as Pac-12 play approaches and the margin for error gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Is Turning Its Pac-12 Home Opener Into A Throwback Moment
Before Boise State begins Pac-12 conference play at home against Utah State, the program is leaning into a piece of its own history. Coach Spencer Danielson helped set the tone at a recent press conference by wearing a special hoodie honoring the 20th anniversary of the Broncos undefeated 2007 team, the group that capped that unforgettable run with a Fiesta Bowl win.
The milestone celebration will carry into Albertsons Stadium, where several members of that 2007 team are set to be on hand, including Jared Zabransky and Ian Johnson. For a fan base that still takes pride in that era, it gives this home opener a little extra meaning beyond the standings and the conference debut. [Read more 🡒]