ESPN’s “College GameDay” is back in Boise for the first time since 2010, and Saturday’s visit lands right in the middle of a Pac-12 matchup that has plenty of moving parts before kickoff. The No. 24 Broncos host Oregon State at 4 p.m., with the pregame show setting up the day from DeChevrieux Field.
Fans will be able to get in free, with gates opening around 4:30 a.m. for the three-hour broadcast, which runs from 7 to 10 a.m. Parking is available at nearby garages beginning at 2 a.m. for $20.
There’s a local angle built into the spotlight, too. Three Boise State players who grew up watching the show - Rasean Jones, Tyler Ethridge and Harry Stewart III - will be part of a team appearing on “College GameDay” for the first time. Jones, a freshman receiver, is also set to go up against Oregon State’s Jesse Legree, who leads the nation in receiving yards and touchdowns.
Former Boise State running back Ian Johnson will handle guest picker duties. Johnson is best remembered for the Statue of Liberty play that helped seal the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, and he also turned in a huge day against the Beavers in 2006, rushing for 240 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-14 Boise State win.
The quarterback picture is murky on both sides. Oregon State sophomore Braden Atkinson, the nation’s passing yards leader, is not expected to play because of a hand injury. Boise State’s Maddux Madsen is questionable with a left knee injury.
If Madsen is able to go, he’ll start over Max Cutforth. Head coach Spencer Danielson made it clear there is no quarterback battle here, saying Cutforth has not changed the pecking order.
Still, Cutforth has been productive in relief, throwing for 448 yards and seven touchdowns. Danielson said Madsen gives Boise State the best chance to win.
Boise State’s defense is also under the microscope even with the Broncos riding a four-game Pac-12 winning streak. Danielson is standing by defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, but the numbers have been rough: Boise State is 72nd nationally in points allowed and last in fumble recoveries.
In Other News...
Boise State GameDay Crowd Got A Viral Moment Fans Will Love
The pregame buzz around Boise States matchup with Oregon State got an extra jolt during ESPNs College GameDay stop in Idaho, when fan Easton Hanson stepped into the spotlight for a million-dollar field goal attempt. Hosted by Pat McAfee, the contest came on the heels of a previous million-dollar kick by Leighton Vander Esch for charity, giving the crowd another big-stage moment before the Broncos even took the field.
Hanson delivered on his first try, turning what could have been a novelty sideline segment into the kind of viral snapshot college football fans will be talking about. With GameDay rolling and the focus already building toward Boise States game, the kick added one more layer to a weekend that had plenty of energy before kickoff ever arrived. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Gets A Timely Boost Before A Huge Oregon State Test
Boise State got a welcome bit of good news ahead of a pivotal Pac-12 matchup, with quarterback Maddux Madsen, running back Sire Gaines and safety Travis Anderson all listed as active for the trip to Oregon State. For a Broncos team trying to keep its footing in a meaningful conference test, having key pieces available on both sides of the ball gives Spencer Danielson a chance to lean on the roster he expected to have when the week began.
The Beavers, meanwhile, are dealing with their own quarterback shakeup after starter Braden Atkinson was ruled out with a hand injury, leaving Maalik Murphy in line to take over. Danielson said he felt good about Madsens return, but he also made clear Boise State has to prepare for Oregon States backup and the different look that can bring, which adds another layer to a game already carrying plenty of weight. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Had A Boise Travel Problem Before This Huge Road Game
Travel headaches were already part of the backdrop before Oregon State ever got to Boise for a big road test, with the kind of uncertainty that can turn a normal trip into an all-day scramble. The timing only added to the drama around a game that already had plenty of attention, and it was hard to miss how much the broader travel situation was affecting everything around campus.
Even ESPNs College GameDay felt the ripple effect, with Pat McAfee making his entrance in a way that fit the moment and the setting at Boise State. For Oregon State, the practical side of getting in and getting settled suddenly mattered almost as much as the matchup itself, and the travel contingencies around the game became part of the story before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]