Boise State’s climb into the Coaches Poll top 25 finally became official on Sunday.
After spending the previous two weeks buried near the top of the “others receiving votes” group, the Broncos landed at No. 24 in the Week 6 Coaches Poll. The move came one day after Boise State knocked off rival Fresno State 38-31 on the road to improve to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Boise State now sits one spot ahead of No. 25 Oregon, the team that beat the Broncos in Week 1. The Ducks followed that win with a 17-15 loss at home to UCLA on Saturday, opening the door for Boise State to move in.
The Broncos’ latest win was built despite a stretched-thin receiving corps. Leading receiver Rasean Jones, starting receiver Cam Bates and reserve Darren Morris were all out, and another starter, Ben Ford, left in the second quarter with an apparent leg injury and did not return.
Even with the absences, quarterback Maddux Madsen put together a steady night, throwing for 238 yards and two touchdowns while connecting with nine different receivers. Boise State also leaned on a productive run game that piled up 274 rushing yards.
“There’s no stat line for ‘Oh, you have some starters out,’” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said after the game. “It’s win or loss, right?
That’s the world we live in. We get judged on what happens 12 nights a year.
And Terrious Favors, big catch. Quinton Brown had some catches.
(Qumonte) Williams Jr. had some catches, AJ Jones had some catches. And these are guys, in some games, had none, didn’t even play a ton.
… So, so proud of them for finding a way.”
Boise State’s ranking also keeps the Broncos in the center of the Group of Six conversation. They are viewed as the favorite to represent that group in the College Football Playoff.
Elsewhere in the Week 6 Coaches Poll, Georgia moved into the No. 1 spot, with Notre Dame, Miami, Indiana and Ohio State rounding out the top five. Texas fell to No. 6 after a 27-24 loss to Oklahoma.
Other Group of Six teams receiving votes were James Madison (33), New Mexico (16), UTSA (10), Memphis (six) and Oregon State (two). Boise State is scheduled to host Oregon State on Nov. 14.
In Other News...
Boise State Just Lost A Key Weapon For Fresno State
Boise State heads into its matchup with Fresno State dealing with a thinner-than-usual receiver room, and the biggest absence is a familiar one for anyone who watched last weeks win over Utah State. True freshman wideout Rasean Jones will not play after leaving that game following a helmet-to-helmet hit, taking away one of the Broncos more dynamic first-year contributors at an inconvenient time.
Jones has become a key piece in Boise States passing game as a true freshman, so his absence changes the look of the offense even before the ball is snapped. The Broncos are also dealing with several other players who have already been ruled out or listed as unavailable, though there is better news in the backfield, where running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines are expected to be available after recent injuries. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Found Passing Game Help In An Unexpected Place
Boise States 38-31 win over Fresno State offered a glimpse of where the passing game might be headed if the Broncos have to keep piecing things together on the fly. Underclassmen Terrious Favors, Qumonte Williams Jr. and Quinton Brown all stepped into bigger roles and combined for six catches and 55 yards, while quarterback Maddux Madsen spread the ball to nine different teammates in a game that looked a lot less top-heavy than Boise States offense has sometimes been.
The urgency behind that shift was obvious, too, with the Broncos leaning on younger receivers because of injuries to key starters. Head coach Spencer Danielson and Madsen both came away encouraged by what they saw from that group, and the performance gave Boise State something it has been searching for as the season moves along: a little more confidence that the next wave of pass catchers can handle real snaps when the game asks for them. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Enters Fresno State Rivalry With One Big Concern
Boise State heads into its Milk Can rivalry game with Fresno State in a familiar spot: highly ranked in the Mountain West chase, favored by 8.5 points at DraftKings Sportsbook and tied with the Bulldogs at 4-1. The timing also adds a little extra weight, with UNLV hosting North Dakota State in another game that could help shape the league picture while Boise State and Fresno State renew a rivalry that usually carries more than bragging rights.
The bigger issue for the Broncos is availability, because they will be without starting wide receivers Rasean Jones and Cam Bates, along with left guard Carson Rasmussen. Jones has been the teams most productive target so far, and losing that kind of production on the perimeter changes how Boise State can approach a game that already demands clean execution up front and enough balance to keep Fresno State from keying on one side of the offense. [Read more 🡒]