No. 22 Boise State opened Pac-12 play the right way Saturday night, building an early cushion and then answering every Utah State push on the way to a 37-18 win at Albertsons Stadium.
The Broncos moved to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in Pac-12 play, while Utah State dropped to 1-4 and 0-1. Boise State never trailed, and the game’s key moments kept coming whenever the Aggies seemed ready to make things interesting.
That started immediately. Boise State scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and was up 21-0 midway through the second quarter. Utah State finally got on the board with 6 minutes left in the first half and began to find some rhythm after managing only 64 yards in the opening quarter and then 136 in the second.
But just as the Aggies were gaining ground, Boise State flipped the game back in an instant. Fifth-year linebacker Jake Ripp picked off a tipped pass and took it 21 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 28-7 and halting Utah State’s momentum cold.
The Broncos had to do it again in the fourth quarter. Utah State scored a touchdown and added a 2-point conversion to cut the margin to 31-18, but Boise State answered with a three-play, 75-yard drive that restored order and stretched the lead back to 37-18.
The offense finished with 429 yards, including 244 through the air and 185 on the ground. Fifth-year quarterback Maddux Madsen was sharp throughout, going 17-for-21 for 244 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 42 yards. It was his third straight game completing at least 69% of his passes.
Madsen’s calm showed up again after Utah State trimmed the deficit in the fourth quarter. He completed three straight passes for 33, 31 and 11 yards, finishing the sequence with a touchdown throw to sixth-year wideout Ben Ford.
Junior running back Dylan Riley also turned in a strong performance before leaving with an injury in the fourth quarter. He ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Freshman wide receiver Rasean Jones also exited injured late in the game, giving Boise State something to monitor heading into next week.
Defensively, the Broncos did enough to stay in control, but the performance wasn’t spotless. Boise State allowed 345 total yards and 12 explosive plays, defined as a running play of at least 10 yards or a passing play of 15 yards. A couple of favorable penalty flags helped early, and the secondary gave up some plays, including Utah State’s final touchdown, when fifth-year cornerback Jaden Mickey was beaten by receiver Eli Wood.
Ripp’s touchdown was the game’s defining defensive moment, and it may have strengthened his hold on the starting job after earning the nod over senior Logan Brantley last week against Western Michigan. The score came after linebacker partner Boen Phelps tipped McCae Hillstead’s pass at the line, leaving Ripp with an easy catch and open space to finish the 21-yard return.
For Boise State, the night was about control. The Broncos started fast, absorbed the brief surges from Utah State, and kept the Aggies from ever turning the game into a real threat.
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