Boise State’s path into the first College Football Playoff bracket came with a catch: the Broncos are in, but the road could run straight through Tuscaloosa.
When the committee unveiled its first 12-team rankings Tuesday night, Boise State landed at No. 25 overall. That’s enough to put the Broncos in the bracket as the highest-ranked team from a Group of 6 conference, which earns the No. 12 seed.
Under the current setup, that would send Boise State to face No. 5 Alabama in the opening round, with the first-round games played on campus sites.
The final CFP rankings and bracket won’t be set until Sunday, Dec. 6, the weekend of the league championship games, so plenty can still shift. But for now, the Broncos are staring at a potential trip to Alabama.
Boise State got there by being the lone ranked team from the Group of 6 in the committee’s top 25. The 12-team format gives automatic spots to the four conference champions from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, plus the top Group of 6 team and seven at-large selections. The Group of 6 includes the Mountain West, American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, Mid-American and Pac-12, the league Boise State competes in.
The Broncos’ résumé is clean enough to hold that spot for now: a 7-1 record overall, a perfect 4-0 mark in Pac-12 play, and the only blemish a 34-27 loss at No. 23 Oregon in the season opener.
Boise State also has a little breathing room, though not much. The committee only ranks through No. 25, but New Mexico looks like the closest threat from the Group of 6. The Lobos are 7-1, unbeaten in conference play, and were No. 22 in the Associated Press poll this week, just two spots behind Boise State.
Spencer Danielson said Monday that the attention is nice, but it doesn’t change the job in front of his team.
“Whatever publicity Boise State can get for our program, university, I think is great, but it matters nothing,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said Monday about the CFP committee’s rankings. “It’s the reality.”
For now, the reality is a Broncos team in the bracket and a possible first-round date with Alabama. Before any of that becomes official, Boise State still has work to do on the field, starting with this weekend’s trip to Colorado State.
The Broncos travel to Fort Collins to face the Rams, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. on USA. Colorado State enters at 3-5 overall and 1-3 in Pac-12 play.
The committee will update its rankings every Tuesday until the final bracket is announced. Here is the first CFP top 25:
Miami
Georgia
Utah
Indiana
Alabama
Kentucky
Texas
UCLA
BYU
Ole Miss
Notre Dame
Ohio State
Tennessee
LSU
Texas Tech
Wake Forest
Houston
Missouri
Iowa
USC
South Carolina
Arizona
Oregon
Florida
Boise State
In Other News...
Boise State Brings A Brutal Mismatch Into Colorado State
Colorado States week-to-week reality has gotten bleak enough that Jim Mora spent part of his pregame availability spelling out just how steep the challenge is. The Rams have dropped five of their last six and sit last in the FBS in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense, which is not exactly the backdrop you want when Boise State comes to town with one of the nations most punishing ground games.
Mora pointed directly to Dylan Riley as the engine of that attack, and he also noted what the Broncos have shown behind center when the depth chart gets tested. Boise States offense did not appear to lose its edge with Max Cutforth in the game, which only adds another layer to a matchup Colorado State badly needs to stabilize before it gets away from them early. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Has One Clear Edge In A Crucial Pac-12 Test
Boise State heads into its Pac-12 matchup with Colorado State carrying a clear defensive advantage, even though both teams have been productive enough on offense to sit in the top half of the league in several categories. The Broncos have been especially stout against the run, and that strength stands out against a Colorado State offense that has kept pace in some areas but will be tested in ways it has not been all season.
The bigger question for Boise State is under center, where Maddux Madsen may be unavailable for the game. If that happens, Max Cutforth would be the next man up after a strong showing in the previous game, giving the Broncos a backup plan as they try to lean on their defense and keep control of a crucial conference test. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Gets Encouraging Maddux Madsen Update Before Colorado State
Boise State got a little breathing room this week with its quarterback situation after Maddux Madsen went down with a left knee injury. The Broncos still have to wait and see how he responds, but the early signs have been encouraging enough to keep hope alive heading into the matchup with Colorado State.
Coach Spencer Danielson has sounded optimistic about Madsens recovery, and the team is treating the injury as a day-to-day situation rather than something that could linger. If Madsen is unable to go, Boise State has a ready option behind him, with Max Cutforth prepared to step in and handle the offense. [Read more 🡒]