At halftime Saturday night, Boise State looked like it had everything under control. The Broncos were up 28-3 on Texas State, the rain that had soaked the start of the game had eased up, and Kellen Moore had just been honored with the unveiling of an 11-foot bronze statue of himself.
Then the second half turned into pure chaos.
Boise State survived a 46-45 thriller on The Blue, but the final quarter alone packed in 10 drives, six touchdowns and four lead changes before the Broncos finally escaped. The third quarter set the stage for the collapse, with Texas State scoring on all three of its possessions in the period while Boise State managed only 21 yards, three punts and a fumble from junior running back Harry Stewart III.
“That’s one of the worst quarters of football that I’ve ever been a part of,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said after the game. “...
In all three phases, we were absolutely terrible… defensively we couldn’t get a stop, couldn’t tackle, giving up explosive play after explosive play. Offensively, we couldn’t get zero rhythm, couldn’t run the football, couldn’t complete on third down.”
By the end of that stretch, the Broncos’ 28-3 cushion had been cut to 28-25, and Texas State still had the ball.
The Bobcats carried that momentum into the fourth quarter and turned a 4th-and-4 near midfield into a backbreaking sequence. A five-yard completion was followed by a defensive holding penalty that gave Texas State 10 free yards and an automatic first down, and one snap later Brad Jackson hit Beau Sparks deep for a 44-yard touchdown that put the Bobcats ahead 32-28.
Boise State’s next possession went from bad to worse. On the second play, Maddux Madsen tried to hit freshman tight end Keawe Browne, who was in for injured starter Matt Wagner, but Browne slipped and Texas State defensive back Jayden Bradley picked off Madsen’s first interception of the year. Bradley returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, and suddenly the Broncos were down 39-28.
The quarterback situation changed almost immediately after that. On the third play of the next drive, Madsen connected with senior wide receiver Akeem Wright for 22 yards to midfield, then took a low hit after the throw.
He was helped off the field, went to the medical tent and later came out with an ice pack on his left knee and crutches. Senior quarterback Max Cutforth took over.
Cutforth wasted little time making an impact. He completed his first three passes, including a 24-yard throw to Wright that pushed Boise State into the red zone.
Then he dropped a screen to freshman receiver Rasean Jones, who had plenty of room to stroll into the end zone. The Broncos missed the two-point try, but they were back within 39-34.
The next swing came on a wild defensive snap that Boise State absolutely needed. Texas State tried to get cute with a lateral to Tucker Cusano, who was supposed to throw downfield, but Boen Phelps chased him down and forced a high, loose throw. Mana Tuioti snagged it for an interception and added a 15-yard return, even hurdling a defender on the way to the Texas State 11.
“The play they ran is the same play Oregon ran against us,” fifth-year corner Jaden Mickey said. “We were more prepared for it this time.”
Boise State still didn’t have the lead yet, but Cutforth kept pushing. After three straight plays gained nothing, Danielson stayed aggressive, and Cutforth fired a strike down the middle to a diving Jones at the back of the end zone for Jones’ third receiving touchdown of the day. Boise State missed another two-point attempt, but the Broncos were back on top 40-39.
Texas State answered right away. On the second play of its next drive, Jackson found Zechariah Sample on a slant that turned into a 72-yard touchdown.
It was one of six completions Jackson had of at least 15 yards and his third touchdown pass of at least 44 yards. The Bobcats missed the two-point conversion, but they led 45-40.
Cutforth and Jones weren’t finished. On the first play of Boise State’s next drive, Cutforth hit Jones for 44 yards, giving the receiver a game-high 117 yards.
After two incompletions, Cutforth went back to Wright for an 18-yard touchdown down the middle. The throw barely cleared a Texas State defender’s helmet and landed right in Wright’s chest.
Boise State missed the two-point try again, but the Broncos had the lead back at 46-45.
From there, Boise State finally closed the door. Texas State came up empty on its final drive, failing to pick up a first down, and Mickey broke up Jackson’s last throw to set off the celebration. Three straight rushes from junior running back Dylan Riley then gave the Broncos the one first down they needed, and Cutforth finished it off in victory formation after a 131-yard, three-touchdown performance.
“It was awesome,” Cutforth said. “Something about being in that huddle on the field, and it’s awesome just to tell these guys… we did it.”
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Boise State Just Sent A Strong Late-Season Message To The Pac-12
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The defensive side was just as important, with Texas State managing only two shots on goal in the second half and Ava de Leest picking up her 10th shutout of the season. Now the Broncos have one more regular-season test in front of them, and the stakes are simple: a win over Washington State would give Boise State a share of the Pac-12 regular season crown. [Read more 🡒]