Boise State’s defense looks fine on the surface. Dig a little deeper, though, and the warning lights start flashing.
The No. 23 Broncos are 5-1 and 2-0 in the Pac-12, and their headline numbers still stack up pretty well at the halfway point of the 2026 season.
They rank third in the league in scoring defense at 22.3 points allowed per game and fourth in total defense at 368.2 yards allowed. Against the run, Boise State sits first in the Pac-12 at 106.8 yards allowed per game, and its pass defense ranks fifth at 261.3.
But the underlying story is much less comforting, especially with three high-octane offenses looming later in the year.
Explosive plays have been the Broncos’ biggest problem, and the numbers are ugly. Boise State is 129th out of 138 FBS teams in allowing gains of 20 or more yards, with 31 given up.
It is 134th in 30-plus-yard plays allowed with 18, and dead last in both 40-plus-yard plays allowed (15) and 50-plus-yard plays allowed (nine). The Broncos have also been hit with 10 pass interference penalties.
That damage has shown up everywhere. Boise State is giving up 14.8 yards per completion, the second-worst figure in the country.
Its run defense is also sitting below average at 4.5 yards allowed per carry, tied for 86th nationally. Overall, the Broncos are allowing 6.8 yards per play, which ranks tied for 130th in the nation.
In the Pac-12, only Colorado State is worse at 7.9.
The reason the overall defensive numbers still look respectable is simple: Boise State’s offense keeps the ball. The Broncos are averaging 36 minutes, 8 seconds of possession per game, which ranks No. 1 nationally. Texas State at 32:31 and Oregon State at 32:29 are the only other teams mentioned that are even in the top 25 in time of possession.
That ball-control approach will matter a lot when Boise State runs into Colorado State, Oregon State and Texas State, three of the most explosive offenses in FBS.
Oregon State is the scariest matchup of the group. The Beavers have the nation’s leading passer and receiver, rank tied for 10th in the country in scoring offense at 41.8 points per game, and are averaging 7.1 yards per play, tied for fourth nationally with Georgia, Miami and Ohio State.
They are not just an offensive problem, either. Oregon State also has the most reliable defense in that group, leading the Pac-12 with 326.3 yards allowed per game. The Beavers are giving up 4.0 yards per carry, tied for 51st nationally, and 5.0 yards per play, tied for 37th.
That makes the matchup a rough one on paper for a Boise State defense that has real issues to clean up during the bye week.
The Broncos and Beavers are set to meet at Albertsons Stadium on Nov. 14.
In Other News...
Boise State Has A New Milk Can Controversy Fans Will Hate
Boise States rivalry keeps finding new ways to get under fans skin, and this one is a doozy. After Fresno States 2023 win, the Bulldogs had a new Milk Can made, replacing the original trophy that had tracked the history of football victories between the two schools for years. The old version, complete with all of the previous plaques, stayed in Fresno, while the updated one is the trophy Boise State now gets back.
What makes the switch sting for Broncos fans is simple: the new Milk Can does not tell the full story anymore. Boise State and Fresno State have both confirmed the change, and Boise State is aware that some of the older plaques are missing from the version in circulation now. For a rivalry that already carries plenty of pride, even the trophy itself has become part of the argument. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Has A Real Pac-12 Edge Fans Need To See
Boise State has spent the early part of the season looking like more than just another name in the rebuilt Pac-12 picture. At 5-1, the Broncos sit well in the mix alongside Oregon State, with both programs showing up near the top of the league in the numbers that tend to matter most. Boise State holds the edge in ESPNs FPI and SP+ rankings, while Oregon State has made its case with the conferences best scoring offense and total defense.
The race should only sharpen over the next stretch, starting with Oregon State hosting Washington State and Fresno State heading to San Diego State. For Boise State, the path gets even more interesting soon enough, and the matchup that may tell the most about where this league is headed is still waiting down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Has Another Running Back Fans Need To Start Talking About
Dylan Riley has gone from a familiar name in Boise States backfield to one of the biggest reasons the Broncos have surged into a five-game winning streak. The junior running back has steadily carved out a larger role since arriving at Boise State, and his production has matched the expanded workload as he keeps powering an offense that has leaned on him more and more this fall.
What makes Rileys rise stand out is the path he took to get here. He spent time behind Ashton Jeanty, last years national rushing leader, and now he has emerged as the next homegrown runner drawing attention around the program. Teammates and coaches have praised both his play and his work ethic, and the bigger question now is how far this breakout can carry Boise State as the season keeps unfolding. [Read more 🡒]