Boise State’s trip to Eugene turned into a long, messy travel day, but the Broncos finally made it to their team hotel at 8:56 p.m. PT after several delays.
Their Sun Country charter tried to land in Eugene earlier in the afternoon, but the pilot aborted the approach because of rain on the runway. The airport’s longer runway is currently closed, leaving the shorter runway as the only option, and that made things tougher for a large 737 - especially with wet conditions.
According to someone on the plane, the pilot had already told passengers he would need to brake hard after landing because of the shorter runway. Jay Tust of Bronco Studios posted a video saying some staff had taken a bus to Eugene on Thursday and some equipment was sent ahead to help reduce the plane’s weight for the landing.
After the first attempt was scrubbed, the pilot circled and tried again, then elected to divert to Portland. The original idea was to refuel there and make another run at Eugene, but that plan changed. Instead, the team buses made the 2.5-hour trip from Eugene to Portland to pick up the Broncos.
With Friday afternoon traffic on I-5 during a holiday weekend, the drive back to Eugene took nearly three hours. The team didn’t reach the hotel until just before 9 p.m., nearly seven hours later than expected.
A team spokesman said the Broncos held their usual Friday evening meetings at the Portland airport while they waited for the buses. By 9:10 p.m., they were eating dinner at the hotel in Eugene.
It’s far from ideal with a 12:30 p.m. PT kickoff on Saturday, but the Broncos at least arrived safely.
In Other News...
Boise State Hijacked Oregons Tradition And Ducks Players Clearly Felt It
During Boise States game against Oregon, the Broncos added an extra layer of edge to a matchup already full of emotion by making a point of dancing to the Ducks longtime fourth-quarter song, Shout. Oregon has used the tune as a tradition since 2010, so seeing a visiting team turn it into its own sideline celebration was bound to get attention, especially in a game where the atmosphere already had a little bite.
Oregon players reacted in different ways, with some clearly taking it as disrespect and others viewing it as the kind of move a team uses to spark itself late in a game. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said the idea had been planned during fall camp as a way to keep the group joyful and focused in the fourth quarter, which only adds another layer to a moment that clearly landed with both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Helped Spark A New Oregon Secondary Debate
Davon Benjamins college debut came with a little more spotlight than most freshmen get. The Oregon cornerback got his first taste of game action against Boise State in the Ducks season opener and, even without a gaudy stat line, managed to make his presence felt on defense while playing a limited role.
Afterward, Dan Lanning pointed to Benjamins instincts, versatility and work ethic, all the kinds of traits that can quickly turn a young defensive back from promising newcomer into a real part of the conversation. A four-star recruit who drew attention during fall camp, Benjamin has already put enough on tape to make Oregons secondary look like a spot worth monitoring closely in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Exposed A Real Concern For No. 2 Oregon
Boise State walked into Eugene and left with a 34-27 loss, but it also left Oregon with a fair bit to clean up after a season-opening game that looked a lot tighter than the Ducks probably wanted. There were flashes of the upside that has made Oregon a national contender, including Dakorien Moores explosive 62-yard touchdown, yet the overall performance was uneven enough to make the margin feel more revealing than reassuring.
The bigger concern for Oregon was how often the offense stalled and how little disruption the defense created against a Boise State team that kept hanging around. With both coordinators replaced and several new faces along the offensive line, some early-season inconsistency was understandable, but it also showed up in the kinds of situations that usually decide games for a playoff-caliber team. The Ducks escaped with a win, though the opener suggested the road to smoother football may take longer than expected. [Read more 🡒]