Boise State’s Sept. 12 home opener is doing more than welcoming Memphis to Albertsons Stadium. It’s bringing the Blue Turf’s 40th anniversary into the spotlight, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. MT and a stage built for a program that has turned its home field into one of the sport’s signature sights.
The Broncos will wear custom, hand-painted anniversary helmets designed by artist Armando Villarreal, and the game will also unveil the seventh version of the blue turf. This one comes with special orange sideline hash marks on the 2 and 11-yard lines to honor Bronco legends Ashton Jeanty and Kellen Moore.
Saturday’s matchup is the second time Boise State and Memphis have met. Memphis took the first one, 35-32, on Sept.
30, 2023. Boise State has never hosted the Tigers before, though the teams are set to see each other twice more in the future: Aug. 31, 2030 in Memphis and Sept. 13, 2031 back in the Treasure Valley.
For Boise State, the opener also carries the weight of some familiar home-field numbers. Since joining the FBS in 1996, the Broncos are 27-3 in home openers. At Albertsons Stadium since 2000, they’ve won 147 of 164 games, an 89.6% home winning percentage that ranks third nationally over that stretch.
This will be Boise State’s first home game as a Pac-12 member. The Broncos arrive after closing their Mountain West run with three straight conference titles, joining 10 FBS teams that have won three consecutive conference championship games.
The Blue itself has long been part of the program’s identity. Installed in 1986, the non-green turf has seen Boise State go 218-46 on the surface. Since 2000, that 89.6% winning percentage on The Blue trails only Ohio State’s 90.2% and Oklahoma’s 90.1%.
Boise State’s last home defeat came in 2025 against Fresno State, ending a 16-game home winning streak that had matched Alabama for the longest active run in the country at the time. It was the Broncos’ first loss on The Blue since Sept. 9, 2023 against UCF. Spencer Danielson also absorbed his first home loss in that game and now stands 14-1 at Albertsons Stadium.
The opener against Oregon also gave Boise State plenty to build on individually. Quarterback Maddux Madsen threw for 181 yards and three touchdowns, giving him his seventh career game with at least three passing scores.
Six of those outings came without an interception. He now has 15 career games with multiple passing touchdowns and 22 with multiple total touchdowns.
Madsen also became the second non-Power 4 quarterback since 1995 to go on the road and throw at least three touchdowns with no interceptions against an AP top-five team.
Freshman receiver Rasean Jones wasted no time making a first impression. In his debut, he caught four passes for 76 yards, becoming the ninth Boise State freshman in the program’s FBS era to post at least four receptions and 75 yards, and the first since Nov.
29, 2014. He’s the only one of those nine to do it in his college debut.
Jones also became the first freshman wide receiver from a non-Power 4 program to post 75 or more receiving yards against a top-five AP opponent since South Florida’s Jimmy Horn did it against Cincinnati on Nov. 12, 2021.
Other opening-week highlights included tight end Matt Wagner’s second career touchdown, a 7-yard catch on fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter against Oregon. Sophomore EDGE Bol Bol had Boise State’s lone sack and added a career-high four tackles.
In the secondary, the Broncos’ defensive backs combined for four tackles for loss, with Jaden Mickey leading the way at 1.5. Junior defensive back Travis Anderson, making his first career start, piled up a game-high 11 tackles, including six solo, after entering the game with seven career tackles.
Through one week, he is tied for the Pac-12 lead in total tackles and solo tackles per game.
In Other News...
Boise State Fans Will Notice A Very Different Albertsons Stadium Saturday
Boise State is back at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday, and the game against Memphis will come with a look and feel that regulars will notice right away. The biggest change is the new North End Zone facility, which adds premium seating and connected concourses, part of a broader push to improve both the fan experience and the way the stadium functions on game day.
Fans also will run into updated entry procedures, a new chair back policy and more food options in different spots around the building. Even the field has a different appearance, with the familiar blue turf giving way to new logos and markings, a sign that this return home is about more than just another football Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Punter Gives Broncos Fans A Reason To Cheer Beyond Football
Boise State punter Oscar Doyle is giving Broncos fans a different kind of reason to keep an eye on special teams next fall. During a visit to St. Lukes Childrens Hospital, Doyle announced that he will donate $50 to the hospital for every punt he lands inside the 20-yard line during the 2026 football season, turning one of the quietest plays in the game into a meaningful way to help children facing medical challenges.
The initiative carries personal weight for Doyle, who said it was inspired by his cousins battles with serious illnesses. He was already effective pinning opponents deep last season, when he landed 17 punts inside the 20, a pace that would mean an $850 contribution if repeated. For Boise State, it is a reminder that impact can come in more than one form, and in Doyles case, every well-placed kick could help well beyond the field. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State May Have Found A New Weapon At Tight End
Boise State went looking for stability at tight end after Matt Lauters graduation, and Matt Wagner has quickly given the offense a reason to feel better about the transition. He emerged as the primary starter and even tied for the team lead in catches in the recent game against Oregon, a sign that his role is growing well beyond the typical in-line duties of the position.
What has coaches encouraged most is the way Wagner has developed on both sides of the assignment, handling himself as a blocker while also becoming a more dependable pass catcher. The Broncos expect him to hold the starting tight end spot for the next two seasons, which gives this offense a potential mismatch weapon it can build around as the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]