Boise State’s offense has been doing enough to cover for a defense that keeps leaving the door open. That’s a dangerous tradeoff with Oregon State coming to Boise on Saturday, because the Beavers arrive with the nation’s top passing attack and a quarterback who has barely blinked all season.
No. 24 Boise State is 8-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play, but the last two weeks have exposed the same issue in different ways.
The Broncos beat Texas State 46-45 at home after giving up 42 second-half points, then turned around and won 64-38 at Colorado State while allowing 28 more after halftime. The scoreboard has stayed in Boise State’s favor, but Spencer Danielson knows that formula won’t hold forever.
“It’s obviously explosive plays and it’s consistency to do your job for four quarters,” he said. “If you look at every single play, there’s some really good snaps. ... if you take five or six plays away from Saturday night, you feel a whole lot better.
“But you can’t and those plays are out there. And we are now playing a top 10 offense. We’re playing the No. 1 ranked passing offense and we haven’t done good against it.”
The numbers tell the same story. Boise State ranks 136th of 138 FBS teams in yards per completion allowed at 14.2. The Broncos are also 129th in passing yards allowed at 265.8 and 127th in yards per play allowed at 6.5.
That would be a major concern against almost anyone. Against Oregon State, it looks like a full-blown test.
The Broncos, though, keep leaning on an offense that has been relentless. They average 39 points per game and convert third downs at a 53.5% clip.
Last week, backup quarterback Max Cutforth threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns, and Dylan Riley ripped off 192 rushing yards and two scores on only 19 carries. Riley leads the nation with 1,241 rushing yards.
Oregon State comes in at 5-4 and 3-2 after back-to-back losses, including a 42-21 home defeat to Texas State last week. The Beavers trailed 42-7 early in the fourth quarter before scoring twice late to make the final margin look a little less harsh.
If Oregon State is going to steal this one, it likely needs more than just Braden Atkinson and Jesse Legree lighting up the stat sheet. Legree has 61 catches for 1,209 yards and 14 touchdowns, numbers that would put him in Heisman-style territory at a Power 4 school. He leads the nation in receiving yards and is tied for the national lead in touchdown receptions.
Atkinson has been just as sharp. In 368 attempts, he has thrown for a national-best 3,169 yards with 25 touchdowns and only three interceptions. His rise from FCS Mercer to this level has been seamless.
Still, Oregon State’s defense has to hold up its end, and that’s where the Beavers have real work to do. Texas State rolled up 600 total yards against them, including 386 on the ground. That puts even more pressure on a Boise State rushing attack that already looks ready to attack.
JaMarcus Shephard said the Beavers are trying to sort through the problems before Saturday.
“We’re making some adjustments for this week and we’re going to do everything in our power,” said first-year coach JaMarcus Shephard. “We’re going to reach into our treasure trove of information and try to come up with the best game plan to slow down Boise the best we can.”
In Other News...
Boise States Defense Has A Bigger Problem Than Fans Wanted
Boise States defense has spent the last few games giving up too much after halftime, and the broader numbers are starting to reflect what fans have seen on the field. The Broncos are sitting near the bottom nationally in several defensive categories, a troubling development for a program that usually expects that side of the ball to travel well and keep games under control.
Spencer Danielson has acknowledged the issues and backed his players and staff, but the message has been clear that there has to be better execution soon. Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander has pointed to explosive plays as a major problem, and while he remains confident the group can improve, the Broncos are now facing a stretch where fixing those breakdowns is no longer optional. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States Biggest Home Game Comes With One Huge Complication
Boise States upcoming trip to Albertsons Stadium carries more than the usual late-season weight. A win over Oregon State would put the Broncos in position to secure hosting rights for the first Pac-12 championship game since the conferences revival, turning what already looks like a major home date into one with real league implications.
The challenge is simple to describe and harder to solve. Oregon State arrives at 5-4, but the Beavers still bring one of the more dangerous passing attacks in the country, with national leaders in both passing and receiving yards, while Boise State is expected to get quarterback Maddux Madsen back from injury. The game will be on USA Sports and local radio, with the Broncos trying to handle a tough matchup and keep the path to a title game at home within reach. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Is About To Test An Oregon State Defense In Flux
Oregon State is trying to steady itself after a rough loss to Texas State, and Jamarcus Shephard spent part of the week acknowledging the places where things have slipped. The run defense was a clear concern, and the Beavers are also dealing with the absence of safety Sai Vadrawale because of injury as they turn the page toward a Pac-12 matchup with Boise State.
For Boise State, that creates a familiar kind of opportunity, one built around a ground game that has already shown it can stress a defense. The Broncos will bring a strong group of running backs into the matchup, including Dylan Riley, and Oregon States response will say plenty about how quickly it can adjust after a shaky showing and how much stability it can find on the back end without Vadrawale. [Read more 🡒]