Boise State walks into Saturday’s game at Washington State with a much healthier receiving room than the one it had for the Fresno State win, and that matters for a Broncos offense that was stretched thin two weeks ago.
The 21st-ranked Broncos had been without three of their top wideouts and seven players total in the 38-31 road victory at Fresno State on Oct. 10.
After a bye week, they’ll have leading receiver Rasean Jones, starter Cam Bates and reserve Darren Morris back in the mix for the 4 p.m. kickoff in Pullman. Boise State still won’t have starting left guard Carson Rasmussen or rotation receiver Ben Ford, and no other Broncos showed up with an injury designation in Saturday’s game-day player availability report.
Ford, who filled in when others were out and caught four passes for 45 yards at Valley Children’s Stadium, is dealing with an undisclosed injury. His background makes that absence notable: he has suffered three torn ACLs since high school.
With Jones, Bates and Morris available again, Boise State can return to the rotation-heavy approach head coach Spencer Danielson expects to use at receiver, including true freshman Terrious Favors.
“That’s been what our staff has been going through this week,” Danielson said. “We’re going to package everything and with some guys back, we’ve got to find a way to package it to get everybody out there. Some guys are going to get more, some guys are going to get less, that’s the nature of it.”
Jones has been Maddux Madsen’s go-to target this season, piling up 23 catches for 359 yards and two total touchdowns. Another name that has steadily grown into the mix is junior college transfer Akeem Wright, who has 11 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown.
Danielson made it clear the receiver competition is only getting tighter.
“Competition is through the roof, and that’s what we want at every position. But now especially in the receiver room, it’s through the roof,” Danielson said. “If you’ve done it in practice and you’ve done it consistently, you’re going to be given opportunities.”
Up front, Jason Steele is set to make his third straight start at left guard in place of Rasmussen, who is out with an undisclosed injury. Steele is a fourth-year junior and started nine games at left guard a season ago, but he lost the job in fall camp to Rasmussen and Stewart Taufa at center.
Danielson said Steele’s persistence has paid off.
“I am so proud of Jason Steele,” Danielson said. “Poured into his team, supported his team, continued to work his tail off, and now he’s a starter.
“When you continue to pound the rock and do what you’re supposed to, it works out. Sometimes not in the timing we want, that’s life.
But if you don’t give up, you reap the harvest. And Jason is reaping the harvest.”
In Other News...
Washington States Boise State Test May Come Down To Owen Eshelman
Washington States first conference win under Kirby Moore may hinge less on a single scheme wrinkle and more on how comfortably the Cougars let Owen Eshelman operate. Defensive end Mkristo Bruce laid out a blueprint built around longer drives, better time of possession and a steadier offense, with the idea that Washington State cant afford to keep giving Boise State extra chances if it wants to change its league start.
Bruce also pointed to Eshelmans mobility as a defining piece of the matchup, especially if the Cougars lean into zone reads and let the quarterbacks movement help the ground game. The question now is whether Washington State keeps that approach aggressive or reins it in after seeing what Eshelman can do, because the answer could shape not just the offenses rhythm but the teams best path to a much-needed breakthrough. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Homecoming Collapse Leaves A Brutal Reality To Face
Homecoming weekend had a chance to give Washington State a lift, but instead it turned into another harsh reminder of how far the Cougars have fallen this season. Playing Boise State on Oct. 24, Washington State stayed in the game for a while and had things level at 10-10 late before the Broncos pulled away for a 31-10 win.
For Kirby Moores team, the bigger blow was what the result meant in the standings, because the Cougars are now 1-7 and out of bowl contention. Moore said after the game that he was disappointed and stressed the need for improvement, a familiar message for a program still searching for something to build on as the season keeps slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Is In A Grind It Didnt Expect At Halftime
Boise State expected a comfortable evening at Gesa Field, but Washington State had other ideas in the first half. The Cougars answered an early Broncos touchdown from Sire Gaines with a long, methodical march that showed exactly why this matchup has felt more like a grind than a showcase, with Owen Eshelman settling into the offense and keeping drives alive when Washington State needed them most.
The drive that tied the game was as revealing as anything else on the scoreboard, stretching 73 yards over 16 plays before Kirby Vorhees finished it off in the end zone. Even after Boise State nudged back in front with a field goal before halftime, the Cougars had already made it clear they were willing to drag this game into a slower, more physical script and force the Broncos to earn every bit of separation. [Read more 🡒]