Featuring Boise State: MWC Title Hopes, CFP Aspirations

Dec 2, 20244 min read

One of the top teams in the nation, the No. 10 Boise State Broncos (11-1, 7-0 Mountain West Conference) have won 10 consecutive games. Their only loss was in Week 2, when the best team in the country, the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten Conference) narrowly defeated them 37-34 in Eugene, Ore. in a contest in which the Broncos held a fourth-quarter lead. Boise State now stands on the precipice of a conference championship and not only a berth in the College Football Playoff but a top seed and first-round bye.

How did BSU get here, and what does the future hold in store for the well-coached, balanced team that plays in the Idaho state capital?

Broncos' Brilliant Season

In head coach Spencer Danielson's first full season at the helm, Boise State has been dominant, outscoring opponents by an average of 40.58 to 23.17 points per game and outgaining them by an average of more than 200 yards per game. The team's offense has been proportionate, with 3,042 yards gained in the running game and 2,697 through the air. Most of the Broncos' touchdowns have come on the ground, with 40 rushing TDs. By contrast, their opponents have scored only 13 rushing TDs.

As all college football fans know, Boise State's star is All-American running back Ashton Jeanty, one of the two frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy, who has already rushed for 2,288 yards and 28 TDs. He leads the nation in all major rushing categories and is chasing the all-time single-season rushing record established in 1988 by the legendary Barry Sanders.

However, the success of the Broncos is not due to Jeanty alone. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Maddux Madsen has performed at an elite level. The 5-foot-10 signal-caller surprised everyone by beating out consensus five-star recruit and USC Trojans transfer Malachai Nelson. Madsen has completed 61.68 percent of his passes, throwing for 21 TDs and only 3 interceptions. His favorite target has been 6-foot-3 wide receiver Cameron Camper, who transferred to Boise State from Indiana and has reeled in 51 receptions for 811 yards and 4 TDs.

While BSU, like most teams, has dealt with injuries along its offensive line, two of the men in the trenches have played in all 12 games this year—left guard Ben Dooley and left tackle Kage Casey. As reported by the Idaho Statesman, "[t]he left side of the offensive line remaining healthy has been crucial for the Broncos to keep playing how they want—with the ball in ... Jeanty’s hands." Injured starting center Mason Randolph and right guard Roger Carreon, both of whom were injured early in the season, are on the mend and close to returning. If they are able to return, then the postseason prospects of the Broncos will be enhanced.

Boise State's defense has excelled all year at getting into its opponents' backfields and making plays, as reflected by a particularly eye-opening statistic: In 93 tackles for loss, the Broncos' defense has moved adversaries back a total of 422 yards. By contrast, foes have only pushed the BSU offense back 134 yards on 45 TFLs. Furthermore, defensive linemen Jayden Virgin-Morgan and Ahmed Hassanein have consistently pressured opposing QBs with 9 and 8.5 sacks, respectively. Hassanein was named a first-team All-MWC player last season.

The Broncos have left little doubt that they are the premiere team in the Group of 5, capable of competing with the most elite teams in the Power Four conferences.

Boise State's Future

Major events are upcoming for Boise State in December. In rapid succession, the Broncos will face off against No. 20 UNLV (10-2, 6-1) in the MWC championship game, then turn their eyes to New York City for the Heisman Trophy presentation, hoping Jeanty will become the first-ever Boise State player to take home college football's most coveted award. After that comes the CFP, in which BSU will likely participate regardless of the outcome of its conference championship game.

First up is the contest for the league title, with a scheduled Friday evening kick-off at 8:00 p.m. EST on Dec. 6 on the blue turf at Boise, Idaho. The Broncos are favored by 4.5 points.

Three days later, on Dec. 9, the Heisman Trophy will be awarded. By most accounts, the race for the 2024 Heisman is between only two players, Jeanty and Colorado's two-way phenom, Travis Hunter.

Finally, the college football season will conclude with the CFP. The first-ever 12-team NCAA football playoff will take place between Dec. 20 and Jan. 20, 2025. If the Broncos beat UNLV in the conference championship game, then they will likely receive a first-round bye in the CFP. Each of the top four seeds receives byes in the first round. Because Boise State is ranked higher than all teams from the Big 12 Conference, it is on track to secure a top-four seed. Heading into conference championship week, the top 4 CFP seeds are projected to be allocated as follows: