Boise State is the lone non-power-conference school ranked as Halloween arrives. The No. 20 Broncos will look for their seventh straight victory when they take on visiting Texas State on Saturday night in Pac-12 play in Boise.
Boise State (6-1, 3-0 Pac-12) is in the driver’s seat for a College Football Playoff spot as Texas State and its high-powered offense come to town.
The Bobcats (4-3, 2-1) rank 18th in scoring offense at 37.1 points per game. Broncos coach Spencer Danielson is wary of Texas State quarterback Brad Jackson, who has passed for 1,606 yards and 14 touchdowns against five interceptions and has added 382 yards and five scores on the ground.
“That quarterback is big-time,” Danielson said of Jackson. “He can make every throw. If everything is covered and he takes off, hold your stinkin’ breath, because he is explosive.”
Boise State hasn’t lost since dropping its season opener to Oregon 34-27. The Broncos have scored more than 30 points in each game of their winning streak.
That streak was in jeopardy last weekend before the Broncos scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to seal a 31-10 road victory over Washington State.
Dylan Riley, the national leader with 963 rushing yards, was having a quiet day before breaking touchdown runs of 33 and 72 yards in the final period. He finished with 128 yards on 13 carries.
“I knew eventually it was going to pop. I wasn’t frustrated,” Riley said of his fifth 100-yard outing of the season. “I just knew it was a matter of time, and it came when we really needed it.”
Texas State also has a top-flight rusher in Torrance Burgess Jr., who is fourth in the nation with 889 rushing yards.
The Bobcats have won four of their past five games as they make their first visit to the famed Blue Turf.
“Boise has kind of been the standard of this level of football for a really long time,” Texas State coach GJ Kinne said. “They have a really quality coaching staff, really good team, really good culture, the Blue Turf, all the things.”
One thing Danielson is making sure won’t derail his team is speculation about other schools that might be interested in hiring him.
The Baylor job opened over the weekend, and Danielson’s name was quickly mentioned as someone that the Big 12 school might pursue. He is 30-9 at Boise State.
Danielson said this week he has “zero interest” in other jobs.
“I am so committed to this team and what it is and that’s not coach speech, because I know everyone will say that and then two months later they take a job,” Danielson said. “I can’t be more upfront and honest.”
Kinne’s name also is being associated with the Baylor job. Kinne’s father, Gary Joe, was a linebacker (1986-89) and assistant coach (2006-07) for the Bears. He is 27-19 with three bowl victories in three-plus seasons at Texas State, including a 42-31 road win over Baylor in 2023.
“I love this place,” Kinne said Tuesday. “We’re working on Boise State. I promise I can’t think about anything else or we’ll get killed. I’m super happy here.”
Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen has yet to throw an interception in 189 attempts. He has passed for 1,445 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Boise State will unveil a statue of school legend Kellen Moore at halftime on Saturday. Moore was 50-3 as a starter from 2008-11. He is now head coach of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, who have a bye this weekend.
