Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction Boise State will look to continue their hot streak with a victory over UCLA. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for. Follow @MWCwire Will the Broncos leave the …

Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


Boise State will look to continue their hot streak with a victory over UCLA.  Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.


Follow @MWCwire

Will the Broncos leave the City of Angels with their second straight bowl win?

STARCO BRANDS LA BOWL Hosted by Gronk: UCLA Bruins (7-5, 4-5 PAC-12) vs. Boise State Broncos (8-5, 6-2 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, December 16 — 4:30 PM PT/5:30 PM MT

WHERE: SoFi Stadium; Inglewood, CA

WEATHER: Partly cloudy, high of 77 degrees

TV: ABC

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes ESPN, by following this link.

RADIO: The UCLA broadcast can be found on the UCLA Sports Network or in the local LA area on 570 AM (LA Sports). The Boise State broadcast can be found in the Treasure Valley on the Bronco Radio Network on 670 AM (KBOI) or 93.1 FM (KBOI).

SERIES RECORD: UCLA leads the all-time series 1-0. In the last and only meeting in 1999, UCLA won 38-7 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. 

LAST GAME: UCLA lost to Cal 33-7, while Boise State beat UNLV 44-20 in the MWC Championship game.

WEBSITES: UCLABruins.com, the official UCLA athletics website. 

BroncoSports.com, the official Boise State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): UCLABoise State

ODDS: UCLA -2.5

SP+ PROJECTION: UCLA by 0.5

FEI PROJECTION: UCLA by 1.0

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: UCLA 80.46% win probability (31.93-20.55)

The second Mountain West game of the opening weekend of bowl games pairs the UCLA Bruins against the Boise State Broncos in Los Angeles Saturday evening. 

The Broncos have the opportunity to end the Bruins era in the PAC-12 with a loss and accomplish their final remaining season goal of winning a bowl game. This won’t be an easy task as UCLA is a talented team playing a virtual home game as SoFi Stadium is actually closer to campus than Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. 

Here’s how newly promoted head coach Spencer Danielson and the Broncos can get it done on Saturday. 

THREE KEYS TO A BOISE STATE VICTORY

  1. Get ahead of the chains with an effective run game.

Boise State got great news recently with star RB Ashton Jeanty announcing he will return to The Blue for another year on December 5th. Jeanty and fellow RB George Holani have teamed up to form one of the most effective backfield tandems in the FBS combining for nearly 2,600 yards from scrimmage and 24 touchdowns. In the MWC Championship game, the Broncos ran the ball 51 times for 301 yards, good for 5.9 yards per carry, and 3 touchdowns. The offensive line and offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan also had one of their best outings of the year.  

Two major challenges stand in the way of the Broncos accomplishing this key. The first being the departure of dual threat QB Taylen Green who recently entered the transfer portal and announced his commitment to Arkansas. The second being the fact that they are facing the 3rd ranked rushing defense in the FBS, albeit it not quite as complete personnel-wise as it was throughout the regular season.  

  1. Reduce the pressure on CJ Tiller 

Head Coach Spencer Danielson announced true freshman QB CJ Tiller will get the start under center with the departure of Taylen Green. Tiller has played just two snaps thus far in his college career and has zero pass attempts. Bush Hamdan’s gameplan will be paramount in allowing CJ to get comfortable in his elevated role. 

The Broncos’ stout run game outlined above will be key to getting Tiller off to a good start. Expect the talented freshman to utilize play action to slow down the pass rush from the Bruins and allow him time to process his reads and hit targets downfield. The recent announcement by UCLA star LB Laiatu Latu that he will forgo the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft should certainly help the true freshman feel more secure in the pocket on Saturday.    

  1. Contain UCLA’s athleticism 

It may be a tiresome narrative, but the Bruins have excellent athleticism as you would expect from a P5 program, despite their 7-5 record. Both contests against P5 competition this season showed that even with their high-level Mountain West recruiting, there is still a gap between the Broncos and P5 talent at some positions. Some of the issues likely arose from young players on the defense learning on the job and thus not feeling confident enough to play fast and free. It can also be reasoned that their contest against the University of Washington could be thrown out, as they have shown themselves to be above the rest of the FBS in ability, as they are slated to take on Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal.  

Boise State defensive backs have been especially susceptible to athletic wide receivers running vertical routes. While the safeties and corners have shown marked improvement over the course of the season, they still seem to have a play or two per game where they allow a receiver behind them. While the Bruins don’t have the most prolific passing attack, they will undoubtedly take shots deep to test this secondary.

Prediction

While the Broncos have seemingly made countless trips to Vegas for the Last Vegas Bowl, the previous bowl destination for the MWC Champion, this is their first trip to the new the LA Bowl. Look for head coach Spencer Danielson to once again inspire the team to play for their seniors and do just enough to leave LA with a victory, behind a solid ground game and a sound defensive effort complete with a couple turnovers. 

UCLA 24, Boise State 30

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Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction

The Mountain West will look to win its third straight LA Bowl as Boise State takes on UCLA. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.

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Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk: Game Preview, How To Watch, Odds, Prediction


The Mountain West will look to win its third straight LA Bowl as Boise State takes on UCLA. Here’s how to watch and what to watch for.


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Will the Broncos leave the City of Angels with their second straight bowl win?

STARCO BRANDS LA BOWL HOSTED BY GRONK: UCLA Bruins (7-5, 4-5 Pac-12) vs. Boise State Broncos (8-5, 6-2 Mountain West)

WHEN: Saturday, December 16 — 4:30 PM PT/5:30 PM MT

WHERE: SoFi Stadium; Inglewood, CA

WEATHER: Mostly sunny, high of 76 degrees (note: game indoors)

TV: ABC

STREAMING: Fans can sign up to receive a free one-week trial of Fubo, which includes ABC, by following this link.

RADIO: The UCLA broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the UCLA Sports Network, including flagship 570 AM (KLAC) in Los Angeles. The Boise State broadcast can be found on the affiliates of the Bronco Radio Network, including flagship KBOI (670 AM and 93.1 FM) in Boise.

SERIES RECORD: UCLA leads the all-time series, 1-0. In the lone previous meeting on September 4, 1999, the Bruins defeated the Broncos, 38-7, in Pasadena.

LAST GAME: Boise State defeated UNLV on the road in the Mountain West football championship game, 44-20, while UCLA lost to Cal at home, 33-7.

WEBSITES: UCLABruins.com, the official UCLA athletics website | BroncoSports.com, the official Boise State athletics website

GAME NOTES (PDF): UCLA | Boise State

ODDS: UCLA -4

SP+ PROJECTION: UCLA by 0.5

FEI PROJECTION: UCLA by 1.0

PARKER FLEMING PROJECTION: UCLA 80.46% win probability (31.93-20.55)

The second Mountain West game of the opening weekend of bowl games pairs the UCLA Bruins against the Boise State Broncos in Los Angeles on Saturday evening.

The Broncos have the opportunity to end the Bruins era in the PAC-12 with a loss and accomplish their final remaining season goal of winning a bowl game. This won’t be an easy task as UCLA is a talented team playing a virtual home game as SoFi Stadium is actually closer to campus than Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.

Here’s how newly promoted head coach Spencer Danielson and the Broncos can get it done on Saturday against UCLA, as well as how the Bruins can handle business against Boise State.

[lawrence-related id=58361]

Three Keys to a UCLA Victory

1. Make sure the Murphy twins introduce themselves (rudely) to Boise State’s new quarterback.

Though star defensive end Laiatu Latu won’t take the field in the game, the Bruins have plenty of defenders who should be in a position to test Boise State freshman CJ Tiller, one of the team’s top 2023 recruits and the likely starter at quarterback for the bowl. After all, this is still a front seven that generated a 14.6% havoc rate in the regular season.

Chief among the remaining cohort are the Murphys, Grayson and Gabriel, who have combined for 11 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss, and (per PFF) 63 quarterback hurries. How often they can get the upper hand against Broncos offensive tackles Kage Casey and Cade Beresford, who have given up 36 combined hurries but just four sacks, will be a critical factor for the Bruins.

2. Don’t waste red zone trips.

UCLA has often betrayed themselves inside the opponents’ 20-yard line this fall, ending the regular season by converting just 61.8% of their 55 red zone opportunities into points, the worst rate in the country. That problem has been magnified throughout the team’s recent slide, too, because the Bruins scored only seven touchdowns on 19 red zone tries in November.

As Action Network’s Brett McMurphy recently noted, Boise State has scored at least 30 points in ten of their last 11 games, so UCLA cannot afford to let chances fall by the wayside.

3. Re-establish the running game.

While the running back duo of Carson Steele and T.J. Harden both averaged over five yards per carry throughout the regular season, both have experienced a dip in production in recent weeks: Steele managed just 4.02 YPC in November while Harden’s 5.33 YPC average in that stretch is buoyed by a big performance in the team’s win over USC.

Turning that around against a Broncos defense that shut down some of the Mountain West’s most potent running games in the second half could be easier said than done, but UCLA probably can’t afford to put the game entirely in the hands of quarterback Ethan Garbers. Boise State hasn’t often been beaten in the trenches this fall, but they have given up an average of 4.79 YPC in their five losses (compared to 3.38 in eight wins).

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Three Keys to a Boise State Victory

1. Get ahead of the chains with an effective run game.

Boise State got great news recently when star running back Ashton Jeanty announced he will return to The Blue for another year. Jeanty and fellow back George Holani have teamed up to form one of the most effective backfield tandems in the FBS, combining for nearly 2,600 yards from scrimmage and 24 touchdowns. In the Mountain West championship game, the Broncos ran the ball 51 times for 301 yards, good for 5.9 yards per carry, and three touchdowns. The offensive line and offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan also had one of their best outings of the year.

Two major challenges stand in the way of the Broncos accomplishing this key. The first is the departure of dual-threat quarterback Taylen Green who recently entered the transfer portal and announced his commitment to Arkansas. The second is the fact that they are facing the third-ranked rushing defense in the FBS, though it is not quite as complete personnel-wise as it was throughout the regular season.

2. Reduce the pressure on CJ Tiller.

Head coach Spencer Danielson announced true freshman quarterback CJ Tiller will get the start under center with Green’s departure. Tiller has played just two snaps thus far in his college career and has zero pass attempts. Hamdan’s gameplan will be paramount in allowing CJ to get comfortable in his elevated role.

The Broncos’ stout run game outlined above will be key to getting Tiller off to a good start. Expect the talented freshman to utilize play action to slow down the Bruins’ pass rush and allow him time to process his reads and hit targets downfield. The recent announcement by UCLA star defender Laiatu Latu that he will forgo the bowl game to prepare for the NFL Draft should certainly help the true freshman feel more secure in the pocket on Saturday.

3. Contain UCLA’s athleticism.

It may be a tiresome narrative, but the Bruins have excellent athleticism, as you would expect from a P5 program despite their 7-5 record. Both contests against Power 5 competition this season showed that even with their high-level Mountain West recruiting, there is still a gap between the Broncos and P5 talent at some positions. Some of the issues likely arose from young players on the defense learning on the job and thus not feeling confident enough to play fast and free. It can also be reasoned that their contest against the University of Washington could be thrown out, as they have shown themselves to be above the rest of the FBS in ability, as they are slated to take on Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal.

Boise State defensive backs have been especially susceptible to athletic wide receivers running vertical routes. While the safeties and corners have shown marked improvement throughout the season, they still seem to have a play or two per game where they allow a receiver behind them. While the Bruins don’t have the most prolific passing attack, they will undoubtedly take shots deep to test this secondary.

Prediction

While the Broncos have made seemingly countless trips to the desert for the Las Vegas Bowl, the previous bowl destination for the Mountain West champion, this is their first trip to the relatively new LA Bowl. Look for Danielson to once again inspire the team to play for their seniors and do just enough to leave Los Angeles with a victory, behind a solid ground game and a sound defensive effort complete with a couple of turnovers.

Boise State 30, UCLA 24

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out And Transfer Tracker

The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?

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Mountain West Football: 2023 Bowl Season Opt-Out and Transfer Tracker


The transfer portal is open. NFL Draft prep looms. Business decisions are made. Which players will sit out the Mountain West’s bowl games?


Contact/Follow @MWCwire

Not all the stars will be out in December.

December marks perhaps the busiest time of college football season. Between the upcoming slate of bowl games, the official opening of the transfer portal, and buzz surrounding the game’s brightest stars and their standing in next year’s NFL Draft, players have plenty on their minds when deciding how to finish their season.

Not everyone will choose to stay on the field, though. Check back here throughout the month as we watch which athletes opt out of bowl season, both among the Mountain West’s seven bowl teams and their opponents.

Note: Significant contributors among opponents will be noted in italics.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl

Air Force

  • Aidan Behymer, TE
  • Caden Blum, DL
  • Mason Carlan, OL
  • John Lee Eldridge III, RB
  • Jonah Jensen, QB
  • Brady Phillips, DL
  • Caleb Rillos, TE
  • Jarius Stewart, QB
  • Anthony Wenson, WR

James Madison

  • Brent Austin, DB
  • Kaelon Black, RB — team-high 594 rushing yards, 23 catches, 220 receiving yards in 2023
  • James Carpenter, DL — FCS Freshman All-American in 2021; two-time all-Sun Belt
  • Aiden Fisher, LB — third-team all-Sun Belt, 91 tackles, seven passes defended, six tackles for loss in 2023
  • Desmond Green, WR
  • Zach Horton, TE — first-team all-Sun Belt, 26 catches, 266 yards, six touchdowns in 2023
  • Taurus Jones, LB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 82 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss in 2022
  • Mikail Kamara, DL — second-team all-Sun Belt, 18.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks in 2023
  • Wayne Knight, RB
  • Ty Son Lawton, RB — 742 all-purpose yards, six total touchdowns in 2023
  • Chauncey Logan, DB — 42 tackles, four tackles for loss, six passes defended in 2023
  • Carter Miller, OL — redshirt freshman, nine starts, 639 snaps at left guard in 2023
  • Abi Nwabuoku-Okonji, DL
  • Tyler Stephens, OL — 30 career starts; four starts each at left guard, right tackle, left tackle in 2023
  • Jailin Walker, LB — 30 career starts; 55 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, four passes defended in 2023
  • Tyshawn Wyatt, OL

Starco Brands LA Bowl, Hosted By Gronk

Boise State 

  • Taylen Green, QB
  • Eric McAlister, WR
  • Keenan McCaddy, DB
  • Kivon Wright, DL

UCLA

  • Kam Brown, WR
  • Keegan Jones, WR
  • Laiatu Latu, DL — Ted Hendricks Award winner, Lombardi Award winner, Pac-12 defensive player of the year in 2023
  • Dante Moore, QB — five-star true freshman, five starts in 2023
  • William Nimmo Jr., DB
  • Kamari Ramsey, DB — redshirt freshman safety, 11 starts in 2023
  • Carsen Ryan, TE
  • Jake Wiley, OL

Isleta New Mexico Bowl

Fresno State

  • Tanner Blount, LB
  • Logan Fife, QB
  • Chrishawn Gordon, DB
  • Abraham Montaño, K
  • Hayden Pulis, OL
  • Raymond Scott, LB

New Mexico State

  • Reggie Akles, WR
  • Ta’ir Brooks, WR
  • Jamari Buddin, LB
  • Tyler Devera, TE
  • Trent Hudson, WR — 36 catches, 571 yards, team-high ten touchdowns in 2023
  • PJ Johnson, WR
  • Malachi McLean, DB
  • Jordin Parker, WR
  • Tyriece Thomas, DL

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

San Jose State

  • Branden Alvarez, WR
  • Fernando Carmona Jr., OL
  • Blake Davis, DB
  • Charlie Leota, DL
  • Anthony Madrigal, OL
  • Dominick Mazotti, TE
  • Elijah Wood, LB

Coastal Carolina

  • CJ Beasley, RB — team-high 717 rushing yards in 2022; 262 rushing yards, two touchdowns in 2023
  • Mason Bowers, OL
  • Jahmar Brown, DB
  • Jared Brown, WR — 2022 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year; 108 career receptions, 1,534 career receiving yards, 11 career touchdowns
  • Bailey Carraway, LB
  • Evan Crenshaw, P — sophomore; 83 career punts, 39.7 career yards per punt
  • Aaron Diggs, DB
  • Jarrett Guest, QB — two starts in 2023 following injury to Grayson McCall
  • Eli Hillman, DB
  • Kaleb Hutchinson, DB
  • Tavyn Jackson, DB
  • JT Killen, LB — 25 career starts; 65 tackles, three tackles for loss in 2023
  • Derrick Maxey, DB
  • Grayson McCall, QB — three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year
  • Tyson Mobley, WR
  • Tre Pinkney, LB
  • Jacob Proche, DB
  • Chris Rhone, WR
  • Braylon Ryan, DL — 38 career games, 21 career starts; 24 tackles, two tackles for loss in 2023
  • Laurence Sullivan, DB
  • Bryson Summers, OL
  • Dami’on Thompson, WR
  • Donnell Wilson, OL

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

UNLV

  • Jordan Jakes, WR
  • Jordyn Morgan, DB

Kansas

  • Will Huggins, TE
  • Reece Thomas, WR

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Utah State

  • William Testa, K
  • Josh Williams, LB

Georgia State

  • KZ Adams, RB
  • Rico Arnold, WR
  • Bryquice Brown, DB — 42 career games; 35 tackles, six passes defended in nine games
  • Marcus Carroll, RB — first-team all-Sun Belt, 1,350 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns
  • Montavious Cunningham, OL — redshirt sophomore, 15 career starts, 737 snaps at right tackle in 2023
  • Jaquon Dixon, RB
  • Cameron Dye, OL
  • Evan Graham, LB
  • JayT Jackson, DB
  • Jordan Jones, LB
  • Robert Lewis, WR — led team with 70 catches, 877 yards, five receiving touchdowns
  • Tony McCray, DB
  • Jalen Tate, DB

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Wyoming

  • DQ James, RB
  • Kolbey Taylor, DB

Toledo

  • Dequan Finn, QB — three-time all-MAC, 2023 MAC Vern Smith Leadership Award winner (conference MVP)
  • Jaret Frantz, WR
  • Micah Kelly, RB
  • Brad Ling, K
  • Vinny Sciury, OL — first-team all-MAC in 2023, 836 snaps at left guard
  • Ty Thomas, DL

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LA Bowl: First Look At The UCLA Bruins

Fresh off of winning the Mountain West, Boise State will face a Bruins team in transition to close out the 2023 season.

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LA Bowl: First Look At The UCLA Bruins


Fresh off of winning the Mountain West, Boise State will face a Bruins team in transition to close out the 2023 season.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS and @MWCwire

Which Bruins team will show up at SoFi?

After clinching the program’s fourth outright Mountain West football championship, the Boise State Broncos will conclude their year in southern California against the UCLA Bruins in the Starco Brands LA Bowl.

Where the Broncos rallied and have positioned themselves to end 2023 on a high note, the Bruins will defend what is essentially their home turf while mired in uncertainty. With an imminent move to the Big Ten, a head coach under fire, a highly-touted quarterback lost to the transfer portal, and a coordinator to replace, the drama surrounding UCLA at the moment might be as Hollywood as it gets in college football.

Here’s what Boise State fans need to know about their bowl game opponent.

2023 UCLA Bruins — Team Profile

Conference: Pac-12

2023 Record: 7-5 (4-5 Pac-12)

SP+ ranking: 38th

FEI ranking: 39th

Sagarin rating: 28th

Head coach: Chip Kelly (6th year at UCLA, 10th year overall; 34-34 with Bruins, 80-41 overall)

2023 in a nutshell: Following 2022, the program’s most successful year in almost a decade, Kelly’s Bruins found it harder to create a sufficient encore than expected this fall. UCLA started the year 4-1, only dropping a one-score decision on the road to Utah, but the highly-regarded offense never found consistency and scored more than 24 points just three times in its last seven games.

Though the Bruins did manage to take down cross-town rival USC in November, UCLA finished the regular season by losing three of its last four games, including home defeats to Arizona State and Cal. While the LA Bowl represents the program’s first appearance in back-to-back bowls since a five-year streak from 2011 to 2015, Kelly’s seeming job security hasn’t come without consternation.

Best wins: at USC (7-5), vs. Coastal Carolina (7-5), vs. Washington State (5-7)

Key Players

Laiatu Latu, LB

If you’re compiling a short list of the best players in college football, you have to include Latu after the year he’s had. Not only does he own the top overall Pro Football Focus grade of any defender in the country, 95.5, PFF also credits him with 36 quarterback hurries (tied for sixth) to go along with the 13 sacks (tied for fourth) and 21.5 tackles for loss (first) he’s accrued in 12 games. Put simply, there are numerous reasons why he was recently named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy and has already won the Lombardi Trophy, so get familiar with #15 if you aren’t already.

Darius Muasau, LB

The former Hawaii transfer has done little but thrive in southern California since joining the Bruins in early 2022. He earned a spot on the second-team all-Pac 12 defense this year by making a team-high 64 tackles, including four sacks and eight tackles for loss, and breaking up six passes, so it’s likely that he’ll be a central figure in UCLA’s plans for stopping the dynamic Broncos offense.

Duke Clemens, C

One of the longest-tenured Bruins on this year’s roster, the 6-foot-4, 300-pound redshirt senior has started 44 games over the last five seasons. According to Pro Football Focus, Clemens has played a team-high 843 snaps and allowed two sacks and 12 quarterback hurries, earning a spot on the second-team all-conference offense recently for his work.

Carson Steele, RB

Widely considered one of last off-season’s biggest transfer portal prizes after finishing tenth among FBS running backs in rushing yards, Steele’s first year with UCLA turned out to be a productive one. Though he split time with others in the offensive backfield, he led the Bruins with 847 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns, adding 17 catches for 169 yards as a receiver.

Gabriel Murphy, LB

Given the attention lavished on Latu in particular this year, you might be tempted to overlook Murphy, a redshirt junior from Dallas in his second full year as a starter for the Bruins. Opposing quarterbacks and running backs could tell you that’s a mistake, though, since Murphy finished second among UCLA defenders with seven sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and (per PFF) 37 quarterback hurries. On many other defenses, he’d stand alone, but Boise State will have their hands full tracking him among others.

Overview:

Offense

UCLA finished below the national average with 1.92 points per drive (82nd in FBS) and right near it in earning 47.6% of available yards per drive (60th). Considering this unit ranked in the top ten by both counts in both 2021 and 2022, the result seems vaguely disappointing, especially with a five-star quarterback, a pair of quality running backs, and a starting five on the offensive line that didn’t miss a single start this fall.

That blue-chipper under center, Dante Moore, had a fast start to the year but became erratic as the year progressed, perhaps unsurprisingly for a true freshman, and eventually elected to hit the transfer portal in late November. Ethan Garbers stepped up to replace Moore in mid-October, starting six games altogether, and provided some stability in completing 66.4% of his throws for 9894 yards, nine touchdowns, and a 2.2% interception rate.

At running back, Steele combined with T.J. Harden to provide a reasonably potent duo. Together, they averaged 5.18 yards on a combined 303 carries and accounted for 15 scores. Along the offensive line, Clemens and Purdue transfer Spencer Holstege provided a pair of experienced athletes with over 40 career starts each, but the Bruins struggled at times with pass protection this year. Among Pac-12 teams, only Colorado allowed more than the 42 sacks that UCLA did.

Another obstacle with which the Bruins had to contend is that the passing game wasn’t particularly explosive, either: UCLA had just 37 pass plays of 20 or more yards, also the second-fewest in the Pac-12. Kelly’s offense does have some players who can do some damage, however, most notably wide receivers Logan Loya (58 catches, 650 yards, five touchdowns) and J. Michael Sturdivant (32-455-3).

Defense

If UCLA’s offense was inconsistent, its defense under coordinator D’Anton Lynn was close to dominant, allowing on 36.4% of available yards per drive on average (12th in FBS) and 1.40 points per drive (8th). Unfortunately for the Bruins, USC hired him away to replace Alex Grinch, while it’s an open question as to how much of this unit’s star power will actually play in the bowl game. To this point, redshirt freshman safety Kamari Ramsey is the only defender of note to have announced a departure.

Should the front seven remain intact, it could pose the stiffest challenge that Boise State’s potent ground game has seen all year. Beyond Latu, Muasau, and the Murphy twins (Gabriel and Grayson Murphy, who had 7.5 tackles for loss and four sacks this year), the mountainous duo of Jay Toia and Gary Smith III handle the defensive interior while senior Kain Medrano (52 tackles, six TFLs) has started every game at strongside linebacker. In all, this group led the charge in holding opponents to just 2.33 yards per carry, the third-lowest average in the country.

In the secondary, Ramsey’s absence could be a major factor in a unit that pulled in 14 interceptions in 12 games. Senior cornerbacks Alex Johnson and John Humphrey combined to hold opponents to a 57.1% completion rate and 10.9 yards per reception on 98 total targets, but Kenny Churchwell III and Jordan Anderson are the only remaining safeties who received notable playing time throughout the season.

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Boise State Football: Broncos To Face UCLA In Gronk LA Bowl

After winning the Mountain West championship, the Broncos head to southern California for a date with the Pac-12’s Bruins.

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Boise State Football: Broncos To Face UCLA In Gronk LA Bowl


After winning the Mountain West championship, the Broncos head to southern California for a date with the Pac-12’s Bruins to close out 2023.


Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Can the Mountain West make it three in a row?

During its first two years of existence, the Gronk LA Bowl has been good to the Mountain West. The conference’s previous two champions, Utah State and Fresno State, both defeated a Pac-12 opponent and now the Boise State Broncos will get a chance to extend that streak against the UCLA Bruins.

For most of the 2023 season, the Broncos seemed in peril of missing bowl season altogether, posting a 4-5 record in their first nine games with four separate defeats coming by a combined 13 points. The program removed Andy Avalos as head coach in November, elevating defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson to the position on an interim basis, and he helped guide Boise State to four straight wins, including Saturday’s championship game victory over UNLV.

As for UCLA, they’ll get to bowl in their own backyard after finishing 7-5 in a very competitive Pac-12. Chip Kelly’s Bruins climbed as high as #18 in the AP poll in mid-October, but they fell from the rankings and out of title contention in November with three losses in four games to close the regular season. However, the Bruins did beat crosstown rival USC in that stretch, meaning that the Broncos won’t want to take them lightly on their turf.

This year’s LA Bowl is set for Saturday, December 16. It will be broadcast on ABC, kicking off at 4:30 PM PM Pacific/5:30 PM Mountain).

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Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Highly unlikely there is a NY6 bowl team Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Can anyone surprise with two games left? There could be as many as eight Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible. …

Week 11 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Highly unlikely there is a NY6 bowl team


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Can anyone surprise with two games left?

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There could be as many as eight Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible. Currently, there are four teams that have six wins to get to a bowl game, and then three others that seem all but locked up with five wins.

Those teams are Boise State, Utah State, and San Jose State. Then there is Colorado State with four wins, however, the Rams get to play Nevada at home and then Hawaii on the road. Those seem like winnable games but ESPN’s Football Power Index give Colorado State just a 28.5% chance to win out.

If all eight teams do get to six wins, they will be bowling. The big question is if the Rams can join the other teams.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10

There is no New Year’s Six bowl bid and that likely will stick. The only team ever to get to a big time bowl game from the non-power conference was Boise State back in 2014.

In the pursuit of bowl eligibility, the Mountain West teams closely eye DraftKings Sportsbook insights. With eight potential qualifiers, attention turns to critical games for Colorado State. As the bowl lineup takes shape, the Mountain West’s affiliation adds intrigue to matchups like the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, creating anticipation for diverse postseason scenarios.

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
5:45 pm ET, ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Matchup: Air Force vs. New Mexico State

LA Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
7:30 pm ET, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Matchup: UNLV vs. UCLA

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
9:00 pm ET, ESPN
Toyota Stadium, Frisco, TX
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Matchup: Wyoming vs. SMU

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Boise State vs. Bowling Green

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Mountain West
Matchup: Utah State vs. Rice

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl

Tuesday, December 26, 2023
5:30 pm ET, ESPN
Gerald R Ford Stadium, University Park, TX
Bowl Ties: AAC vs Pool
Matchup: 
San Jose State vs. Texas State

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
4:30 pm ET, Barstool
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Fresno State vs. Miami (OH)

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Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Falcons loss stings Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire How many bowl teams this week? With Air Force falling from the ranks of the undefeated, they are falling from the perch of a New Year’s Six …

Week 10 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Falcons loss stings


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

How many bowl teams this week?

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With Air Force falling from the ranks of the undefeated, they are falling from the perch of a New Year’s Six bowl game. That loss to Army was bad and it doesn’t help that Zac Larrier is hurt with his knee injury and wearing a giant brace.

Falcons can get back into the G5 race but they must win out. So, for this week they are dropping quite a bit from the New Year’s Six bowl game.

There is one new team in the mix this week for bowl games but you will need to click through to find out who that is.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9

Week 1 College Football Playoff Bowl Projections

Week 1 College Football Playoff Bowl Projections Air Force is not in a NY6 game Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Where will Air Force land? The first College Football Playoff rankings are out and despite the Air Force Falcons being ranked No. 17 in …

Week 1 College Football Playoff Bowl Projections


Air Force is not in a NY6 game


Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Where will Air Force land?

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The first College Football Playoff rankings are out and despite the Air Force Falcons being ranked No. 17 in the AP poll, they are No. 25 in the rankings that matter.

Tulane which has one loss is ranked one spot ahead of Air Force. That is likely due to strength of schedule. The Green Wave has a loss against Ole Miss which is ranked 10th in these rankings. That loss is really good and it should be noted that Tulane was not at full strength missing quarterback Michael Pratt.

These initial rankings mean that Air Force is not in the Fiesta Bowl, or whatever big time bowl game the Group of Five team gets shuffled off to.

This changes the Mountain West bowl projections that we made prior to the playoff rankings earlier in the week.

So, we will update these rankings as well every week which could be different from the updates after the weekend slate of games.

2023 College Football Playoff Rankings Week 1: Air Force Is Ranked No. 25

Mountain West Bowl Projections

New Mexico Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
5:45 pm ET, ESPN
University Stadium, Albuquerque, NM
Bowl Ties: Conference USA vs Mountain West
Matchup: Boise State vs. Coastal Carolina

LA Bowl

Saturday, December 16, 2023
7:30 pm ET, ABC
SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Bowl Ties: Mountain West vs Pac-12
Matchup: Air Force vs. UCLA

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl

Thursday, December 21, 2023
8:00 pm ET, ESPN
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
Bowl Ties: Group of Five vs Group of Five
Bowl Projection: San Jose State vs South Florida

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Albertsons Stadium, Boise, ID
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Frseno State vs. Ohio

EasyPost Hawaii Bowl

Saturday, December 23, 2023
10:30 pm ET, ESPN
Clarence TC Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI
Bowl Ties: American Athletic vs Mountain West
Matchup: UNLV vs. Florida Atlantic 

Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
4:30 pm ET, Barstool
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Bowl Ties: MAC vs Mountain West
Matchup: Wyoming vs. Miami (OH)

New Year’s Six Games

CFP Semifinal Rose Bowl

Monday, January 1, 2024
5:00 pm ET, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Bowl Ties: CFP vs CFP
Bowl Projection: Michigan vs Georgia

CFP Semifinal Sugar Bowl

Monday, January 1, 2024
8:45 pm ET, ESPN
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Bowl Ties: CFP vs New Year’s Six
Bowl Projection: Ohio State vs Florida State

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Bowl

Friday, December 29, 2023
8:00 pm ET, ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Bowl Ties: New Year’s Six vs New Year’s Six
Bowl Projection: Ole Miss vs Texas

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
12:00 pm ET, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Season: Georgia 42, Ohio State 41
Bowl Ties: New Year’s Six vs New Year’s Six
Bowl Projection: Alabama vs Penn State

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

Monday, January 1, 2024
1:00 pm ET, ESPN
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Bowl Ties: New Year’s Six vs New Year’s Six
Bowl Projection: Washington vs Tulane

Capital One Orange Bowl

Saturday, December 30, 2023
4:00 pm ET, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Bowl Ties: ACC vs Big Ten or SEC
Bowl Projection: Louisville vs Oklahoma

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Week 9 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 9 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections Air Force in a big time bowl game? Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire How many bowl teams this week? Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are still the three Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible …

Week 9 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


Air Force in a big time bowl game?


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

How many bowl teams this week?

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Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are still the three Mountain West teams that are bowl eligible and will bet getting to the post season.

There is now are three teams that are close with San Jose State and Boise State with four wins, and Wyoming is still at five wins after its blowout loss on the road to the Broncos.

These three teams are all but assured to get to six wins, per ESPN’s FPI. The Spartans are at 67.1%, 82.7% for the Broncos, and a near lock 99.5% for the Cowboys.

Of the three-win teams, Utah State is just over a coin flip to make a bowl game at 51.4%, which is down 2.9% from last week’s numbers. Colorado State lost to Air Force and are at 30% for getting to six wins.

It looks like six teams are the bare minimum to go bowling and we will make a rubberneck change and drop from eight to six bowl teams for the Mountain West this week.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections UNLV is bowl eligible! Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire Three teams are bowl eligible Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are the first three teams to become bowl eligible within the Mountain West. …

Week 8 Mountain West Football Bowl Projections


UNLV is bowl eligible!


Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire

Three teams are bowl eligible

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Fresno State, Air Force, and UNLV are the first three teams to become bowl eligible within the Mountain West. The Rebels are bowl eligible for the the first time since 2013 when they finished with a 6-6 regular season record and went to the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

The Wyoming Cowboys should be the next team to get to bowl eligibility. They are 5-1 but have a tough matchup this week at Boise State. The Cowboys will get there relatively soon, if not this week.

Then there are a slow of three win teams with Boise State, San Jose State, Utah State, San Diego State, Colorado State, and New Mexico.

According to ESPN’s FPI, here are the chances of these teams getting to the needed six wins.

  • Wyoming 99.8%
  • Boise State at 62.5%
  • Utah State at 54.3%
  • San Jose State at 48.2%
  • Colorado State at 34.2 %
  • New Mexico at 13%
  • San Diego State at 9.7%

History has had seven Mountain West teams go bowling, so by going by that matrix that means the Broncos, Aggies, Spartans and Rams will be in the postseason to make it an extra one and go with eight teams.

The Aztecs 6-0 loss to Nevada gives very, very little confidence they can figure things out and get to a bowl game. The Lobos chances are slim due to the schedule.

They go to Nevada, host UNLV, go to Boise State and then Fresno State, with a finale hosting the Aggies. That is a tough go for a bowl game but getting to four wins would double last year’s win total.

BOWL LINEUP

– Famous Idaho Potato Bowl vs MAC
– Gronk LA Bowl vs Pac-12
– New Mexico Bowl vs Conference USA
– Barstool Arizona Bowl vs MAC
– EasyPost Hawai’i Bowl vs American Athletic

Mountain West has an affiliation to fill if needed …
– Guaranteed Rate Bowl vs Big Ten or Big 12

To be determined among the Group of Five conferences … as other options
– Duluth Trading Co. Cure Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– Frisco Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl Pool vs. Pool
– SERVPRO First Responder Bowl AAC vs. Pool

Preseason Projection | Week 0 | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7