Tag: boise state preview

Boise State Broncos: CFN College Football Preview 2021

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Boise State football season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2021: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Boise State football season with what you need to know.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Boise State Football Schedule Analysis
– Boise State Broncos Previews
2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

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2020 Record: 5-2 overall, 5-2 in Mountain West
Head Coach: Andy Avalos, 1st year
2020 CFN Final Ranking: 49
2020 CFN Preview Ranking: 43
2019 CFN Final Ranking: 10

Boise State Broncos College Football Preview 2021: Offense

– Can the offense get any semblance of consistency from the quarterback spot for a full season? The offense one averaged 349 yards per game, but it averaged a Mountain West high 34 points.

The ground game struggled, the passing attack wasn’t consistent enough, and the stalls against BYU, Wyoming and San Jose State – scoring 20 points or fewer in each – wasn’t okay.

New offensive coordinator Tim Plough comes over from UC Davis with a high-octane passing game, but in order for new head coach Andy Avalos to get off to a hot start, but …

– Again, the quarterback situation has to be consistent. Hank Bachmeier is the team’s star, and he’s a difference-maker when he’s playing, but he missed a few games hurt and struggled in the Mountain West Championship loss. Former USC transfer Jack Sears is a terrific No. 2, but he got hurt last year, too.

The receiving corps is outstanding, starting with First Team All-Mountain West performer Khalil Shakir coming off a 52-catch, six-touchdown season. He’s back along with super-senior CT Thomas – a quick target who was second on the team with 20 catches averaging over 17 yards per grab – and leading receiving tight end Riley Smith returns.

– The offensive line was okay in pass protection, but it could do more for a ground game that finished last in the Mountain West. Four of the five starters are expected back up front, with three all-stars returning around John Ojukwu at left tackle and Jake Stetz at one of the guard spots.

The talent is there at running back to do a whole lot more. Andrew Van Buren led the team with 382 yards and eight scores, and 2019 1,000-yard rusher George Holani returns after missing most of last year with a knee injury.

– What You Need To Know: Defense
– Top Players | Keys To The Season
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Boise State Football Schedule Analysis

NEXT: Boise State Broncos College Football Preview 2021: Defense

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College Football News Preview 2020: Boise State Broncos

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Boise State Broncos season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Boise State Broncos season with what you need to know.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Boise State Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015

2019 Record: 12-2 overall, 8-0 in MW
Head Coach: Bryan Harsin, 7th year, 64-17
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 28
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 10
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 60

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: Boise State Broncos Offense 3 Things To Know

– The offense managed to get through the season averaging 429 yards and a league-high 35 points per game despite quarterback injuries, a massive turnover at all the skill spots, and with a line that was just okay in pass protection.

There’s still more work to be done, but it’s not like the program isn’t used to filling in the gaps.

CFN in 60 Video: Florida State Preview
Florida State at Boise State, Sept. 19
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– It starts on the offensive line that paved the way for just 167 rushing yards per game but was okay at not allowing a ton of tackles for loss. Four starters are gone including star left tackle Ezra Cleveland, and the depth is going to be stretched thin early on.

Getting Rice transfer Uzoma Osuji for one tackle spot helps, and junior John Ojukwi will be a starter at one tackle, but this will be one of the team’s biggest area of early concerns.

The backs are there to make the ground game roll. 5-11, 205-pound Georgie Holani led the way with over 1,000 rushing yards and seven scores, and he caught 26 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He doesn’t have to do it all with 425-yard, six-touchdown senior Robert Mahone and junior Andrew Van Buren back to rotate in.

– The quarterback situation is solid. If he can stay healthy, Hank Bachmeier will be one of the Mountain West’s biggest stars. He came out red hot as a true freshman before getting banged up, and junior Chase Cord is a veteran who can step in and produce.

Leading downfield playmaker John Hightower is gone, but 63-catch Khalil Shakir is back along with 5-8 senior speedster CT Thomas. 6-6, 256-pound senior John Bates has the talent to do a whole lot more after catching 22 passes for 273 yards and a score.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Boise State Broncos Defense 3 Things To Know

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5

Top-half teams clash as Nevada hosts Boise State

Nevada vs. Boise State: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Wolf Pack looking to stay undefeated in MW play Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire High-powered offenses come head-to-head in the Biggest Little City in the World GAME …

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Nevada vs. Boise State: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Wolf Pack looking to stay undefeated in MW play

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

High-powered offenses come head-to-head in the Biggest Little City in the World

GAME DETAILS

WHO: Boise State (10-5, 2-1 MWC) at Nevada (9-5, 2-0 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, January 4 — 4:00 P.M. MT / 3:00 P.M. PT

WHERE: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, NV

WATCH: CBS Sports Network

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME: Nevada leads the series, 47-27

ODDS: Nevada -4, per KenPom

GAME NOTES

Two of the top teams in the Mountain West come together on Saturday when Nevada hosts Boise State as the second week of league play continues.

The Wolf Pack are one of three teams that remain undefeated in MWC play, along with San Diego State and UNLV. Steve Alford is off to a good start in Reno, and the team is coming off a win over Colorado State on Wednesday.

The victory moved the Pack to 2-0 in league play, but Saturday presents their toughest conference test to date.

Nevada doesn’t have a great shot at getting an NCAA Tournament bid, but if they turn in a top-3 performance in the Mountain West, those odds will improve. Boise State will also be competing for that spot.

The Broncos have been on a tear of late, as well, winning their past four games. Their most recent victory came on Wednesday when they beat Wyoming.

But Boise State will have to shake their travel woes in order to keep from falling to 2-2 in league play. The Broncos are just 1-3 in true road games this season, with their only win coming against Pacific after three overtimes.

Nevada, meanwhile, hasn’t lost in its past 13 Mountain West home games. That has to bode well.

GAME PLAN

On THE WOLF PACK’S POSSESSIONS…

As always, Alford will lean on his high-scoring guard trio of Jalen Harris, Jazz Johnson, and Lindsey Drew. Nisre Zouzoua’s offensive play has also earned him a very long look. This team likes to launch threes and they have been well-rewarded for their boldness, hitting nearly 38% of their shots from downtown. They won’t try to go to the rim too much with their bigs, but Harris is particularly skilled at scoring inside.

Nevada is very careful with the ball and Boise State doesn’t force many turnovers, so don’t expect the Wolf Pack to cough up possessions. But offensive rebounding continues to be a problem for the team. The team’s reliance on three-pointers leads to fewer free throws than the average team shoots, and the Broncos are a disciplined team in terms of fouling.

If Nevada wins the offensive battle, it will be because they are hitting from beyond the arc. If they struggle there, they could have serious issues keeping up with the Broncos.

ON THE BRONCOS’ POSSESSIONS…

Derrick Alston has looked great this season, but the game against Wyoming was about as bad as it gets for him. He shot 1-for-10 from the field and scored a season-low four points. That said, this was an aberration. Alston should be able to carry this offense against Nevada’s defense. But even if he can’t, Justinian Jessup and Abu Kigab appear to be up to the task of providing the scoring punch.

Like Nevada, the Broncos like to shoot threes, but they go inside much more often. Unfortunately, they don’t gather up offensive rebounds very well, outside of RJ Williams. They make up for a lack of second chances by making good use of their first chance. Boise State doesn’t turn the ball over very often, ranking among the 25 best schools in the country in this department. And if that wasn’t enough, Nevada is one of the worst in the country at forcing turnovers.

In order to keep up with a high-powered Nevada offense, Boise State needs Alston to get untracked so that they are firing at full bore.

GAME PREDICTION

Nevada 83, Boise State 79

This game has all the makings of an entertaining battle. Two offenses that can score in bunches. Two defenses that won’t fall on their face, but won’t slow things down too much, either. Ultimately, the biggest difference between the two is that Nevada is playing at home.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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