Boise State Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2017
By Zach Bigalke
Thus the 9-2 Broncos will head to California looking for their 10th win of the season against Fresno State. The Battle for the Milk Can is one of those mid-major rivalries that make college football so diverse and enjoyable. The teams played annually between 2001 and 2014 as rivals in the WAC and Mountain West.
The two teams actually played twice in 2014, both times in Boise. The Broncos won the regular-season matchup 37-27, then knocked off the Bulldogs 28-14 in the inaugural Mountain West championship game. But with expansion to 12 teams and the breakout into two divisions, the rivalry has been dormant ever since.
Fresno State went 1-11 in 2016, and head coach Tim DeRuyter was fired with a third of the season left to play. New coach Jeff Tedford, the former California head coach, has a veteran roster in 2017 but a tough task of rebuilding ahead of him.
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Final: Boise State 55, Fresno State 23 (10-2, 7-1 MWC)
The Fresno State offense should be able to draw upon its experience to score some points at home against their rival. But the Bulldogs do not have the players to keep up with Boise State on the scoreboard for 60 minutes. The margin of victory will really stretch out in the second half as the Broncos pour it on for pollsters and the selection committee.