Boise State Football: Game-by-game predictions for the 2018 season
By Zach Bigalke
The Broncos have big dreams of reaching the New Year’s Six in 2018. Let’s take a closer look at each of the games on Boise State’s regular season schedule.
Boise State begins the season ranked in both major Top 25 polls. The Broncos are the defending Mountain West champions. Now, four years removed from their last trip to a major bowl game, they have their sights set on booking a ticket into the New Year’s Six this season.
Step one is winning the Mountain West again.Only Group of Five champions, after all, are considered for that New Year’s Six spot. Claiming back-to-back MWC titles would give head coach Bryan Harsin an achievement his predecessor Chris Petersen never managed before bolting to Seattle. More importantly, it would give Boise State a shot at that elusive trip back to a big bowl.
Will Bryan Harsin’s squad meet all of its goals this year? Let’s dive in and look at this year’s schedule for Boise State, beginning with a big rematch.
Last year, Boise State took down Troy 24-13 at home in the season opener for both teams. The Trojans went on to beat LSU, finish 11-2, and win their bowl game over the course of an 11-2 Sun Belt championship campaign. The win over Troy proved far more significant as the season wore on than it seemed it would be in September.
The scoreline from the 2017 showdown is deceptive, as Troy kept the contest tight until the end. The Trojans were within a touchdown until the final 2:12, when Boise State scored an insurance touchdown to pull away with the win.
Troy lost quarterback Brandon Silvers and running back Jordan Chunn from last year’s Group of Five power. In total, only six offensive starters and five defensive starters return from last year’s team. But it won’t matter, because Troy won’t be sneaking up on anyone this year. The Trojans will be a contender in the Sun Belt once again despite all the departures.
Given all the losses, this return match probably won’t be nearly as close this time around. Though Troy is at home, they will be adjusting to far more new personnel in starting roles. That will prove costly as Boise State takes this early showdown between Group of Five hopefuls. It isn’t quite an elimination game this early in the year, but it is the closest it can come in Week 1.