Boise State Football: Broncos ready for rebuilt Troy Trojans
Boise State football draws a relatively tough test in their 2018 season opener against the rebuilt Troy Trojans.
Boise State had some inconsistencies at quarterback last season with Brett Rypien’s on and off injuries but still managed to finish No. 22 overall with a win over the Oregon Ducks in the Las Vegas Bowl. The Broncos come into the season back where they finished off at No. 22 as they look to repeat as Mountain West Conference champions.
2017 was a fine year for Troy. The Trojans set a school record for wins as an FBS program with 11 and highlighted their year with a 24-21 win over LSU in Death Valley. The Trojans take a hit on offense with the loss of quarterback Brandon Silvers and running back Jordan Chunn and will look to Kaleb Barker and Jamarius Henderson to fill the void. Troy’s in conference schedule is favorable this season, missing out on having to play the Arkansas State Red Wolves and have a full season before Week 13 to develop and take on App State.
With that being said, let’s look into Saturday’s matchup between the No. 22 ranked Boise State Broncos as they travel to Troy, AL to take on the Trojans.
Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Location: Troy, AL
Venue: Veterans Memorial Stadium
TV: ESPNNews
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Players to Watch
Boise State
- RB, Alexander Mattison
- WR’s, Octavius Evans, AJ Richardson, and Sean Modster
- OLB, Blake Whitlock
- CB, Tyler Hornton
- QB, Brett Rypien
Troy
- QB, Kaleb Barker
- RB, Jamarius Henderson
- WR’s, Deondre Douglas and Damion Willis
- EDGE, Hunter Reese
- CB, Blace Brown
Keys to Victory
Boise State just needs to get this offense rolling. The Broncos bring back 1,000-yard rusher Alexander Mattison who should have ample opportunity against a rebuilt Trojan defensive line. Brett Rypien doesn’t need to be a hero but he does need to be consistent and accurate against a strong Troy secondary that loses three but returns a good deal of experience from last season. The Boise State defense needs to get in the backfield and rattle new quarterback Kaleb Barker who has only 17 passing attempts going into his junior season.
Troy’s strength is its defense. Boise State lost a 1,500+ yard receiver in Cedric Wilson last season and Troy needs to stick to this new crop of receivers like glue and prevent them from showing out in a similar fashion. The defensive front needs to find a way to keep Mattison in check or he will absolutely be the difference maker in this matchup. Offensively, if Kaleb Barker can hit his experienced receivers Deondre Douglas and Damion Willis enough to open up some run lanes, they should be able to take advantage of Boise linebacker Tyler Vander Esch’s absence.
Betting Lines
Courtesy of OddsShark
Points Spread: Boise -10.5
Over/Under: 52
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Prediction
This game may just come down to the wire. Troy loses pieces on defense but will still have a strong and somewhat experienced squad. Boise returns several key pieces on offense and that’s where the difference will be made. Boise wins late but not without a scare from the home dog Trojans to kickoff the season.
Final Score: Boise State 28 Troy 24