A lot of talent is gone from last season’s Boise State football squad. Will the Broncos reload and remain in the Mountain West and Group of Five races?
Boise State has certainly dealt with attrition to their roster. A team doesn’t finish with double digits in the win column in 16 of the past 20 seasons without knowing how to reload instead of backsliding into rebuilding mode. And yet, given their skill at restocking the roster and remaining one of the most competitive teams at any level of college football, the Broncos have struggled to close out conference races in recent years.
We saw it bite Boise State teams in the past, as they missed out on a BCS bowl in 2010 thanks to a tight 34-31 overtime loss against a top-12 Nevada team led by Colin Kaepernick. A year later, it was an even narrower 36-35 defeat against TCU in a game where both teams entered the contest undefeated.
Last year, the Broncos played to form with that part of Boise State football history. Bryan Harsin’s squad earned home-field advantage against Milk Can nemesis Fresno State for the Mountain West title. As snow came down on the Smurf Turf, a defensive battle ensued between the Broncos and Bulldogs.
Boise State scored what looked like a game-winning touchdown with eight minutes left in regulation, but Haden Hoggarth’s extra-point attempt was blocked. Hoggarth successfully kicked a 23-yard field goal in overtime, but a short touchdown burst by Ronnie Rivers gave Fresno State the conference crown.
There are going to be some new faces in more prominent roles on this roster, as several stalwarts have graduated or opted to leave early for the NFL. Boise State gets a great test out of the gate, but will their roster be ready? Let’s dive in and look individually at the offense and defense before breaking down the Broncos schedule and predicting where they might finish in 2019.