Boise State football looks to maintain momentum vs. Marshall

After a big win on the road at FSU, Boise State football looks to ride its momentum into Week 2. Can Marshall slow down the Broncos?

Bryan Harsin’s Boise State team was a part of one of the bigger moments of Week 1. Despite a late time & location change, and an 18-point deficit in the first half, the Broncos rallied to defeat Florida State by a score of 36-31.

Quarterback Hank Bachmeier had 407 yards on the day, but it was running back Robert Mahone that really shined. On 24 carries, he found the endzone twice and racked up 142 yards.

Now, they’ll return home to host Doc Holliday’s Marshall team. The Thundering Herd had a far less stressful opening week, gaining a 35-7 lead over VMI by halftime and surpassing the 50-point mark on the game.

Here’s how you can watch the Boise State vs. Marshall game:

Date: Friday, Sept. 6
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
Location: Boise, Idaho
Venue: Albertsons Stadium
TV: ESPN2
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to victory

Marshall’s rush defense was eighth in the nation a year ago. Boise State features an electric, big play back. The primary battle of this game is going to be the Marshall front going head-to-head with the Bronco run game.

It will be imperative for Marshall to convert on third down. They were 6-of-12 against VMI last week, and they’ll certainly need to improve against the superior Bronco defense. On the road, one of the best ways to deflate a crowd is to convert third downs. String together a few conversions in a row, and some of the passion always gives way to frustration.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Bovada

Spread: Boise State -11
Over/Under: 57

Prediction

While Marshall may have a better day against the run than Florida State did, the Broncos still have the edge on almost every front. If Mahone is kept somewhat in check, Boise can win with Bachmeier through the air.

This has the feel of a game that will be tight early, but as the game goes on, the Broncos will make enough key stops and conversions to win comfortably.

Score: Marshall, 24, Boise State 38