Boise State Broncos vs Air Force Falcons Football Recap

Boise State 37, Air Force 26

The Boise State Broncos received a vigorous, spirited and legitimate challenge from an opponent whose offense operated at a very high level this past weekend.

It didn’t matter – not for a team that has learned how to take an opponent’s best punch and respond with stronger combinations.

Despite Air Force’s best efforts to control the clock and keep the ball away from Kellen Moore, Boise State capitalized on enough opportunities to put Air Force away 37-26 on Saturday afternoon in Boise. The win marked Moore’s 45th in his career, tying him with former Texas gunslinger Colt McCoy for most all-time in college football’s highest division.

It wasn’t an easy win by any means, as most teams find out the first time they play Air Force and its option game. The Falcons stuck around to the bitter end, but Boise State was too much. At first it appeared the Falcon’s defense, the team’s main concern in this matchup, would be overpowered as Moore led the Broncos on a scoring march to start the game. Moore went 5-5 to five different receivers for 57 yards, ending when he found Tyler Shoemaker on a 24-yard score.

But the Falcon defense clamped down, even forcing a fumble out of the hands of Doug Martin as the Broncos drove deep into Air Force territory. The turnover proved to be big at the time, as Air Force embarked on a vintage 17-play, ball control drive. After a 32-yard Tim Jefferson pass to Zack Kauth set the Falcons up near midfield, Air Force ground out 57 yards on 14-straight rushes. Jefferson finished on a one-yard keeper, and Air Force has tied the game 7-7 midway through the second quarter.

In about four minutes’ time, however, Boise State would have all the control it would need. Moore moved Boise quickly, and in two minutes were back on top. On the fifth play of the possession, Moore hit Matt Miller on a 19-yard touchdown. Then, after what would have been a three-and-out for Air Force, the Falcons attempted a fake punt. Mikel Hunter took the reverse, got stuck on some blockers, then fumbled when Bryan Douglas came up and made a hit. Hunter White scooped it off the blue turf and returned it for a score, and Boise had jumped to a 20-7 lead.

The winning culture in Boise and killer instinct of Kellen Moore shone through in the second half. When Parker Harrington added a 39-yard field goal to get Air Force within 20-13, Boise State then marched 77 yards in five minutes to go up 27-13. Air Force answered with an 18-play, 80-yard, seven-minute drive—every yard coming on the ground—to cut the deficit again. But Boise State came right back, with Moore completing passes to five different receivers, Doug Martin adding 24 rushing yards, and the Broncos punching in a another touchdown to gain a 34-20 lead.

Even when Air Force scored in a minute-and-a-half (with a missed extra point) with 3:30 left, Boise State milked almost three minutes off the clock on the way to a field goal, making the final margin 37-26. The back-and-forth of the second half made it four times this season Boise State had seen its lead cut to one score. In each of those instances, Boise State scored on its very next possession, three times a touchdown and once a field goal. The Broncos have shown no intent whatsoever of losing a game this year.

Moore finished with a line that has almost become pedestrian for him: 23-29 for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Martin added 125 yards on 21 carries for Boise State, who moved to 7-0 and moved to a number four ranking in current BCS rankings. The Broncos enjoy a bye before travelling to UNLV in two weeks. Air Force (3-4) finally gets a reprieve in its schedule as the Falcons travel to lowly New Mexico (0-7) next week.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer