Boise State Broncos @ Fresno State Bulldogs Football Preview

Last year, Boise State and Fresno State played a conference game in the WAC. Next year, they’ll play a conference game in the Mountain West. This year, for the sake of variety, the two schools will play a non-conference tilt while the college football conference realignment carousel spins and spins some more.

For the fifth year in a row, Boise State and Fresno State square off for a primetime Friday made-for-ESPN matchup. Boise State has won all of the past four meetings, but this time the fifth-ranked Broncos travel to Fresno for a non-conference matchup, with Fresno State not set to join Boise in the Mountain West until next season. The last two matches in Boise were laughers, the Broncos prevailing by a combined score of 112-10. Luckily for Fresno State it hosts the game this year, the matchups having been much more competitive in Fresno.

Fresno State has struggled to stay consistent this year under the leadership of sophomore quarterback Derek Carr. After battling Nebraska in a loss on the road, the Bulldogs struggled to beat North Dakota. Then after handling Idaho, they failed to hold a fourth quarter lead at home against Ole Miss. Fresno State feels like a better team than 2-3 would indicate, but consistency—especially on defense—has hurt the Bulldogs. It’s not that Carr has been bad, by any means. The young signal caller has completed 61 percent of his passes and thrown just four interceptions in 165 attempts. It’s just been that when a scoring drive or a defensive stop was needed the most, the Bulldogs have not been able to deliver.

Boise State has continued to roll under coach Chris Petersen, a juggernaut of the highest order with Kellen Moore at the helm. Despite Moore’s worst game of his career last week, both statistically and subjectively, the Broncos still dispatched Nevada, 30-10. His two interceptions marked just the third time in 43 starts that Moore had thrown multiple picks in a game. Still, if 19-of-33 for 142 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions is your worst career day, it seems you are doing it right. More serious for the southpaw is a lingering knee injury that may factor into his “bad” outing. This will continue to be a point of interest for Boise State going forward.

Fresno State will have to account for an extra Boise weapon on Friday: 6-4 Bronco receiver Geraldo Boldewijn makes his season debut after sitting out while eligibility questions were being resolved. Boldewijn joins an already diverse receiving corps: Seven different receivers average at least two catches per game for the Broncos. Mix in the run game from Doug Martin and D.J. Harper, which seemed to finally turn a corner last week, and Boise State’s offense is a potent, balanced attack that’s difficult to stop.

The Bulldogs would do well to get a little more out of their run game. The capable Robbie Rouse has carried almost the entire load of Fresno’s rushing attack, averaging 120 of Fresno’s 129 rushing yards per game. Boise State has a decided defensive advantage in the game; if Fresno can get Rouse going, it could open up the field and allow Carr and the Bulldogs to try and stay in it.

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By: Matt Zemek
DFN Sports Senior Staff Writer