Boise State fans guide: How to watch, what to watch for in home opener vs. UCF

After a season-opening loss at Washington, the Boise State football team is looking forward to a little home-field advantage.

Since 2000 the Broncos have compiled a record of 130-15 at Albertsons Stadium, and that includes 21 straight wins in home openers. It is the second-best home winning percentage in the nation behind only Oklahoma (128-13).

The Broncos — a rare home underdog this week — will try to make it 22 straight when they host UCF at 5 p.m. Saturday on The Blue.

“To be able to play in front of Bronco Nation here is a big deal,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said.

UCF coach Gus Malzahn isn’t taking any chances when it comes to playing in Boise. During a news conference Monday, Malzahn said his team would practice at least once at a nearby high school in Oviedo, Florida, that has a blue field similar to Boise State’s.

The one thing the Knights won’t be able to simulate is the noise. With the help of the crowd inside Albertsons Stadium, opponents commit a nation-leading average of 3.15 false starts per game.

“It’s a new deal. You’re not used to it,” Malzahn said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve gotta play football.”

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

How does the defense respond after the Washington shellacking?

The Broncos played a really good first quarter in Seattle and then got steamrolled in the passing game. UCF has a more multifaceted offense than Washington, which means it’s a tough opponent to rebound against. The Knights have a dual-threat QB in John Rhys Plumlee and spread the ball around, and they have good team speed.

That could be a big concern. Speed on D was an area where Boise State was deficient last week. Is that really the case or did Washington’s athletes just make that seem glaring?

Perhaps the most important thing will be for the defensive front to play great. They hardly pressured Michael Penix Jr. last week, and now they’re facing a fast, mobile QB. Disrupting Plumlee’s rhythm is paramount.

“We’re working really hard to become better pass rushers and get to the QB on time,” defensive end Ahmed Hassanein said this week. “We’re hungry.”

Who will step up to make big plays?

Ashton Jeanty, well on his way to a stellar career in just his sophomore season, was impressive in Seattle, but he was kind of alone in that department. If Boise State is going to throw the ball a lot again then Taylen Green will need to be way more accurate and he’ll need receivers to help him out. Eric McAlister and Stefan Cobbs both showed flashes; they’ll need to show up with some big catches, because both have that capability.

Is George Holani ready to roll?

Boise State treats injury reports as if they are CIA dossiers, so who knows what kind of shape Holani is in. He returned to last week’s game after leaving with a “lower body injury” and had some nice runs in the fourth quarter. The Holani-Jeanty-Green rushing dynamic is formidable when they’re all clicking, so a truly healthy Holani is key.

UCF AT BOISE STATE

When: 5 p.m. Saturday

Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,387, FieldTurf), Boise

TV: FS1 (Eric Collins, Devin Gardner)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State 0-1; UCF 1-0

Series: UCF won the only meeting between these two teams 36-31 in 2021 in Orlando, Florida

Vegas line: UCF by 3.5

Weather: High of 89 degrees, 0% chance of rain, 6 mph winds

THIS WEEK’S COVERAGE

‘My heart hurts.’ Eager to rebound against UCF, Boise State defense works on Labor Day

Boise State prepares for two-sport, dual-threat UCF QB. ‘That speaks to who he is’