Boise State fans guide: How to watch, what to watch for against Wyoming

Since 2000, the Boise State football team has an 89.2 winning percentage (132-16) on its famous blue turf. It is the third-best home winning percentage in that span of any team in the nation, trailing only Oklahoma (.910, 132-13) and Ohio State (.897, 139-16).

Five of the Mountain West’s current teams have yet to win on the blue, and that includes this week’s opponent. Wyoming heads to Albertsons Stadium having lost all eight meetings in Boise, and the Cowboys are just 1-16 all-time against the Broncos.

Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. Saturday, and the game will be televised on Fox Sports 2.

“They have a rich tradition, and their players really believe,” Wyoming coach Craig Bohl said during a Monday news conference. “They have a great home crowd. The last time we were over there, we had a hard time with crowd noise. They’re a passionate fan base, and their players play off that energy.”

Wyoming last visited Boise in 2021, losing 23-13. The Cowboys were whistled for four false starts in the game. Since 2018, Boise State leads the nation in opponent false starts, at 3.03 per game. The Broncos topped Wyoming 20-17 last season in Laramie, Wyoming. The Cowboys’ only win in the series came in 2016 at War Memorial Stadium.

“This is a program that, through the years, has a reputation as a giant killer and a dominant football team,” Bohl said. “.... I’ve talked to our players and said, you know, don’t look at some of the things that you saw. When they’re at home, they’re a different animal, and we’re gonna get their best shot.”

Both programs are coming off bye weeks after tough losses. The Cowboys came up short 34-27 against unbeaten Air Force, while the Broncos lost in the closing minutes 31-30 at Colorado State.

Air Force leads the Mountain West standings at 4-0, and UNLV sits second at 3-0. Boise State, Wyoming and Fresno State are tied for the No. 3 spot at 2-1, making this a key game for the Cowboys and Broncos in terms of keeping their conference championship hopes alive.

“This conference is extremely competitive. There’s a lot of good coaches in this conference, and obviously a lot of good players,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said. “Where we sit right now, one week at a time, we just need to focus on being 1-0.”

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

How well can the offense work with all the moving parts?

The return of running back George Holani can be great news on many levels. He’s very good when healthy, and can be a force both rushing and receiving — much the way Ashton Jeanty has been. The key will be getting both their opportunities. Both can break big plays, both can break tackles.

As strange as this might sound, though, it‘s probably imperative to make sure Jeanty has the greater chunk of playing time. He has become a difference maker, and the way he tears through a defense fires up the whole team. He needs 20 touches. But he plays so violently, it’s bound to take a toll. That’s why having Holani back in the fold is vital. You have 1A and 1B at running back, getting everyone some much-needed rest.

Speaking of which, we know Boise State plans to keep rolling with 1A and 1B at quarterback, too. The jury remains out on this plan with Taylen Green and Maddux Madsen. Running a guy in on third down, then off the field, then he sits for two series, then he plays a series — just reading that sentence, you can tell it’s not ideal.

Can Boise State’s defense have a signature game and win turnover battle?

The bad news is the Broncos rank 10th in the 12-team Mountain West defensively. The good news is their biggest problem has been passing D, allowing over 300 yards per game, and Wyoming isn’t exactly trotting into Albertsons Stadium with an Air Raid offense. The Cowboys throw for just 160 yards per game. Only Air Force, with its triple-option rushing attack, throws for fewer yards in the league.

What Wyoming does is take care of the ball, with just three fumbles lost and three interceptions all season. The Cowboys are plus-5 in turnover margin. Boise State is minus-5. The Broncos need to match the physical play of Bohl’s team and force turnovers to build a lead and put pressure on a team that’s not meant to play from behind.

Bouncing back at home in a make-or-break game

The last time Boise State was on its blue turf, an inspiring crowd was helping to carry the team to a stirring comeback win over San Jose State after trailing by 20 points. Now having blown a 20-point lead of their own in the Colorado State debacle, the Broncos are back in their friendly confines, and they probably need that kind of help from the fans again to get rolling.

It’s not hard to understand the importance of this game. A win means Boise State is still chasing a spot in the Mountain West title game. A loss not only would virtually end that hope, but also put the Broncos at 3-5 and place in peril their chances of keeping their bowl eligibility streak going. They have qualified for a bowl in 25 straight years; this team undoubtedly doesn’t want to see that end.

WYOMING AT BOISE STATE

When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,363, FieldTurf), Boise

TV: Fox Sports 2 (Eric Collins, Devin Gardner)

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

Records: Boise State 3-4, 2-1 MW; Wyoming 5-2, 2-1 MW

Series: Boise State leads the series 16-1, including a 20-17 win last year in Laramie, Wyoming

Vegas line: Boise State by 5

Weather: High of 48, 5% chance of rain, 13 mph wind

THIS WEEK’S COVERAGE

Holani is back: Boise State’s 2-QB offense will be paired with 2-RB attack vs. Wyoming

This Boise State linebacker is ready to put his headset down and get back to tackling