Boise State leaves Memphis with QB controversy, 2-3 record. ‘This is not acceptable.’

It was part of Boise State’s game plan to trot out redshirt freshman quarterback Maddux Madsen in the first quarter for a designed series.

But his return in the fourth quarter wasn’t part of any pregame script.

The Broncos had hoped to leave Liberty Stadium on Saturday night with a third straight win. Instead, they boarded a plane back to Boise nursing a 35-32 loss to Memphis and a potential quarterback controversy.

Madsen replaced starter Taylen Green on the Broncos’ second drive of the fourth quarter and orchestrated a pair of touchdown drives. He finished the game 11-for-14 passing for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Green went 12-for-24 for 200 yards.

When asked after the game whether Green was still the Broncos’ starting QB, Boise State coach Andy Avalos left it open for interpretation.

“I’m not gonna make that decision right now,” Avalos said. “We’re gonna go back, we’re gonna watch film and we’re gonna evaluate. We’re gonna make decisions as we always do as a staff.”

The switch at quarterback won’t be the only decision debated far and wide by Boise State fans over the next few days.

With the Broncos leading 17-14 late in the third quarter, Avalos’ team lined up to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Memphis 7-yard line. Then Avalos called a timeout and opted to send the field-goal team onto the field for a 24-yard try.

Instead of Boise State adding to its lead, Memphis linebacker Geoffrey Cantin-Arku blocked the attempt and returned the football 80 yards for a touchdown, giving the Tigers their first lead of the game, 21-17, with 1:43 left in the third quarter. It marked the first time the Tigers had returned a blocked field goal for a score since 2006.

“We wanted to go for it. We had a certain play called to take advantage of a certain look we were anticipating, and we weren’t able to get that look,” Avalos said. “So the goal there was absolutely to get points on the board, and we didn’t get that done ultimately.”

For much of the first half, Boise State appeared to be marching toward a third straight win, rolling to a 17-0 lead with 6:17 to go in the second quarter. Then big plays came back to bite the Broncos once again.

A 53-yard passing play set up Memphis’ first touchdown, and the Tigers added another touchdown just before the half on a drive in which the Broncos allowed a 19-yard pass and a 24-yard run. In all, the Tigers managed 13 explosive plays, which go down as passing plays of 15 or more yards and running plays of 10 or more. Memphis also converted on 6-of-13 third-down tries.

“If you give up explosive plays, it doesn’t take too much, and obviously we saw that today,” Avalos said. “We gave up 14 points there late in the second quarter, and we always talk about winning the end of the first half. We didn’t get that done today.”

Even after allowing 28 unanswered points to the Tigers, the Broncos still had a chance. Madsen’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Ashton Jeanty — his fourth score of the game — and a 2-point conversion pulled them within 28-25 with 8:54 to play.

But Boise State’s defense simply couldn’t get off the field, allowing Memphis to march 75 yards in 13 plays and take 6:38 off the clock, topped off by a 1-yard scoring run from running back Blake Watson with 2:16 to play.

“This is not acceptable,” Boise State defensive end Ahmed Hassanein said. “We should have won that game.”

Boise State resumes Mountain West play next week against San Jose State. Kickoff is 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Albertsons Stadium, and the game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.

Lauter goes long

Boise State redshirt sophomore tight end Matt Lauter had four receptions for 40 yards in 2022.

He surpassed last season’s production on one catch Saturday against Memphis.

Lauter caught a pass over the middle from Taylen Green at about the 50-yard line in the second quarter and ran all the way to the Memphis 8. The 59-yard catch was the longest of his career and the longest for a Boise State tight end since Jeb Putzier caught an 80-yard touchdown pass against San Jose State on Nov. 17, 2001.

Tigers honor DeAngelo Williams

Former Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams was honored at halftime for his upcoming induction into the College Football Hall of Fame, a recognition that Boise State legend Kellen Moore hasn’t been able to nab yet despite being a finalist.

The three-time Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year owns nearly every career, single-season and single-game rushing record in Tigers history, including career rushing yards (6,026), career carries (969), career touchdowns (60), career rushing touchdowns (55) and 100-yard games (34). He boasts the top two single-season rushing performances in school history with 1,964 yards in 2005 and 1,948 yards in 2004.

Williams was a part of the Tigers’ 2003 New Orleans Bowl championship team, which was also honored at halftime.

Broncos missing key players

The Boise State football team was without seven players for its showdown against Memphis on Saturday at Liberty Stadium.

Among those listed out with injuries were five starters — three on offense and two on defense.

Redshirt senior running back George Holani missed his fourth straight game since sustaining a lower-body injury in the Broncos’ opener against Washington. Left guard Ben Dooley was out for the third game in a row, and tight end Riley Smith sat out for the first time this season.

After a brief return against San Diego State, starting linebacker DJ Schramm did not play against the Tigers, and starting safety Alexander Teubner was out as well.

Backup receivers Chase Penry and Cole Wright missed Saturday’s game, too.

Quick hits

The Broncos wore white jerseys, orange pants and blue helmets. ... Team captains DJ Schramm and Riley Smith, neither of whom played, were joined by tight end Matt Lauter, linebacker Marco Notarainni and kicker Jonah Dalmas as game captains. ... Memphis won the coin toss and elected to defer. ... Boise State was led onto the field by linebacker Chase Martin, carrying the Dan Paul Hammer. ... Wide receiver Eric McAlister carried the American flag and defensive tackle Braxton Fely carried the Bleed Blue flag.