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Broncos invited to MPC Bowl
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The 11 seniors who thought they played their last home game against Idaho, get one last farewell.
Boise State accepted the invite to play in the MPC Computers Bowl on Dec. 28 at 2:30 p.m. at Bronco Stadium.
“It’s a great opportunity to play in front of our fans one last time,” senior offensive lineman Daryn Colledge said.
Colledge will set a school record with his 52nd straight start as a Bronco. He and only six other Broncos were a part of the program the last time Boise State played in the bowl then known as the Humanitarian Bowl.
“It’s a lot of great things for me. It’s going to be my 52nd straight start, which is a Boise State record, which is definitely important to me. It’s a cycle for me. This is where it started. I played my first bowl game here, and I’m going to play my last bowl game here, so I’m excited,” Colledge said.
Boise State will play a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference, which has not yet been determined.
There are four teams that could possibly come to Boise. Boston College and NC State are the two most likely candidates. But don’t count out the chance for Florida State or Clemson to play in the MPC Computers Bowl.
Florida State has lost two straight and plays this Saturday against Virginia Tech in the ACC Football Championship game. A third loss could doom the Seminoles for a larger bowl berth, and could be a huge crowd draw for the area.
For one senior, that’s a way he would love to go out as a Bronco.
“There’s a possibility that it’s Florida State and that’s always
For Boise State, this will be the first time the team has played in the bowl since 2002. In 2003, the team played in the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl, beating TCU 34-31. Last season the Broncos played in the Liberty Bowl against Louisville, losing 44-40.
There was no other logical choice for Boise State than to stay home and play a bowl game in Boise for the first time for most of the players on the team.
“I know a lot of the guys would like the bowl experience and would like to travel, but I started here; I know what happens. And I think they should experience that, and Boise has waited a long time to have us here at home,” Colledge said.
Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier also said this was what he wanted for the players.
“We are looking to play the best opponent that we can as a reward to our players and we really think this will provide us with the best opponent,” Bleymaier said.
This will mark the sixth time the Broncos have played in a bowl game in the past seven seasons, and the third appearance in this bowl.
In 1999, the Broncos beat Louisville 34-31. In 2000, the Broncos defeated UTEP 38-23; and in 2002, the Broncos beat Iowa State 34-16.
For some of the older players, the memories are not hard to recall.
“I remember