-
1 of 10
-
2 of 10
-
3 of 10
-
4 of 10
-
5 of 10
-
6 of 10
-
7 of 10
-
8 of 10
-
9 of 10
-
10 of 10
Broncos survive classic Duck shootout 37-32
Archive
Comments
Story
What happened Saturday afternoon in Eugene, Ore. – and what could have happened – was incredible. The scenarios that played out in Autzen Stadium were electrifying and high-flying. And in the end, the Boise State Broncos were able to silence 58,000 Duck bills with a sound 37-32 victory.
“We went out here to win this game and show what type of team Boise State is now,” senior running back Ian Johnson said. “It really feels great to know that we just made a statement in this game.”
That statement was made early on. Oregon, going into the game, was the fourth team in the nation in rushing. As mostly everyone expected, the Ducks ran the ball almost every play in the first quarter. This resulted in six points and 84 rushing yards from their tailbacks.
After that first quarter, however, the Broncos were able to put a halt on the Oregon wheels.
“They’re a running team and we just wanted to shut them down,” junior cornerback Kyle Wilson said.
The defense shut down Oregon’s running game when they needed to and came up with some huge momentum-shifting plays.
“This is why we play the game,” Wilson said. “Today was today, it was just time for the playmakers to step up.”
That defensive stopping power allowed the BSU offense to shine and do their thing.
A career long 51-yard field goal from sophomore Kyle Brotzman in the second quarter brought the score to 3-6 in favor of Oregon. The BSU defense once again proved impressive, and when the offensive took over, they put up 24 total points in the quarter including Brotzman’s field goal.
“It was good to get on top of them quick, because they’re a good team,” freshman quarterback Kellen Moore said.
Moore had an amazing first half throwing for 206 yards and two touchdowns.
The second quarter was highlighted by a 41-yard catch from Moore to junior wide receiver Jeremy Childs, and a 6-yard touch down from Johnson.
Moore stole the show, however, thanks to his ability to move BSU down the field and connect on many different third-down attempts. On the day he was 24-36 for 386 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
“That just goes to show that the coaches were right when they made the decision on quarterback,” Johnson said. “They saw something that we only got a glimpse of.”
Going into half-time BSU held a 24-6 lead.
The third quarter offensively wasn’t much different, as Oregon tried to utilize their running game and BSU stuck to passing. At the end of three quarters of play, the Broncos held a convincing 37-13 lead and looked like they would coast.
Like all great sports stories, however, there was a comeback. A big comeback. With the Ducks down to their fifth-string quarterback, freshman Darron Thompson, who entered the game late in the third, it seemed like all hope would be lost.
Then they went away from what they are known for nationwide, and decided to throw the ball. And throw they did. Thompson connected on three straight drives to Oregon receivers and put the Ducks in a position to win.
Oregon simply ran out of time in the end and BSU came away with the upset. Thompson finished the game going 13-25 for 210 yards, one interception and one sack.
“He did a great job, which I thought he could,” Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. “We decided at halftime to bring him in, but we didn’t do it until I said we could, and we probably should have done it earlier.”
In the end, Boise State took home the victory – something they will have little time to let soak in. Come Monday, the Broncos will be back on the blue getting ready for their next opponent.
“This is just a game three here,” BSU head coach Chris Petersen said. “It’s great to come here and get a win against a team like this. But we need to keep doing better. It’s a long season. This a great first step."
Mary Albl
