In their Mountain West Conference debut the Boise State Broncos (6-0, 1-0) posted a decisive victory Saturday evening over the Colorado State Rams leaving the Rams 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in conference play. The victory came at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins, packed with a sea of Colorado State fans wearing white shirts in support of cancer awareness. There was also a sizeable crowd of blue and orange clad fans who had made the 750 mile roadtrip from Boise.
The Colorado State offense sputtered at the start and was shut out in the first quarter, while their defense allowed the Broncos to put up three scores. During the second quarter, the Rams scored twice and one was with a half-back pass. TE Crockett Gilmore pulled in a lateral and tossed a 27-yarder to a wide open FB Joe Brown. Five minutes later, they scored again after Momo Thomas forced a Boise State fumble. WR Charles Lovett took the handoff and took off running, then pulled up and threw a pass that hit Matt Yemm in full stride for the touchdown. It was like they had taken a page taken out of the Boise State playbook.
But those two TD's would be the only times the Rams would see the Bronco's end zone. They went into half time down 35-13, but carrying the momentum. The second half was all Boise State who went to work and showed why they are ranked 5th in the nation. They racked up 742 yards of total offense and a turnover, while holding Colorado State at 231 total yards and forcing 5 turnovers.
Boise State QB Kellen Moore was 26 of 30 in the passing department, and threw for 338 yards and four TDs for the evening. TE Tyler Shoemaker caught nine of those passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns, and added a 36-yard run on a fake punt that led to another. WR Mitch Burroughs caught 5 passes for 64 yards. RB Doug Martin had a great night as well. He rushed 20 times for 200 yards and three TDs. All told, the Bronco runners racked up 393 yards on the ground.
"Tonight we were just really clicking," Shoemaker said after the game. "I think it sets the standard for us in the Mountain West."
The victory leaves Kellen Moore one win shy of Colt McCoy's NCAA record.
Next Saturday the Colorado State Rams travel to El Paso to take on the UTEP Miners while the Boise State Broncos will host the Air Force Falcons at home.
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