Boise State vs. Arizona final score: Broncos big first half propels them to third Fiesta Bowl win

Boise State has won all three of their trips to the Fiesta Bowl, and the latest victim is Arizona. The Broncos used a big first half to propel them to a 38-30 win. The Broncos scored 31 of their 38 points in the first half, and their defense scored the only points in the second half on a Donte Deayon 16-yard pick-six.

The early onset of the game looked as if Boise State was going to roll all over Arizona as the Broncos raced out to a 21-0 lead. The first touchdown was a 56-yard Jay Ajayi run up the gut, and untouched. The next score was equally impressive as Grant Hedrick found Chaz Anderson for a 57-yard touchdown pass. The third score was not a long play but Boise State pulled out a Fiesta Bowl favorite with the Statue of Liberty play.

Boise State was completely dominant at this point on both sides of the ball. On Arizona's first two drives they combined for 34 yards on 10 plays. The Wildcats did get on the board on its third drive of the game to make 21-7. Arizona made their own defensive stop by forcing Boise State to punt and had a chance to cut into that lead but Wildcats quarterback Anu Solomon threw one of his two interceptions to Cleshawn Page.

Boise State turned that interception into another touchdown, which was Ajayi's third of the game.

The second half was a completely different game where both defenses showed up and the offense for Boise State was very different. In the third quarter the Broncos offense managed just two yards of total offense. Arizona scored 10 points and Boise State did get on the board defensively on a Donte Deayon interception return for a touchdown, and that touchdown was a big reason why Boise State won the game.

Ajayi led the Broncos with 134 yards and three touchdowns, but in the second half Boise State went away from the run and he had only 27 yards.

The fourth quarter saw Boise State be able to move the ball more, but they were not able to get any points on the board. The defense held for Boise State as they held Arizona to a 32-yard field goal.

Boise State stopped Arizona on their next drive and led 38-30 with 3:20 left in the game, but the Broncos attempt to run out the clock failed. The Wildcats nearly pulled off a Fiesta Bowl miracle of their own when a tired Solomon looked like he chucked the ball in the air but the 6-foot-3 Cayleb Jones caught a 43-yard pass over the 5-foot-9 Deyon to get to the 8-yard line.

Solomon misfired on his two pass attempts and on third down he scrambled and attempted to make a play but he was sacked by Kamalei Correa and there was no time for one last play. Solomon had a chance to throw the ball away but it looked as if he thought he could scramble and maybe even run the ball in for a touchdown.

Boise State finishes the year at 12-2 and wins their third Fiesta Bowl.