Final Verdict: Boise State @ Nevada

On Saturday night, the Broncos came away with a thrilling victory over the Wolf Pack. The game was a tale of two halves. Boise State could not do anything right offensively outside of a long touchdown run by John Hightower. The Broncos looked much cleaner and crisper in the second half. Rypien looked like the quarterback we saw the first four games of the season, and some changes on the offensive line had a noticeable impact. Here are my takeaways from the Bronco victory:

Does Ty Gangi play?

Yes, and the announcers made sure we all knew how brave he was. All hail Ty Gangi and his powerful thigh pad! Yes, Gangi played and he played well. The Wolf Pack were relatively healthy, and the Broncos were noticeably limited in the secondary. Gangi did a nice job navigating the pocket, but his mobility was limited.

Is Nevada good on defense?

Maybe? I’m really not sure, to be honest. The Wolf Pack did an excellent job keeping the run game in check for three quarters and forced plenty of turnovers. However, Rypien gained some confidence in the second half and was able to sling the ball around with relative ease. Also, Boise State’s offensive line was able to wear down Nevada in the fourth quarter with a drive that took more than eight minutes off the clock.

Can the Broncos offensive line get the job done?

Yes, but it took a full half of awful football to get it done. Penalties, an ineffective run game, and the quarterback taking too many hits was the story of the first half. Isiah Moore and John Ojukwu started the second half, and, for the first time since the Connecticut game, the right side of the offensive line looked formidable.

Will Rypien get his swagger back?

It sure looked like it in the second half. That first half was sure a head scratcher though. Rypien was off target and threw two terrible interceptions. He was far more effective in the second half; his only real blemish was an interception that bounced off the hands of his receiver, CT Thomas.

Can the Broncos figure it out on special teams?

To be determined. I am of the opinion that no news is good news when it comes to special teams. The Bronco special teams did not have any glaring mistakes and made their only field goal attempt. That is a step in the right direction.

Was last week a sign of things to come?

The jury is still out. The Broncos made some changes on the offensive line, and it made a difference. The question is, can they keep it up for a whole game? The defense has significant injuries. There is a very real chance that they will be down five starters when Colorado State comes into town.

Vegas Line:

Broncos -20 (This was way off...again)

My Prediction:

Boise State 38, Nevada 20.

Acual Score: Boise State 31, Nevada 27. At least I didn’t pick the Broncos to cover the spread.

Stay tuned later in the week for “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,” bowl projections, and my CSU-BSU preview.