Final Verdict: Boise State @ Air Force

Welcome to the Brett Rypien and John Hightower show everyone. The Broncos entered their match-up against Air Force with a resurgent offense and a beat up defense. Those two units definitely met the narrative, as the offense was a well oiled machine, and the defense struggled to stop Isaiah Sanders and the Air Force triple option. Let’s revisit how the Broncos came away with the victory and how they did with the keys to the game.

Can Rypien continue to spin it?

Yes, yes, and yes. Rypien was not as accurate as normal, but he got the job done in a big way. He completed 20 of 34 passes for 399 yards and tied a career high with five touchdown passes. Rypien was a wizard throwing the ball down field completing 11 passes for more than 15 yards and 5 passes for more than 25 yards. He may not have met his completion percentage record, but he got the job done.

Can the offensive line continue to improve?

This was one of the best performances the offensive line has had this year. They overcame a barrage of Air Force blitzes and opened up running holes that we haven’t seen since the Connecticut game. Alexander Mattison looked like the running back we expected to see all year.

Will the defense step it up?

Not really. From the beginning of the game, the defense struggled to finish tackles and had no answer for Isaiah Sanders and the Air Force fullback dive in the first half. In the second half, the Broncos made adjustments, selling out on the fullback dive and doing everything in their power to get some hits on Sanders. The Broncos did that, which resulted in an Air Force offense that couldn’t move the ball with the same efficiency.

Will the Broncos be able to avoid more injuries?

To be determined. Tyson Maeva, Durrant Miles, Tyreque Jones, and John Hightower all suffered injuries during the Air Force game. All four players returned. Hopefully, these were just stingers, and all of these players will be ready to go for a rivalry showdown with BYU.

Can Mattison overcome the 100 yard hurdle?

Yes! Mattison had his best performance of the year, carrying the ball 22 times for 136 yards. He was hitting the holes with more urgency and looked like he had more of a bounce in his step.

Vegas Line:

Boise State -9.5, Vegas nailed this one. The Broncos game away with a 10 point victory.

My Prediction:

Boise State 42, Air Force 28. The Broncos came away with a 48-38 victory. It wasn’t pretty from a defensive perspective, but defensive coordinator, Andy Avalos, made some adjustments. It was enough for the Broncos to come away with the victory.

Stay tuned for a big week at Mountain West Connection. Tuesday there will be a new edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.” Wednesday we will have bowl projections and a piece on what it means to be a good fan.