Bronco Recap: Boise State takes down the Cowboys

Boise State was at home for the first time in 27 days and played in front of 35,000 fans wearing black on a chilly November night. The Broncos did not disappoint, walking away with a 23-13 victory against a pesky Wyoming team. Boise State’s offense struggled to put points on the board despite moving the ball effectively for much of the night. The defense carried the team to their third consecutive victory. Let’s take a look at how each unit performed.

Offensive Grade: C+

Hank Bachmeier, George Holani, and Khalil Shakir all had solid nights. Looking at the halftime boxscore, you would have thought the Broncos were ahead by two or three touchdowns. The early fourth down stop and constantly taking three points made this a frustrating night for Boise State. There were some interesting play calls on third down that halted solid drives for the Broncos. If we are being honest, the Broncos should have easily put up 30 points in this game. They have some things to clean up next week before heading to San Diego for a Black Friday showdown with the Aztecs.

Defensive Grade: A-

Outside of some lazy coverage on a meaningless drive, the Cowboys had to work for every yard they gained. The only reason this grade isn’t better is because the defensive line could not get consistent coverage on Levi Williams. They seemed too concerned with keeping him in the pocket so he couldn’t utilize his speed. The play at linebacker and safety was solid with the four starters combining for 27 tackles. The Bronco defense kept one of the best running backs in the league, Xazavian Valladay, in check for most of the night. It was a really good performance by the defense, but it wasn’t great like the previous week.

Special Teams Grade: B

Three for three on field goals. Jonah Dalmas has quietly made himself a serious contender for special teams player of the year. Punting was average, and the Broncos weren’t able to field any returns in the punt game. That’s why they walk away with a “B” this week.

How would you rate the Broncos’ performance this week? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.