Ouch, that really hurts. As upset and dejected as I felt last night watching Boise State's BCS Bowl and title hunt go sailing wide right and then wide left of the upright, it is important that we as Bronco fans and supporters look at the big picture of this season and what is to come. The result of the game was unexpected yes, but kudos to Nevada for being up to the task, not backing down, and pulling it out in the end. Life goes on and this football team is only going to get better as the years go by, there is no doubt about that. Let's look at some numbers and see just how bad it was.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
Rushing-145...........269
Passing-348...........259
..Total-493...........528
First Downs:
......Broncos......Wolfpack
........21............28
There really isn't that much more to look at. These stats tell the entire story. Uncharacteristically, Boise State gave up a lot of yards. I mean a lot. That is just ridiculous. The worst part is I can't quite put my finger on what happened. The Broncos had the Wolfpack stuffed the entire first half and were also firing on all cylinders offensively. The second half started and it looked like the teams had switched jerseys. Hats off to Nevada for making adjustments and earning the victory. I still can't believe that the Wolfpack was able to move the ball that easily against what has been a more than stellar Bronco defensive front. It was shocking. What was even more incredible was the fact that Boise State's offense sputtered against the Nevada defense. They were able to get pressure on Moore and make him uncomfortable in the pocket. The offensive line was disappointing in that regard. All of these things make up why Nevada had more yards and more first downs than the Broncos. It's baffling.
What We Learned:
Nevada was confident and it showed. They were not scared to play the Broncos. Credit to Chris Ault for preparing his guys and making the adjustments at half time. Maybe he is a good coach after all. The Wolfpack never flinched as Boise State got out to an early lead but they remained focused. A few hours before the game I told my wife that this game felt a lot like the one at Hawai'i in 2007 when they earned a trip to the Sugar Bowl. It felt like a trap and it sure was.
That was the worst officiated game I have seen in a really long time. By no means is that the reason that Boise State lost, but it made it just that much harder to watch. The punt catch interference call was one of the worst referring decisions I can recall. It was a great play by Boise State. The pass interference against Jamar Taylor was ludicrous, and completely gave the momentum to the Wolfpack. Plus they missed an obvious one against Nevada the next drive where the defender grabbed Titus Young's facemask. Ridiculous. Like I said, the refs didn't lose the game for the Broncos, but it sure made me mad.
Coach Pete and the team are classy as always. Just listen to the post game press conferences. I am seriously glad that he is the coach.
Kyle Brotzman is still the man. How anyone has the audacity to threaten his life is ludicrous. There were reports that his family's house in Meridian was getting phone calls threatening to kill him. I am completely ashamed as a Bronco fan for that. I love Kyle Brotzman. He has been a great player for Boise State since he was a freshman and that does not change now. Blaming the loss on him is ridiculous. He wasn't out there missing tackles and letting Nevada's defense get in Moore's grill all night. Yes, his job is to make field goals and those two were pretty easy ones to make, but the defense and offense shouldn't have put him in that position. Death threats are asinine. How quickly we forget. Remember at the Fiesta Bowl when he did this and everybody fell in love with him?
Areas of Concern:
There are so many. Run defense. It was good all season up until this point. Protecting our quarterback. Special teams. You name it. Mainly in the second half, this was not a good performance for Boise State.
Favorite Play:
It has to be either the Doug Martin screen for an 80-something yard touchdown or the bomb to Titus Young that put the Broncos in field goal range to win the game. Too bad neither mattered in the end.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
This loss was completely deflating for fans. We go from national title contenders to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl against a crappy 6-6 team probably from the Pac-10 in just one game. Such is the life of college football fans. Kellen is still the man and will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Doug Martin was a complete beast last night. He scored three touchdowns and accounted for 230 total yards, both rushing and receiving. It was beautiful. The Muscle Hamster strikes again!
Perception:
The whole "style points" thing is now over as is the importance of national perception. Still, I think most voters and non-biased mature college football fans will recognize how good of a team Nevada is and that Boise State losing to them is not the biggest shock in the history of the sport. I will be cheering for the Horned Frogs in the Rose Bowl come January 1st! We as Bronco fans need to see the bigger picture. We have been spoiled with a great team and most schools in the nation would be more than happy with a 10-1 (possibly 11-1 or 12-1) season. We can't win all of them. Boise State has established itself as a premier program in the country and nothing will change that. The team will be good for years to come. I see many more BCS Bowls in Boise State's future. I am very proud to be a Bronco fan for the way that our team fought in a tough environment against a good team. The loss is disappointing and sad yes, but it is important to take it for what it is. If you say anything different than you might not be a true fan as it is. I love Boise State and everything the coaches and players stand for. Remember Stephen Kinsey at the Hawai'i game. We still have Utah State and then the bowl game to cheer for. Let's go Broncos!
Photos:
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Make sure you check back in on Monday for the Weekend Recap!
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