As the Boise State Broncos get ready to make the switch to the (used to be better than the WAC) Mountain West Conference, the state of college football in the West remains in flux. MWC commissioner Craig Thompson and school representatives met in Las Vegas to make a decision on two things; if the conference will expand from 8 members to 10 and if TCU should visit The Blue for the lone conference match up between two of the nation's top non-AQ teams instead of the other way around, as was originally scheduled. Here's the catch; the Horned Frogs don't have a vote on either matter because they are leaving the conference in 2012.
It was decided that the league will stay at eight teams (sorry Utah State, San Jose State. You're welcome Idaho). Here's the deal; it doesn't mean very much. Remember last year around this time when Thompson announced that they would not be inviting Boise State and then two days later they back-peddled and extended their needy hand to the Broncos? All it signifies is that the MWC won't expand right now. Don't be surprised if that changes sometime in the next two days or next year.
The other item on the docket went the way of the Broncos. The representatives decided that TCU will visit Boise State in Boise next season. You have to feel bad for Horned Frog athletic director Chris del Conte. He was sitting there the whole time while the votes were cast and he could do absolutely nothing about it. Sucks to be him. Naturally, he was overly upset about it.
"I'm disappointed. We were told that they were going to be here at TCU and I'm disappointed for our fans, our community and I'm disappointed in the conference. We made an agreement that this was what it was going to be, and to switch it this late in the game leaves a bitter taste in your mouth."
You really can't blame him. Here is how the Mountain West explained their decision;
"The Board felt the change was in the best interest of the Mountain West Conference and would help address current and future scheduling concerns created by the new set of circumstances which stemmed from another change in membership."
In other words, any win that the Broncos get over ranked teams bolsters the Mountain West's status in their quest to gain automatic qualifying status in the BCS so let's give them the advantage over a departing TCU team. In other, other words, "TCU is kinda' screwing us so let's kinda' screw them back!"
It is of the upmost importance that an athletic conference do every thing it can to survive and strengthen itself in this unstable and constantly shifting college football world. The Mountain West is doing just that. The motives behind the schedule change decision may not be the most upright or ethical, but who can blame them?
Both del Conte and Thompson have valid points in this situation. So where does that leave us? In pretty much the same situation we were before. Call it a draw. As a Bronco fan, I am incredibly excited to have the Horned Frogs on The Blue next fall. Even with my move to Pocatello, you better believe that I will be at the game. TCU is renovating their stadium this year anyway, rendering a large portion of it useless during the football season. Bring on the Frogs and let the battle ensue. You know they will have a huge chip on their shoulder and they are going to have a better than average chance of winning, even with Boise State's incredible home winning streak on the line. Can it be football season yet, please!?!?
Showing posts with label Idaho Vandals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Idaho Vandals. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Good News, Relocation Edition
Well it has happened. Bronco Chase is moving up in the world. As of today, Monday, January 24, 2011, I have been hired by the Idaho State Journal in Pocatello to be the sports page designer and eventually a writer. I am really excited to begin a career doing exactly what I want to be doing. The sports editor, Jay Heater, has plenty of experience both in writing and reporting. There is a lot that I can learn from him, which is something that I am really looking forward to accomplishing.
A lot of times in the journalism industry it is hard to get your foot in the door. But once you do, if you are talented and ambitious, there are plenty of opportunities to move up. I hope to be able to do just that.
As I move my family to Eastern Idaho (with my extensive Boise State Bronco wardrobe in tow), I will ponder and appreciate the blessing that this new opportunity is in my life. At the same time, I will be covering and reporting everything Idaho State Bengal-related. We will see what that does for me. I am excited to spend many evenings roaming the sidelines of football and basketball games, both high school and college. Let's go Bengals?!
This is the stadium where the games are played. It is called Holt Arena. At least it's better than that barn up in Moscow!
In terms of the blog and what that will mean for posts, I am not sure what it means. It is still up in the air. Bronco Chase may have to shut down entirely for the time being, or I will produce fewer posts that come out only when things are most important. It will all be figured out in no time. Until then, enjoy this very, very, crude/poorly done head shot of me that will appear in the Idaho State Journal next to a column of mine at one point or another (well, a better, more professional head shot will be printed).
_______________________________________________
In other news, the East-West Shrine Game took place on Saturday and four Boise State players were involved; Ryan Winterswyk, Winston Venable, Jeron Johnson, and Brandyn Thompson. Venable stole the show and impressed many people. I would love to see him blowing someone up on the NFL level. Oh, and some fool from Idaho played.
Anyway, make sure you check back in and see what else Bronco Chase has in store.
A lot of times in the journalism industry it is hard to get your foot in the door. But once you do, if you are talented and ambitious, there are plenty of opportunities to move up. I hope to be able to do just that.
As I move my family to Eastern Idaho (with my extensive Boise State Bronco wardrobe in tow), I will ponder and appreciate the blessing that this new opportunity is in my life. At the same time, I will be covering and reporting everything Idaho State Bengal-related. We will see what that does for me. I am excited to spend many evenings roaming the sidelines of football and basketball games, both high school and college. Let's go Bengals?!
This is the stadium where the games are played. It is called Holt Arena. At least it's better than that barn up in Moscow!
In terms of the blog and what that will mean for posts, I am not sure what it means. It is still up in the air. Bronco Chase may have to shut down entirely for the time being, or I will produce fewer posts that come out only when things are most important. It will all be figured out in no time. Until then, enjoy this very, very, crude/poorly done head shot of me that will appear in the Idaho State Journal next to a column of mine at one point or another (well, a better, more professional head shot will be printed).
_______________________________________________
In other news, the East-West Shrine Game took place on Saturday and four Boise State players were involved; Ryan Winterswyk, Winston Venable, Jeron Johnson, and Brandyn Thompson. Venable stole the show and impressed many people. I would love to see him blowing someone up on the NFL level. Oh, and some fool from Idaho played.
Anyway, make sure you check back in and see what else Bronco Chase has in store.
Monday, December 6, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Week 14
I cannot believe that the season is over. It has gone by way too fast, as it always does. But we still have bowl season to look forward to! The WAC got four teams bowl eligible and all of them have accepted invites to play. As you all know, the WAC Champion is actually a three way tie this year: Boise State, Hawai'i, and Nevada. That means that the Broncos have won the title 8 out of the past 9 years. That is just ridiculous. Congrats to them and good luck in their upcoming move to the Mountain West. Anyway, let's get going recapping the weekend.
Illinois Fighting Illini at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 31
Final score: Bulldogs 25, Fighting Illini 23
Fresno State got off to a quick start in this game and then did just enough to hold off Illinois at the end to take the "W." It was 16-0 by the time the first quarter ticked away its last second. This was a big win for Pat Hill and the Bulldogs because it got them to 8 wins for the year and silenced some of their critics, at least for the moment. Illinois is a very young team and will have plenty of success here in the next few years. Both teams are going to bowl games. Illinois takes on Baylor of the Big 12 in the Texas Bowl, which takes place on December 29th. Fresno State takes on Northern Illinois of the MAC in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on December 18th. Let's hope Fresno actually shows up this year for their bowl game...
Nevada Wolfpack at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 38 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 17
The Wolfpack was destined for a letdown after the emotions of beating Boise State the week before, and it happened. Well, it lasted for approximately the duration of the first half before pulling away and winning. Kaepernick and Taua both had huge games on the ground and were just too much for the Bulldogs. It has been an up and down season for Louisiana Tech and they will be watching bowl season from their own couches yet again. I think Sonny Dykes has something brewing down in Ruston. We will see in the next couple of years. Nevada earned themselves a date with the Boston College Eagles in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on January 9th. That should be an interesting match up.
San Jose State Spartans at Idaho Vandals
My prediction was Idaho wins 42 to 28
Final score: Vandals 26, Spartans 23 (OT)
Idaho probably didn't deserve to win this game. Remember the weekend before when they were the more motivated team against Fresno State and narrowly came away with the upset? They were on the other side of things this time. San Jose State played better and actually had the lead at halftime. In overtime, San Jose State got a field goal and Idaho ended it with a touchdown. Too bad neither of these teams is going to a bowl game this year. The Vandals have 6 wins, but one came against an FCS opponent in North Dakota. Better luck next year.
UNLV Runnin' Rebels at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 21
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Runnin' Rebels 21
This game went exactly as I expected it to go. Hawai'i was obviously the better team and took it to UNLV from the start. The Runnin' Rebels, however, did put a couple of touchdowns up on the board late, most likely against the Rainbow Warriors' second and third stringers. Quarterback Bryant Moniz had a modest 380 yards passing. The heavy lifting was done by running back Alex Green, who had 136 yards on 15 carries. UNLV will not be going to a bowl this year as they have only two wins to their name. Too bad. Hawai'i, however, accepted their bid to the Hawai'i Bowl about a month ago. They will take on Tulse of Conference USA and it all goes down on Christmas Eve. It should be a good one because both teams are among the highest scoring in the nation.
Oregon Ducks at Oregon State Beavers
My prediction was Oregon wins 52 to 24
Final score: Ducks 37, Beavers 20
Oregon State hung around a lot more than I thought they were going to. Of course, Oregon still came out on top, but it wasn't as pretty as some of their other wins have been. What did the Beavers in was quarterback Ryan Katz's 3 interceptions. That and the fact that they couldn't stop LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, who rushed for 134 and 133 yards respectively. Unfortunately for the Beavers, they will not be playing in a bowl game this year. That's too bad because they are actually a good team. They just ran into some tough competition early and lost a huge part of their offense when James Rodgers went down against Arizona. The Ducks have earned their spot in the National Championship Game and will face Auburn in Glendale, AZ on January 10th. I hope no one likes defense because there won't be much of it in this game!
Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
My prediction was Auburn wins 42 to 38
Final score: Tigers 56, Gamecocks 17
Auburn absolutely pasted South Carolina to win the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. It wasn't even a game, although it was disguised and promoted as one. Scam Newton played incredibly well, throwing for 335 yards and rushing 73 more. He is the team. Their defense can afford to gamble and basically suck because they know that Newton will just score and bail them out. The Gamecocks just had a really bad game, especially quarterback Stephen Garcia, he threw 2 interceptions. They will take on Florida State (another vanquished conference champion game opponent, this one from the ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. Maybe the Gamecocks can win in Atlanta this time around!
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 38 to 31
Final score: Hokies 44, Seminoles 33
Virginia Tech is really good. Imagine if they would not have lost to James Madison in their second game of the season...They probably would have ended up in the Orange Bowl anyway as the ACC Champion. The Hokies became the first team in FBS history to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2. I hope people are noticing this. Boise State beat Virginia Tech...Tyrod Taylor is amazing. I don't understand why he isn't getting more Heisman love for all that he has done this year and what he means to his team. Unfortunately for Florida State, their regular starting quarterback Christian Ponder wasn't able to play with an elbow injury. Back up EJ Manuel threw 2 interceptions. They can avenge themselves against South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. As I mentioned, Virginia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 3rd against the Stanford Cardinal.
Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
My prediction was Nebraska wins 35 to 34 in an upset special
Final score: Sooners 23, Cornhuskers 20
I really don't like Oklahoma, mainly because their coach Bob Stoops is a giant d-bag. Anyway, they managed to hold of Nebraska and score enough points to earn the win. I will give them credit for that. For the second year in a row, the 'Huskers fall short of the Big 12 title and are on their way to the Holiday Bowl. It's hard to pick an upset special when all the favored teams win. Oh well. Nebraska will face the Washington Huskies, whom they slaughtered earlier in the season in Seattle 56-21. The Holiday Bowl takes place in San Diego on 30th. Oklahoma will play Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 1st. Let's see if Stoops can finally win a BCS Bowl Game. Here's to hoping he doesn't.
Record coming in: 57-16
This week (including Boise State's win over Utah State): 8-1
Total: 65-17
The regular season has ended, as you may have heard. I will be picking winners for all 35 bowl games. The first one takes place on December 18th, which is a Saturday. Look for the picks on either the 16th or the 17th. Make sure you check back in tomorrow and the rest of this week for more Boise State information. Let's go Broncos!
Illinois Fighting Illini at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 31
Final score: Bulldogs 25, Fighting Illini 23
Fresno State got off to a quick start in this game and then did just enough to hold off Illinois at the end to take the "W." It was 16-0 by the time the first quarter ticked away its last second. This was a big win for Pat Hill and the Bulldogs because it got them to 8 wins for the year and silenced some of their critics, at least for the moment. Illinois is a very young team and will have plenty of success here in the next few years. Both teams are going to bowl games. Illinois takes on Baylor of the Big 12 in the Texas Bowl, which takes place on December 29th. Fresno State takes on Northern Illinois of the MAC in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl on December 18th. Let's hope Fresno actually shows up this year for their bowl game...
Nevada Wolfpack at Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
My prediction was Nevada wins 38 to 35
Final score: Wolfpack 35, Bulldogs 17
The Wolfpack was destined for a letdown after the emotions of beating Boise State the week before, and it happened. Well, it lasted for approximately the duration of the first half before pulling away and winning. Kaepernick and Taua both had huge games on the ground and were just too much for the Bulldogs. It has been an up and down season for Louisiana Tech and they will be watching bowl season from their own couches yet again. I think Sonny Dykes has something brewing down in Ruston. We will see in the next couple of years. Nevada earned themselves a date with the Boston College Eagles in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco on January 9th. That should be an interesting match up.
San Jose State Spartans at Idaho Vandals
My prediction was Idaho wins 42 to 28
Final score: Vandals 26, Spartans 23 (OT)
Idaho probably didn't deserve to win this game. Remember the weekend before when they were the more motivated team against Fresno State and narrowly came away with the upset? They were on the other side of things this time. San Jose State played better and actually had the lead at halftime. In overtime, San Jose State got a field goal and Idaho ended it with a touchdown. Too bad neither of these teams is going to a bowl game this year. The Vandals have 6 wins, but one came against an FCS opponent in North Dakota. Better luck next year.
UNLV Runnin' Rebels at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 21
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Runnin' Rebels 21
This game went exactly as I expected it to go. Hawai'i was obviously the better team and took it to UNLV from the start. The Runnin' Rebels, however, did put a couple of touchdowns up on the board late, most likely against the Rainbow Warriors' second and third stringers. Quarterback Bryant Moniz had a modest 380 yards passing. The heavy lifting was done by running back Alex Green, who had 136 yards on 15 carries. UNLV will not be going to a bowl this year as they have only two wins to their name. Too bad. Hawai'i, however, accepted their bid to the Hawai'i Bowl about a month ago. They will take on Tulse of Conference USA and it all goes down on Christmas Eve. It should be a good one because both teams are among the highest scoring in the nation.
Oregon Ducks at Oregon State Beavers
My prediction was Oregon wins 52 to 24
Final score: Ducks 37, Beavers 20
Oregon State hung around a lot more than I thought they were going to. Of course, Oregon still came out on top, but it wasn't as pretty as some of their other wins have been. What did the Beavers in was quarterback Ryan Katz's 3 interceptions. That and the fact that they couldn't stop LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner, who rushed for 134 and 133 yards respectively. Unfortunately for the Beavers, they will not be playing in a bowl game this year. That's too bad because they are actually a good team. They just ran into some tough competition early and lost a huge part of their offense when James Rodgers went down against Arizona. The Ducks have earned their spot in the National Championship Game and will face Auburn in Glendale, AZ on January 10th. I hope no one likes defense because there won't be much of it in this game!
Auburn Tigers vs. South Carolina Gamecocks
My prediction was Auburn wins 42 to 38
Final score: Tigers 56, Gamecocks 17
Auburn absolutely pasted South Carolina to win the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, Georgia. It wasn't even a game, although it was disguised and promoted as one. Scam Newton played incredibly well, throwing for 335 yards and rushing 73 more. He is the team. Their defense can afford to gamble and basically suck because they know that Newton will just score and bail them out. The Gamecocks just had a really bad game, especially quarterback Stephen Garcia, he threw 2 interceptions. They will take on Florida State (another vanquished conference champion game opponent, this one from the ACC) in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. Maybe the Gamecocks can win in Atlanta this time around!
Florida State Seminoles vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 38 to 31
Final score: Hokies 44, Seminoles 33
Virginia Tech is really good. Imagine if they would not have lost to James Madison in their second game of the season...They probably would have ended up in the Orange Bowl anyway as the ACC Champion. The Hokies became the first team in FBS history to win 11 straight games after starting the season 0-2. I hope people are noticing this. Boise State beat Virginia Tech...Tyrod Taylor is amazing. I don't understand why he isn't getting more Heisman love for all that he has done this year and what he means to his team. Unfortunately for Florida State, their regular starting quarterback Christian Ponder wasn't able to play with an elbow injury. Back up EJ Manuel threw 2 interceptions. They can avenge themselves against South Carolina in the Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on December 31st. As I mentioned, Virginia Tech will play in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida on January 3rd against the Stanford Cardinal.
Oklahoma Sooners vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers
My prediction was Nebraska wins 35 to 34 in an upset special
Final score: Sooners 23, Cornhuskers 20
I really don't like Oklahoma, mainly because their coach Bob Stoops is a giant d-bag. Anyway, they managed to hold of Nebraska and score enough points to earn the win. I will give them credit for that. For the second year in a row, the 'Huskers fall short of the Big 12 title and are on their way to the Holiday Bowl. It's hard to pick an upset special when all the favored teams win. Oh well. Nebraska will face the Washington Huskies, whom they slaughtered earlier in the season in Seattle 56-21. The Holiday Bowl takes place in San Diego on 30th. Oklahoma will play Connecticut in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona on January 1st. Let's see if Stoops can finally win a BCS Bowl Game. Here's to hoping he doesn't.
Record coming in: 57-16
This week (including Boise State's win over Utah State): 8-1
Total: 65-17
The regular season has ended, as you may have heard. I will be picking winners for all 35 bowl games. The first one takes place on December 18th, which is a Saturday. Look for the picks on either the 16th or the 17th. Make sure you check back in tomorrow and the rest of this week for more Boise State information. Let's go Broncos!
Monday, November 29, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Turkey Day Edition
It seemed like the Weekend started off bad and just got worse. From the opening kick off on Friday to Anthony Martinez' game winning field goal for Nevada it just felt like it was going to be Boise State's day. Still, there is a lot to look forward to for this year and for many more years down the road. Again, I wish to congratulate the Wolfpack for a great game and for the victory. They earned it. Let's get to recapping this weekend's action and go from there.
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Aggies 24
This game went exactly as I expected it to. Hawai'i is a good team and New Mexico State sucks. That is what happens in such a match up. Quarterback Bryant Moniz only had 315 passing yards for the Rainbow Warriors, which I guess is a bad game for him. Their running back Alex Green went off for 327 rushing yards on 19 carries. That is insane. Next week Hawai'i hosts UNLV on the islands and the Aggies do nothing. Their season is over.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans
My prediction was Louisiana Tech wins 35 to 17
Final score: Bulldogs 45, Spartans 38
Well this bad boy turned into a shoot out, huh? I never would have thought that San Jose State had the personnel, talent, or wits to participate in a shoot out, but obviously I was wrong. Spartan quarterback Jordan La Secla had a career night, exploding for 496 yards through the air on 35 completions. It only took him 65 attempts to do it, too. I think they abandoned the run game...On the other hand, Louisiana Tech went mainly with their bruising running back Lennon Creer to the tune of 252 yards on 30 carries. Holy crap now I am wishing that I watched this game! In the end, the Bulldogs pulled it out and can now look forward to hosting the Nevada Wolfpack, whom they need to beat to become bowl eligible. San Jose State travels up to the dump that is Moscow to take on the Vandals.
Idaho Vandals at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 28
Final score: Bulldogs 23, Vandals 20
The craziest thing about this game was that Fresno State did not score an offensive touchdown until the final minute, which also gave the Bulldogs the win. That means that their offense hadn't found the end zone in almost 8 full quarters before then (they got shut out at Boise State last weekend). It was too good to be true for the Vandals. There was no way that they were going to pull off the win. Better luck next year Idaho. It's nice to see that their quarterback Nathan Enderle is consistent, throwing plenty of interceptions. One went for a touchdown for Fresno State the other way. The Bulldogs finish up the regular season hosting Illinois from the Big Ten. Idaho heads back home and will host the San Jose State Spartans. They will not be bowl eligible this year.
Arizona Wildcats at Oregon Ducks
My prediction was Oregon wins 51 to 35
Final score: Ducks 48, Wildcats 29
Arizona had the lead at halftime, but it just felt like it wasn't going to happen for them. Oregon did what it always does (except against Cal) and pushes the throttle full speed in the second half to turn the game into a blow out. The Ducks' defense is not that good, but opportunistic. Giving up as many points as they do each week is fine if their offense continues to score at will. Oregon has secured the Pac-10's automatic BCS bid with the win and now look to lock up their spot in the National Championship game. They have to travel to Corvallis for the Civil War against the Beavers next Saturday. Arizona will host their rival Arizona State. On a side note, Pac-10 officials are terrible. That is all.
Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
My prediction was Alabama wins in an upset special 35 to 34
Final score: Tigers 28, Crimson Tide 27
This contest was so frustrating to watch, especially in the second half. Alabama jumped out to a 24-0 lead early and subsequently blew it, just as we all were expecting. The Crimson Tide fumbled the ball two separate times as they were going in to score. They should have had at least 41 points. That was what was so frustrating. Also, it didn't help that they couldn't keep Nick Fairley and the rest of the Auburn defensive line out of the back field. In the end, Cam Newton was too much for the Crimson Tide and Auburn's National Championship hopes are still alive. Also, Auburn's T'Sharvan Bell body-slammed Alabama's quarterback Greg McElroy into the turf, concussing him and knocking him out of the game. It was brutal. Auburn now faces South Carolina in the SEC Championship game. That will be a good one. I wonder what will happen if the Tigers lose. Do they still get to the National Championship Game? The Crimson Tide is done for now as they wait to find out where they will go bowling.
Record coming in: 53-14
This week (including Boise State's loss to Nevada): 4-2
Total: 57-16
Ever since last Friday when Boise State got owned in the second half against Nevada, I have had one thing on my mind (and I'm sure many other Boise State fans have as well); the field goal(s). How in the world could Brotzman miss, especially the first one? Let me get one thing straight, I in no way blame Kyle for the loss. He was not the one out there missing tackles, letting Wolfpack receiver Rishard Matthews run free in the secondary, and allowing Dantay Moch terrorize Kellen Moore. Kyle should never have been put in that position if the team would have played like they can. Like I said, Nevada earned the win and they should get all the credit in the world for being resilient, hard-nosed, and relentless.
With that said, I have a huge bone to pick with the WAC and those morons that they use as referees. I have mentioned this before, but that was one of the the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my life. They did not cost the Broncos the game, I don't think, but it sure swung lots of momentum back to Nevada. Read my earlier post here in the "What We Learned" section for more. I don't want to go into details about it here. But let's get back to the field goal that would have won the game for Boise State. Look at the video here, or just look at it below:
Personally, I don't see how that was a miss. He was close enough that even if it was angled, it still would have gone in. I understand that for a Nevada fan, it was clearly a miss. I am not trying to argue that because it is basically impossible to tell on a 2-D television/computer screen. What blows my mind is the fact that the officials under the goal posts don't make any hand signals after it is kicked. They were blocked by the crowd and the stands at the beginning, but walk out with their arms to their side. I am utterly baffled. Like I said, it's difficult to tell from that particular video replay if it was good or not, but don't they normally have cameras under the goal posts as well? I don't know, I'm just frustrated at how the game went and poorly officiated it was. Call me a whiner if you want, but I would like an explanation if there is one out there.
Anyway, congrats to the Wolfpack for earning a share of the WAC title. I look forward to playing them for years to come in the Mountain West. Let's get ready for Utah State and most likely the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Let's go Broncos!
Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors at New Mexico State Aggies
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 45 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 59, Aggies 24
This game went exactly as I expected it to. Hawai'i is a good team and New Mexico State sucks. That is what happens in such a match up. Quarterback Bryant Moniz only had 315 passing yards for the Rainbow Warriors, which I guess is a bad game for him. Their running back Alex Green went off for 327 rushing yards on 19 carries. That is insane. Next week Hawai'i hosts UNLV on the islands and the Aggies do nothing. Their season is over.
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at San Jose State Spartans
My prediction was Louisiana Tech wins 35 to 17
Final score: Bulldogs 45, Spartans 38
Well this bad boy turned into a shoot out, huh? I never would have thought that San Jose State had the personnel, talent, or wits to participate in a shoot out, but obviously I was wrong. Spartan quarterback Jordan La Secla had a career night, exploding for 496 yards through the air on 35 completions. It only took him 65 attempts to do it, too. I think they abandoned the run game...On the other hand, Louisiana Tech went mainly with their bruising running back Lennon Creer to the tune of 252 yards on 30 carries. Holy crap now I am wishing that I watched this game! In the end, the Bulldogs pulled it out and can now look forward to hosting the Nevada Wolfpack, whom they need to beat to become bowl eligible. San Jose State travels up to the dump that is Moscow to take on the Vandals.
Idaho Vandals at Fresno State Bulldogs
My prediction was Fresno State wins 35 to 28
Final score: Bulldogs 23, Vandals 20
The craziest thing about this game was that Fresno State did not score an offensive touchdown until the final minute, which also gave the Bulldogs the win. That means that their offense hadn't found the end zone in almost 8 full quarters before then (they got shut out at Boise State last weekend). It was too good to be true for the Vandals. There was no way that they were going to pull off the win. Better luck next year Idaho. It's nice to see that their quarterback Nathan Enderle is consistent, throwing plenty of interceptions. One went for a touchdown for Fresno State the other way. The Bulldogs finish up the regular season hosting Illinois from the Big Ten. Idaho heads back home and will host the San Jose State Spartans. They will not be bowl eligible this year.
Arizona Wildcats at Oregon Ducks
My prediction was Oregon wins 51 to 35
Final score: Ducks 48, Wildcats 29
Arizona had the lead at halftime, but it just felt like it wasn't going to happen for them. Oregon did what it always does (except against Cal) and pushes the throttle full speed in the second half to turn the game into a blow out. The Ducks' defense is not that good, but opportunistic. Giving up as many points as they do each week is fine if their offense continues to score at will. Oregon has secured the Pac-10's automatic BCS bid with the win and now look to lock up their spot in the National Championship game. They have to travel to Corvallis for the Civil War against the Beavers next Saturday. Arizona will host their rival Arizona State. On a side note, Pac-10 officials are terrible. That is all.
Auburn Tigers at Alabama Crimson Tide
My prediction was Alabama wins in an upset special 35 to 34
Final score: Tigers 28, Crimson Tide 27
This contest was so frustrating to watch, especially in the second half. Alabama jumped out to a 24-0 lead early and subsequently blew it, just as we all were expecting. The Crimson Tide fumbled the ball two separate times as they were going in to score. They should have had at least 41 points. That was what was so frustrating. Also, it didn't help that they couldn't keep Nick Fairley and the rest of the Auburn defensive line out of the back field. In the end, Cam Newton was too much for the Crimson Tide and Auburn's National Championship hopes are still alive. Also, Auburn's T'Sharvan Bell body-slammed Alabama's quarterback Greg McElroy into the turf, concussing him and knocking him out of the game. It was brutal. Auburn now faces South Carolina in the SEC Championship game. That will be a good one. I wonder what will happen if the Tigers lose. Do they still get to the National Championship Game? The Crimson Tide is done for now as they wait to find out where they will go bowling.
Record coming in: 53-14
This week (including Boise State's loss to Nevada): 4-2
Total: 57-16
Ever since last Friday when Boise State got owned in the second half against Nevada, I have had one thing on my mind (and I'm sure many other Boise State fans have as well); the field goal(s). How in the world could Brotzman miss, especially the first one? Let me get one thing straight, I in no way blame Kyle for the loss. He was not the one out there missing tackles, letting Wolfpack receiver Rishard Matthews run free in the secondary, and allowing Dantay Moch terrorize Kellen Moore. Kyle should never have been put in that position if the team would have played like they can. Like I said, Nevada earned the win and they should get all the credit in the world for being resilient, hard-nosed, and relentless.
With that said, I have a huge bone to pick with the WAC and those morons that they use as referees. I have mentioned this before, but that was one of the the worst officiated games I have ever seen in my life. They did not cost the Broncos the game, I don't think, but it sure swung lots of momentum back to Nevada. Read my earlier post here in the "What We Learned" section for more. I don't want to go into details about it here. But let's get back to the field goal that would have won the game for Boise State. Look at the video here, or just look at it below:
Personally, I don't see how that was a miss. He was close enough that even if it was angled, it still would have gone in. I understand that for a Nevada fan, it was clearly a miss. I am not trying to argue that because it is basically impossible to tell on a 2-D television/computer screen. What blows my mind is the fact that the officials under the goal posts don't make any hand signals after it is kicked. They were blocked by the crowd and the stands at the beginning, but walk out with their arms to their side. I am utterly baffled. Like I said, it's difficult to tell from that particular video replay if it was good or not, but don't they normally have cameras under the goal posts as well? I don't know, I'm just frustrated at how the game went and poorly officiated it was. Call me a whiner if you want, but I would like an explanation if there is one out there.
Anyway, congrats to the Wolfpack for earning a share of the WAC title. I look forward to playing them for years to come in the Mountain West. Let's get ready for Utah State and most likely the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Let's go Broncos!
Monday, November 22, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Week 12
Remember how on Wednesday I said quote "I do not feel nearly as comfortable this time around. I could easily end up 4-2 having picked Utah State to upset Idaho and choosing the Aztecs over the Utes. We will see." Well, my exact fear came to life and both Idaho and Utah won. Suck. Oh well, there is always this week. I did manage to maintain a winning record for the 11th week in a row and boost my stats. Let's go over the games that I picked and get a nice little preview of the showdown in the Biggest Little City in the World (that's right, Reno). I still can't get over how amazing Boise State was on Friday...Anyway...
New Mexico State Aggies at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 52, Aggies 6
This was expected. New Mexico State is absolutely terrible and they could not get anything going at all, especially offensively. It seems that the Wolfpack took it a little bit easy on them, maybe saving something for the game with Boise State on Friday. The Aggies were still able to muster 309 total yards, 220 of which came through the air. They just couldn't get anything in the end zone. That pass defense might need to shore up some with Kellen Moore and his group of outstanding receivers coming in. That's right, Nevada hosts Boise State on Friday in what will decide the WAC Championship. Either the Broncos take it all or Nevada earns a share. Excitement abounds! New Mexico State hosts the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in what will be their 10th loss of the season.
San Jose State Spartans at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 48 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 41, Spartans 7
Just like the Nevada/New Mexico State game, this particular match up yielded the expected results. San Jose State is absolutely terrible and it clearly shows. Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz threw the ball all over the yard to the tune of 593 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans scored their lone touchdown in the second quarter and didn't do anything beyond that offensively or defensively. Next week the Rainbow Warriors travel to New Mexico State to take on another terrible WAC team. San Jose State will host Louisiana Tech.
Idaho Vandals at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Utah State wins in an upset special 31 to 28
Final score: Vandals 28, Aggies 6
I had this one as my upset special based on a couple of things that I noticed. The Aggies can play well at times and I figured that at home they would be able to at least show up. But they did not. Also, Idaho's players, specifically Shiloh Keo, were calling each other out about being lazy. There was a lot of turmoil in the locker room and I figured that they would not play as a team. That may have been the case as they only put up 28 points and gaining 355 total yards, but it didn't matter because Utah State played like crap. Coming up for the hapless Aggies is a bye week followed by a trip to Boise. Idaho travels to Fresno State next week and will get destroyed by a pissed off Bulldog team.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Hokies 31, Hurricanes 17
Miami was playing out of their minds in the first half of this game, starting freshman quarterback Stephen Morris with normal starter Jacory Harris out with concussion symptoms. He did his best but in the end Virginia Tech proved to be too much for him as well as the Hurricane defense. Tyrod Taylor was a beast yet again and running back Ryan Williams showed up with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It also helped that the 'Canes turned the ball over 6 times. The Hokies have won the ACC Coastal Division and will play either Florida State or North Carolina State in the ACC Championship game. They still have one last regular season game at home against lowly Virginia next Saturday. They should take care of business there. Miami tries to regroup and hopefully get Harris back at home against the South Florida Bulls.
Utah Utes at San Diego State Aztecs
My prediction was San Diego State wins 35 to 21
Final score: Utes 38, Aztecs 34
This is another one that I expected to go differently than it actually did. Utah had looked terrible the last two weeks and appeared to be heading south. San Diego State had almost upset TCU on the road and was on the way up. The circumstances were perfect for an Aztec win, but it was not to be. After sucking big time in the first quarter offensively, the Utes found themselves and came back from 17 down to stun the home team and squeeze out a close victory. They still couldn't stop San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns. Utah was lucky that they won and now look ahead to the Holy War against BYU at home. The Aztecs play at home against the UNLV Rebels. They should win that one.
Record coming in: 49-12
This week (including Boise States win over Fresno State): 4-2
Total: 53-14
Overall, my picking hasn't been to bad, as the overall record tells you. After all the fun that we've had, Boise State heads to Reno, Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a huge game. I feel very confident about the Broncos right now after the beat down that they administered to Fresno State. Nevada is confident as well, but they always are when they play the Broncos. It will be a great game, but I see the BSU defense making plenty of stops and scoring plenty of points offensively to win the game. We will see how I feel when I make my picks on Thursday (Turkey Day!). As for now, Boise State has closed the gap with TCU in the BCS rankings and are behind by a measly .135 in the computers. With a win over Nevada (it probably needs to be at least fairly convincing), they should pass the Horned Frogs and will be sitting pretty should Oregon or Auburn fall in the next couple of weeks. I will be getting more and more excited as this week moves along, as well as more and more nervous. The angry ostrich Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick is always tough to stop. You know he does not want to go 0-4 against Boise State in his career. With that said, he has a tall task in front of him against a tough Bronco defense. It all goes down Friday night on ESPN. Let's get it on!
Keep coming back to see what Bronco Chase has planned for this holiday week. Go Broncos!
New Mexico State Aggies at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 52, Aggies 6
This was expected. New Mexico State is absolutely terrible and they could not get anything going at all, especially offensively. It seems that the Wolfpack took it a little bit easy on them, maybe saving something for the game with Boise State on Friday. The Aggies were still able to muster 309 total yards, 220 of which came through the air. They just couldn't get anything in the end zone. That pass defense might need to shore up some with Kellen Moore and his group of outstanding receivers coming in. That's right, Nevada hosts Boise State on Friday in what will decide the WAC Championship. Either the Broncos take it all or Nevada earns a share. Excitement abounds! New Mexico State hosts the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in what will be their 10th loss of the season.
San Jose State Spartans at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 48 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 41, Spartans 7
Just like the Nevada/New Mexico State game, this particular match up yielded the expected results. San Jose State is absolutely terrible and it clearly shows. Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz threw the ball all over the yard to the tune of 593 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans scored their lone touchdown in the second quarter and didn't do anything beyond that offensively or defensively. Next week the Rainbow Warriors travel to New Mexico State to take on another terrible WAC team. San Jose State will host Louisiana Tech.
Idaho Vandals at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Utah State wins in an upset special 31 to 28
Final score: Vandals 28, Aggies 6
I had this one as my upset special based on a couple of things that I noticed. The Aggies can play well at times and I figured that at home they would be able to at least show up. But they did not. Also, Idaho's players, specifically Shiloh Keo, were calling each other out about being lazy. There was a lot of turmoil in the locker room and I figured that they would not play as a team. That may have been the case as they only put up 28 points and gaining 355 total yards, but it didn't matter because Utah State played like crap. Coming up for the hapless Aggies is a bye week followed by a trip to Boise. Idaho travels to Fresno State next week and will get destroyed by a pissed off Bulldog team.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Hokies 31, Hurricanes 17
Miami was playing out of their minds in the first half of this game, starting freshman quarterback Stephen Morris with normal starter Jacory Harris out with concussion symptoms. He did his best but in the end Virginia Tech proved to be too much for him as well as the Hurricane defense. Tyrod Taylor was a beast yet again and running back Ryan Williams showed up with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It also helped that the 'Canes turned the ball over 6 times. The Hokies have won the ACC Coastal Division and will play either Florida State or North Carolina State in the ACC Championship game. They still have one last regular season game at home against lowly Virginia next Saturday. They should take care of business there. Miami tries to regroup and hopefully get Harris back at home against the South Florida Bulls.
Utah Utes at San Diego State Aztecs
My prediction was San Diego State wins 35 to 21
Final score: Utes 38, Aztecs 34
This is another one that I expected to go differently than it actually did. Utah had looked terrible the last two weeks and appeared to be heading south. San Diego State had almost upset TCU on the road and was on the way up. The circumstances were perfect for an Aztec win, but it was not to be. After sucking big time in the first quarter offensively, the Utes found themselves and came back from 17 down to stun the home team and squeeze out a close victory. They still couldn't stop San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns. Utah was lucky that they won and now look ahead to the Holy War against BYU at home. The Aztecs play at home against the UNLV Rebels. They should win that one.
Record coming in: 49-12
This week (including Boise States win over Fresno State): 4-2
Total: 53-14
Overall, my picking hasn't been to bad, as the overall record tells you. After all the fun that we've had, Boise State heads to Reno, Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a huge game. I feel very confident about the Broncos right now after the beat down that they administered to Fresno State. Nevada is confident as well, but they always are when they play the Broncos. It will be a great game, but I see the BSU defense making plenty of stops and scoring plenty of points offensively to win the game. We will see how I feel when I make my picks on Thursday (Turkey Day!). As for now, Boise State has closed the gap with TCU in the BCS rankings and are behind by a measly .135 in the computers. With a win over Nevada (it probably needs to be at least fairly convincing), they should pass the Horned Frogs and will be sitting pretty should Oregon or Auburn fall in the next couple of weeks. I will be getting more and more excited as this week moves along, as well as more and more nervous. The angry ostrich Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick is always tough to stop. You know he does not want to go 0-4 against Boise State in his career. With that said, he has a tall task in front of him against a tough Bronco defense. It all goes down Friday night on ESPN. Let's get it on!
Keep coming back to see what Bronco Chase has planned for this holiday week. Go Broncos!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Weekend Picks, 9th Edition (12th Week of the Season)
First things first:
"Shiloh Keo just got a mouthful of Doug Martin!"
-Joe Tessitore
Enjoy!
As I mentioned yesterday, this is a weird blogger-week for me. I will be leaving early Friday morning so as to have a grand ol' time in Boise in preparation for the game against Fresno. My wife has some family coming into town who we are graciously treating to an evening at Bronco Stadium. How hospitable are we?! So today will be the Weekend Picks and tomorrow will be the Weekly PTW. Let's get it on!
Saturday, November 20th at 2:05 PM
(2-8, 1-5 WAC)
at
(9-1, 4-1 WAC)
This game is going to get really ugly about as fast as it can. Think Boise State at Idaho last week. The Wolfpack may just put up 28 points in the first quarter as well. “Bird Leg” Kaepernick has found his mojo again and will be running all over the lowly Aggies at home. Don’t forget Vai Taua and the rest of the running backs that Nevada throws onto the field. New Mexico State has absolutely no chance of winning this game. They have no offensive weapons and can’t play defense. That means it will be a long afternoon for the Aggies. Good thing this season is almost over for them. I would think that Nevada will play pretty conservative so as to not show too much of what they will try and do against Boise State. Still, a high school team could beat the Aggies right now.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 20th at 8:30 PM
(1-9, 0-5 WAC)
at
(7-3, 5-1 WAC)
The Rainbow Warriors play very well at home, having beaten ranked Nevada earlier in the season. The Spartans are even worse than the New Mexico State Aggies, having lost to them a few weeks ago. What this means is that Hawai’i will crush San Jose State with their passing attack. You could say that the Spartans are playing better, but they still only have one win to show for it (which was against a 1-AA by the way). All I’m saying is that San Jose State will be dropping to 1-10 probably by the end of the first quarter.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 48, Spartans 14
Saturday, November 20th at 1 PM
(4-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(4-6, 2-4 WAC)
Idaho got curb stomped last week at home by Boise State. The game wasn’t as close as the 52-14 final may have led you to believe, especially since the Bronco starters sat out a bulk of the second half. Now you have cheap-shotting d-bag Shiloh Keo calling out his “selfish, egotistical” teammates (pot, meet kettle). In other words, things are not looking good for the Vandals coming down the home stretch, and bickering or accusing your teammates is not going to help. They have to win two of the next three games to be bowl eligible. They should handle San Jose State, Fresno will beat them, and that means that the Aggies are their last chance for bowl game redemption. Nathan Enderle will have to play better and stop throwing the ball to the other team if they want to leave Logan with the "W." Luckily for Idaho, Brandyn Thompson doesn’t play for Utah State. On the other hand, the Aggies aren’t anything close to a powerhouse either. Their inconsistency is baffling considering the considerable hype that came their way during the preseason. Derrvin Speight has been a beast at running back the last couple of games and they will rely on him heavily against the Vandals on Saturday. This game will be a lot closer than many people think. Remember, Utah State beat Idaho last year in Moscow. While making this pick, I am counting on the good Utah State team to show up, not the crappy one that has popped up from time to time. At the same time, with mutiny amongst the ranks and after a demoralizing loss to their rivals at home, I see the same result as last year.
Upset Special!
Prediction: Aggies 31, Vandals 28
Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM
6-3, 4-2 WAC)
at
(9-0, 5-0 WAC)
The Bulldogs come into this game playing very well, having rediscovered the power running game that they have used so well in seasons past. The crazy part is the main feature in said power run game is running back Robbie Rouse, who stands proudly at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds, is the heart and soul behind the rejuvenated rushing attack. He has racked up 769 yards and 7 touchdowns in the past four games, including a near upset of the Nevada Wolfpack. He will be what the Broncos key on defensively, especially since Ryan Colburn is an average quarterback who is terrified of Winston Venable. A lot of young players have stepped up for Fresno State and are now playing very well. Even with the loss of Byron Hout at middle linebacker for the Broncos, they have a very disciplined and sturdy rushing defense. Still, Darrell Acrey is going to have to play out of his freaking mind. I am no longer worried about the pass defense as Brandyn Thompson and Jamar Taylor have proved in the past two games that they can lock down any receiver that comes their way. Boise State will have their hands full keeping Chris Carter and Logan Harrell out of the backfield and away from Moore. While they may get a few good plays in every now and then, there is no team in the country that can stop Boise State’s offense. The Bulldogs will have to outscore the Broncos, and with the nation’s second best defense statistically, that will not happen.
Prediction: Broncos 48, Bulldogs 17
Saturday, November 20th at 1:30 PM
(8-2, 6-0 ACC)
at
(7-3, 5-2 ACC)
I have been doing a lot of Hokie games lately. That’s because their success on the field affects Boise State more than any other team that they have played this year. This particular match up boasts two ranked teams. Virginia Tech has won 8 straight games and is in control of their own destiny. It is looking more and more like they will be in the ACC Championship game and will earn the ACC’s automatic BCS Bowl bid. This is their last test of the season, as they will host crappy Virginia on the final day. Tyrod Taylor is impossible to stop and the Hokies’ running backs are playing very well. The Hurricanes have benched long-time starter Jacory Harris and have gone with Stephen Morris. He has been playing well but has yet to see a defense like the Hokies. As a Bronco fan,I may be hoping big time here that Virginia Tech can keeps winning because I keep picking them.
Prediction: Hokies 35, Hurricanes 28
Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM
(8-2, 5-1 MWC)
at
(7-3, 4-2 MWC)
The fact that the Utes are still ranked is a complete joke. You don’t get blown out at home and tank on the road to a sub .500 team if you are worthy of a top 25 place. The Aztecs almost upset the Horned Frogs last week on the road, scoring 35 points, by far the most that TCU has given up all season. With that said, this match up has all the makings of a great watch, especially if you are a TCU or Boise State fan. If Utah wins, they salvage their season, save some face, and help out the Frogs in the polls and BCS computers. If San Diego State wins, they knock the Utes completely off the grid, screw up TCU even more than they are now, and help out Boise State. It’s amazing what Brady Hoke has done with this team. They were one of the worst in the nation when he got there 2 years ago and have turned them into a feared, respectable opponent. He is working his magic much like he did at Ball State. Except here he is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Southern California. This will be a great contest. A lot is on the line in terms of what will happen nationally depending on who wins. Utah is favored by 5 points as of today, but my guess is that changes by kick off on Saturday. The Aztecs might be getting the nod at that point.
Prediction: Aztecs 35, Utes 21
Total coming into this week: 49-12
There we have it. Let's see if I can do a repeat of last week and go 6-0. I do not feel nearly as comfortable this time around. I could easily end up 4-2 having picked Utah State to upset Idaho and choosing the Aztecs over the Utes. We will see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. There is a rumor that the Broncos will be wearing all orange pants and jerseys for the game, as the stadium is doing an orange out. I hope it's true! It will be a cold, rainy/snowy night. Let's go Broncos!
"Shiloh Keo just got a mouthful of Doug Martin!"
-Joe Tessitore
Enjoy!
As I mentioned yesterday, this is a weird blogger-week for me. I will be leaving early Friday morning so as to have a grand ol' time in Boise in preparation for the game against Fresno. My wife has some family coming into town who we are graciously treating to an evening at Bronco Stadium. How hospitable are we?! So today will be the Weekend Picks and tomorrow will be the Weekly PTW. Let's get it on!
Saturday, November 20th at 2:05 PM
(2-8, 1-5 WAC)
at
(9-1, 4-1 WAC)
This game is going to get really ugly about as fast as it can. Think Boise State at Idaho last week. The Wolfpack may just put up 28 points in the first quarter as well. “Bird Leg” Kaepernick has found his mojo again and will be running all over the lowly Aggies at home. Don’t forget Vai Taua and the rest of the running backs that Nevada throws onto the field. New Mexico State has absolutely no chance of winning this game. They have no offensive weapons and can’t play defense. That means it will be a long afternoon for the Aggies. Good thing this season is almost over for them. I would think that Nevada will play pretty conservative so as to not show too much of what they will try and do against Boise State. Still, a high school team could beat the Aggies right now.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 20th at 8:30 PM
(1-9, 0-5 WAC)
at
(7-3, 5-1 WAC)
The Rainbow Warriors play very well at home, having beaten ranked Nevada earlier in the season. The Spartans are even worse than the New Mexico State Aggies, having lost to them a few weeks ago. What this means is that Hawai’i will crush San Jose State with their passing attack. You could say that the Spartans are playing better, but they still only have one win to show for it (which was against a 1-AA by the way). All I’m saying is that San Jose State will be dropping to 1-10 probably by the end of the first quarter.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 48, Spartans 14
Saturday, November 20th at 1 PM
(4-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(4-6, 2-4 WAC)
Idaho got curb stomped last week at home by Boise State. The game wasn’t as close as the 52-14 final may have led you to believe, especially since the Bronco starters sat out a bulk of the second half. Now you have cheap-shotting d-bag Shiloh Keo calling out his “selfish, egotistical” teammates (pot, meet kettle). In other words, things are not looking good for the Vandals coming down the home stretch, and bickering or accusing your teammates is not going to help. They have to win two of the next three games to be bowl eligible. They should handle San Jose State, Fresno will beat them, and that means that the Aggies are their last chance for bowl game redemption. Nathan Enderle will have to play better and stop throwing the ball to the other team if they want to leave Logan with the "W." Luckily for Idaho, Brandyn Thompson doesn’t play for Utah State. On the other hand, the Aggies aren’t anything close to a powerhouse either. Their inconsistency is baffling considering the considerable hype that came their way during the preseason. Derrvin Speight has been a beast at running back the last couple of games and they will rely on him heavily against the Vandals on Saturday. This game will be a lot closer than many people think. Remember, Utah State beat Idaho last year in Moscow. While making this pick, I am counting on the good Utah State team to show up, not the crappy one that has popped up from time to time. At the same time, with mutiny amongst the ranks and after a demoralizing loss to their rivals at home, I see the same result as last year.
Upset Special!
Prediction: Aggies 31, Vandals 28
Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM
6-3, 4-2 WAC)
at
(9-0, 5-0 WAC)
The Bulldogs come into this game playing very well, having rediscovered the power running game that they have used so well in seasons past. The crazy part is the main feature in said power run game is running back Robbie Rouse, who stands proudly at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds, is the heart and soul behind the rejuvenated rushing attack. He has racked up 769 yards and 7 touchdowns in the past four games, including a near upset of the Nevada Wolfpack. He will be what the Broncos key on defensively, especially since Ryan Colburn is an average quarterback who is terrified of Winston Venable. A lot of young players have stepped up for Fresno State and are now playing very well. Even with the loss of Byron Hout at middle linebacker for the Broncos, they have a very disciplined and sturdy rushing defense. Still, Darrell Acrey is going to have to play out of his freaking mind. I am no longer worried about the pass defense as Brandyn Thompson and Jamar Taylor have proved in the past two games that they can lock down any receiver that comes their way. Boise State will have their hands full keeping Chris Carter and Logan Harrell out of the backfield and away from Moore. While they may get a few good plays in every now and then, there is no team in the country that can stop Boise State’s offense. The Bulldogs will have to outscore the Broncos, and with the nation’s second best defense statistically, that will not happen.
Prediction: Broncos 48, Bulldogs 17
Saturday, November 20th at 1:30 PM
(8-2, 6-0 ACC)
at
(7-3, 5-2 ACC)
I have been doing a lot of Hokie games lately. That’s because their success on the field affects Boise State more than any other team that they have played this year. This particular match up boasts two ranked teams. Virginia Tech has won 8 straight games and is in control of their own destiny. It is looking more and more like they will be in the ACC Championship game and will earn the ACC’s automatic BCS Bowl bid. This is their last test of the season, as they will host crappy Virginia on the final day. Tyrod Taylor is impossible to stop and the Hokies’ running backs are playing very well. The Hurricanes have benched long-time starter Jacory Harris and have gone with Stephen Morris. He has been playing well but has yet to see a defense like the Hokies. As a Bronco fan,I may be hoping big time here that Virginia Tech can keeps winning because I keep picking them.
Prediction: Hokies 35, Hurricanes 28
Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM
(8-2, 5-1 MWC)
at
(7-3, 4-2 MWC)
The fact that the Utes are still ranked is a complete joke. You don’t get blown out at home and tank on the road to a sub .500 team if you are worthy of a top 25 place. The Aztecs almost upset the Horned Frogs last week on the road, scoring 35 points, by far the most that TCU has given up all season. With that said, this match up has all the makings of a great watch, especially if you are a TCU or Boise State fan. If Utah wins, they salvage their season, save some face, and help out the Frogs in the polls and BCS computers. If San Diego State wins, they knock the Utes completely off the grid, screw up TCU even more than they are now, and help out Boise State. It’s amazing what Brady Hoke has done with this team. They were one of the worst in the nation when he got there 2 years ago and have turned them into a feared, respectable opponent. He is working his magic much like he did at Ball State. Except here he is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Southern California. This will be a great contest. A lot is on the line in terms of what will happen nationally depending on who wins. Utah is favored by 5 points as of today, but my guess is that changes by kick off on Saturday. The Aztecs might be getting the nod at that point.
Prediction: Aztecs 35, Utes 21
Total coming into this week: 49-12
There we have it. Let's see if I can do a repeat of last week and go 6-0. I do not feel nearly as comfortable this time around. I could easily end up 4-2 having picked Utah State to upset Idaho and choosing the Aztecs over the Utes. We will see. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. There is a rumor that the Broncos will be wearing all orange pants and jerseys for the game, as the stadium is doing an orange out. I hope it's true! It will be a cold, rainy/snowy night. Let's go Broncos!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Broncos Destroy Overmatched Vandals-The Streak Hits 12
The game turned out just about the way everyone expected it to. It was blow out city from the start! Chris Potter's 76 yard punt return set the tone for a first quarter that yielded 28 points for Boise State, and they never looked back. The Vandals' points came in the second half. One touchdown was a pass from Nathan Enderle to Eric Greenwood, and the second a garbage time fumble by Bronco back up Joe Southwick that was pounced on in the end zone by Idaho. Most things went really well for the Broncos, and very little went well for the Vandals. Let's take a look at some stats and then analyze the game from my perspective.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Vandals
Rushing-199..........101
Passing-225..........215
..Total-424..........316
Passing, Completions-Attempts:
......Broncos......Vandals
.......22-33........28-54
First Downs:
......Broncos......Vandals
........23...........15
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Vandals
........4-46........7-80
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Vandals
........1.............3
Number of sacks on opposing quarterback:
......Broncos......Vandals
.........4............2
As you can see, Boise State outgained Idaho in total yards, but not by as much as you would have expected, especially in the rushing game. It's a little deceiving because Kellen Moore and most of the starters did not play past 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, and the second and third team did not play all that well (note: Idaho kept their starters in long after that). So basically, the Vandals were able to gain pointless yards against Boise State's back ups that netted no points for them. That skews the amount of total yards that Idaho racked up. Also, the Vandals ran two fake punts that accounted for 93 of their rushing yards. Give them credit for executing them, but besides that they had 8 yards on the ground. As for the passing game, Moore had a good night in his 2 1/2 quarters of play. Enderle (who was intercepted twice) and Brian Reader (intercepted once) combined for 54 pass attempts, only completing 28 of them, on their way to gaining 215 yards. That is a lot of passes to get that small amount of yardage. It was not an efficient night for the Vandal quarterbacks to say the least. it was nice to see Boise State keep their penalties to a minimum, while Idaho committed nearly twice as many. The turnovers were important for Boise State. Brandyn Thompson grabbed two picks last night, one from each quarterback. Finally, the Broncos only got 4 sacks, as opposed to the seven they had against Hawai'i last week. It was still a great showing. Idaho's sacks both came late in the game against the Broncos' back ups.
What We Learned:
Coach Pete does not waiver from his stance. He will not run up the score no matter who the opponent is. It was great to see him stick to his guns even though the rest of us wanted him to allow Kellen to throw 3 or 4 more touchdown passes against our hated (crappy) rival. I guess it was a good thing that Pete pulled Moore, as Shiloh Keo was just waiting to get a cheap shot in, which he did against Michael Coughlin. Speaking of that;
Shiloh Keo is a complete douche bag. Did you see that idiot blatantly head hunt the quarterback when Coughlin scrambled towards the sideline? I was pissed and so were many (all) Bronco players and fans. The worst part was Keo got up and looked at the ref like he had done nothing wrong. I hope someone goes Jojo Dickson on Keo next game and knocks that loser out for good.
The Vandal starters can score on Boise State's second and third team. Congratulations. But don't get confused, their offense couldn't do anything last night. It was a fumble in the end zone that got them their score. Nice work Idaho, have fun next year and the year after in the gutted WAC. I am not sad to see us go.
Chris Potter is a great punt returner. I'm starting to like this kid more and more. He reminds me a lot of Vinny Perretta. I hope the coaches keep using him in the wildcat formations and letting him pass every now and then. Also, it was great to see a punt returned for a touchdown. That hasn't happened for the Broncos since Kyle Wilson did it in 2008.
Idaho's defense played really hard, as Rod Gilmore and Rob Tessitore pointed out about 5 times during the game. That was getting really annoying. Plus, as hard as they played, they looked ridiculous out there getting burned by Titus and dissected by Kellen. I know you have to find things to talk about during a blowout, but building up a team that is getting taken to the woodshed is not the best way to go.
It turns out, Boise State's secondary can catch passes! Doesn't it feel like it has been forever since we had an interception? Well we had three last night. Idaho's quarterbacks sucking + Brandyn Thompson lurking in the secondary = INT! Good times...
Areas of Concern:
Second and third team. I know, they are the back ups. But I have seen them play a lot better than that in other games. Joe Southwick needs to hang onto the freaking football! He has fumbled 2 or 3 times this year. That is something that he will work on more as he gets ready to be the starter after next season. Special teams. That is a little too general, but they HAVE to stop those fake punts. Letting it happen once is one thing, but twice?
Favorite Play:
Doug Martin was at it again, lighting up chumps and knocking out fools! His first touchdown run was finished by trucking d-bag Shiloh Keo right in the freaking mouth and bull-dozing him into the end zone. It was beautiful! No videos of it have been posted, but I will keep searching for one to post. I am getting all giddy just thinking about it!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
The Vandals' quarterback Nathan Enderle is supposed to be an NFL prospect. He may be tall, but that tool cannot throw a decent ball. It doesn't help when this is happening to him on a consistent basis;
All I am saying is I am not sold on him. Idaho fans spelled out "nasty and inebriated" on their chests. It was hilarious. I was watching Sportscenter the other day and they were talking about the Miami Heat. They showed a video of their head coach, and right behind him was a lady wearing a Boise State T-shirt! You have to see it! Here is the video, fast forward to the 20 second mark. Remember, this is in Miami, Florida at an NBA basketball game! Amazing!
Anyway, I wonder if Mr. Enderle remembers seeing some blue and orange last night? He did not look like he was having very much fun.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Billy Winn was his normal self last night, which is a complete beast. I counted 2 sacks from him. But it wasn't just that; he and his defensive line buddies were harassing Enderle all game, making his life absolutely miserable. It looks like I picked a good one for my Weekly PTW! Let's hope I can continue that next week when the Broncos take on Fresno State at home.
Perception:
I have mentioned that the yards and stats are a little deceiving for this game. It is a good thing that it was broadcasted on ESPN2 so that voters, fans, and the general public were all able to see how dominant Boise State truly was. There is a lot of ground to make up between the Broncos and TCU. But three consecutive Friday night prime time games will help a lot. Boise State cannot afford to be hidden when they play. Fresno State and Nevada are big games and will go a long way in proving to the voters (who in a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction) pegged the Horned Frogs above Boise State after they beat Utah last week. I don't know if it is possible to jump back over the Frogs, but it is worth trying. With all the controversy surrounding Cam Newton, the Broncos could benefit greatly. Plus I think Auburn will lose before the season is over. If it's not today against Georgia, then Alabama will take care of them in the Iron Bowl. Overall, Boise State's win over Idaho will not hurt the Broncos, and hopefully it will help when coupled with the next few games.
Photos:
You should just regularly read idahostatesman.com. For the most part they have some pretty good articles and pictures.
Yardage:
......Broncos......Vandals
Rushing-199..........101
Passing-225..........215
..Total-424..........316
Passing, Completions-Attempts:
......Broncos......Vandals
.......22-33........28-54
First Downs:
......Broncos......Vandals
........23...........15
Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Vandals
........4-46........7-80
Turnovers:
......Broncos......Vandals
........1.............3
Number of sacks on opposing quarterback:
......Broncos......Vandals
.........4............2
As you can see, Boise State outgained Idaho in total yards, but not by as much as you would have expected, especially in the rushing game. It's a little deceiving because Kellen Moore and most of the starters did not play past 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, and the second and third team did not play all that well (note: Idaho kept their starters in long after that). So basically, the Vandals were able to gain pointless yards against Boise State's back ups that netted no points for them. That skews the amount of total yards that Idaho racked up. Also, the Vandals ran two fake punts that accounted for 93 of their rushing yards. Give them credit for executing them, but besides that they had 8 yards on the ground. As for the passing game, Moore had a good night in his 2 1/2 quarters of play. Enderle (who was intercepted twice) and Brian Reader (intercepted once) combined for 54 pass attempts, only completing 28 of them, on their way to gaining 215 yards. That is a lot of passes to get that small amount of yardage. It was not an efficient night for the Vandal quarterbacks to say the least. it was nice to see Boise State keep their penalties to a minimum, while Idaho committed nearly twice as many. The turnovers were important for Boise State. Brandyn Thompson grabbed two picks last night, one from each quarterback. Finally, the Broncos only got 4 sacks, as opposed to the seven they had against Hawai'i last week. It was still a great showing. Idaho's sacks both came late in the game against the Broncos' back ups.
What We Learned:
Coach Pete does not waiver from his stance. He will not run up the score no matter who the opponent is. It was great to see him stick to his guns even though the rest of us wanted him to allow Kellen to throw 3 or 4 more touchdown passes against our hated (crappy) rival. I guess it was a good thing that Pete pulled Moore, as Shiloh Keo was just waiting to get a cheap shot in, which he did against Michael Coughlin. Speaking of that;
Shiloh Keo is a complete douche bag. Did you see that idiot blatantly head hunt the quarterback when Coughlin scrambled towards the sideline? I was pissed and so were many (all) Bronco players and fans. The worst part was Keo got up and looked at the ref like he had done nothing wrong. I hope someone goes Jojo Dickson on Keo next game and knocks that loser out for good.
The Vandal starters can score on Boise State's second and third team. Congratulations. But don't get confused, their offense couldn't do anything last night. It was a fumble in the end zone that got them their score. Nice work Idaho, have fun next year and the year after in the gutted WAC. I am not sad to see us go.
Chris Potter is a great punt returner. I'm starting to like this kid more and more. He reminds me a lot of Vinny Perretta. I hope the coaches keep using him in the wildcat formations and letting him pass every now and then. Also, it was great to see a punt returned for a touchdown. That hasn't happened for the Broncos since Kyle Wilson did it in 2008.
Idaho's defense played really hard, as Rod Gilmore and Rob Tessitore pointed out about 5 times during the game. That was getting really annoying. Plus, as hard as they played, they looked ridiculous out there getting burned by Titus and dissected by Kellen. I know you have to find things to talk about during a blowout, but building up a team that is getting taken to the woodshed is not the best way to go.
It turns out, Boise State's secondary can catch passes! Doesn't it feel like it has been forever since we had an interception? Well we had three last night. Idaho's quarterbacks sucking + Brandyn Thompson lurking in the secondary = INT! Good times...
Areas of Concern:
Second and third team. I know, they are the back ups. But I have seen them play a lot better than that in other games. Joe Southwick needs to hang onto the freaking football! He has fumbled 2 or 3 times this year. That is something that he will work on more as he gets ready to be the starter after next season. Special teams. That is a little too general, but they HAVE to stop those fake punts. Letting it happen once is one thing, but twice?
Favorite Play:
Doug Martin was at it again, lighting up chumps and knocking out fools! His first touchdown run was finished by trucking d-bag Shiloh Keo right in the freaking mouth and bull-dozing him into the end zone. It was beautiful! No videos of it have been posted, but I will keep searching for one to post. I am getting all giddy just thinking about it!
Thoughts and Tidbits:
The Vandals' quarterback Nathan Enderle is supposed to be an NFL prospect. He may be tall, but that tool cannot throw a decent ball. It doesn't help when this is happening to him on a consistent basis;
All I am saying is I am not sold on him. Idaho fans spelled out "nasty and inebriated" on their chests. It was hilarious. I was watching Sportscenter the other day and they were talking about the Miami Heat. They showed a video of their head coach, and right behind him was a lady wearing a Boise State T-shirt! You have to see it! Here is the video, fast forward to the 20 second mark. Remember, this is in Miami, Florida at an NBA basketball game! Amazing!
Anyway, I wonder if Mr. Enderle remembers seeing some blue and orange last night? He did not look like he was having very much fun.
Weekly Player to Watch Recap:
Billy Winn was his normal self last night, which is a complete beast. I counted 2 sacks from him. But it wasn't just that; he and his defensive line buddies were harassing Enderle all game, making his life absolutely miserable. It looks like I picked a good one for my Weekly PTW! Let's hope I can continue that next week when the Broncos take on Fresno State at home.
Perception:
I have mentioned that the yards and stats are a little deceiving for this game. It is a good thing that it was broadcasted on ESPN2 so that voters, fans, and the general public were all able to see how dominant Boise State truly was. There is a lot of ground to make up between the Broncos and TCU. But three consecutive Friday night prime time games will help a lot. Boise State cannot afford to be hidden when they play. Fresno State and Nevada are big games and will go a long way in proving to the voters (who in a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction) pegged the Horned Frogs above Boise State after they beat Utah last week. I don't know if it is possible to jump back over the Frogs, but it is worth trying. With all the controversy surrounding Cam Newton, the Broncos could benefit greatly. Plus I think Auburn will lose before the season is over. If it's not today against Georgia, then Alabama will take care of them in the Iron Bowl. Overall, Boise State's win over Idaho will not hurt the Broncos, and hopefully it will help when coupled with the next few games.
Photos:
You should just regularly read idahostatesman.com. For the most part they have some pretty good articles and pictures.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Weekly Player to Watch, 8th Edition
As the eve of the final rivalry game descends upon us, we are left with a few questions that must be answered. How many sacks will the Broncos get on Enderle? Can Boise State finally force a turnover, and hopefully an interception? Why does the Kibbie Dome smell like urine? The point is, this game is going to be a blow out. The Vandals may get a few small jabs in during the fight, but Boise State is going to overpower them in every way possible and make it a 3 hour nightmare for them. If Idaho had a decent team last year and lost 63-25, what do you think is going to happen when they bring this bad team into the contest? What is your prediction? To quote the immortal words of Clubber Lang in Rocky III, "My prediction...PAIN!" Bronco Chase's Weekly PTW will be the proprietor of pain and wreak God-like vengeance upon the hapless Vandals for thinking they have a shot at winning.
90% of Idaho's problems this year can be attributed to the poor play of their offensive line. A bulk of Enderle's interceptions are from having to get rid of the ball too early because defenders are shoving their helmets into his gut. This does not look good for the Vandal's, as the clear strength of the Boise State defense has been their lineman. Uh oh...Enderle will be bleeding by the time the game's over. With that said, there is one man who is going to bring it hot and heavy right at the Vandal quarterback. This week's PTW is...Billy Winn!
Did you know that Idaho ranks 116th out of 120 teams in the nation in rushing the ball? If you thought Hawai'i was one dimensional, wait until you get a look at the Vandals. Part of that is they don't have any good running backs, and the other part is that their offensive line blows (as we have already mentioned). Although his production is very low, has clearly been a massive disappointment after a decent freshman year, and will probably get held to negative rushing yards today, Vandal/loser Deonte Jackson decided to stir the pot, calling BSU president Bob Kustra a "blue and orange snot." Well there we have even more motivation for Billy Winn and co. to violently stuff Jackson every time he touches the ball. My point is Idaho is going to pass the ball a lot, especially since they are going to be down by a lot of points. Winn is going to hammer Enderle to the smelly turf in the Kibbie Dome time after time. In fact, I would not be surprised to see him in the backfield quick enough to be able to grab a hand off and force a fumble or two. Enderle will be screaming in terror. Wouldn't you? FIST!!!!!
Before his days of sporting the meanest, most terrifying mohawk in the history of mankind, Billy Winn was lighting up fools on a football in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a senior, Winn was named the Sunrise League Defensive Player of the Year as well as being named first team All-State and All-League after registering 18 sacks and 3 forced fumbles from the defensive end position. At Boise State, he plays nose tackle and has yet to meet an offensive lineman that can contain him. He was the most sought after player in Nevada during the 2007 recruiting season. Billy Winn had offers from Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona State, UNLV, and Texas Tech. That's pretty amazing in itself, number one, and even more so that Coach Pete and his assistants were able to get him onto The Blue. He has been paying dividends ever since. On a related note, Winn is a big man and is not afraid to show you.
Billy had 8.5 in his two years at Boise State coming into this season. His stats have not been updated to tell us how many he has this year, but I would assume that there are a few. My favorite play of his so far happened against Oregon last year at Bronco Stadium. Masoli handed off to loser/criminal LeGarrette Blount when the Ducks were pinned back deep in their own territory. At roughly the same same time the ball was handed off, Winn was there to drive Blount into the orange turf in the end zone, registering a safety and establishing the Broncos' defensive dominance that would hover over Oregon throughout the entire game.
Needless to say that anybody wearing anything close to Idaho colors tonight better have their head on a swivel, because mean Billy Winn will be coming for you. That may or may not include the losers in the stands who support that dumpster fire of a football team. Just ask this poor fool how it feels to be leveled by Mr. Winn, who is this week's (terrifying) PTW!
I wish I knew what it feels like to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Billy Winn does. In fact, he is the only one in this shot to have his helmet off. Good lookin' out Billy!
Check back in tomorrow for my take on the game and everything that goes down tonight in Moscow. Let's go Broncos!
90% of Idaho's problems this year can be attributed to the poor play of their offensive line. A bulk of Enderle's interceptions are from having to get rid of the ball too early because defenders are shoving their helmets into his gut. This does not look good for the Vandal's, as the clear strength of the Boise State defense has been their lineman. Uh oh...Enderle will be bleeding by the time the game's over. With that said, there is one man who is going to bring it hot and heavy right at the Vandal quarterback. This week's PTW is...Billy Winn!
Did you know that Idaho ranks 116th out of 120 teams in the nation in rushing the ball? If you thought Hawai'i was one dimensional, wait until you get a look at the Vandals. Part of that is they don't have any good running backs, and the other part is that their offensive line blows (as we have already mentioned). Although his production is very low, has clearly been a massive disappointment after a decent freshman year, and will probably get held to negative rushing yards today, Vandal/loser Deonte Jackson decided to stir the pot, calling BSU president Bob Kustra a "blue and orange snot." Well there we have even more motivation for Billy Winn and co. to violently stuff Jackson every time he touches the ball. My point is Idaho is going to pass the ball a lot, especially since they are going to be down by a lot of points. Winn is going to hammer Enderle to the smelly turf in the Kibbie Dome time after time. In fact, I would not be surprised to see him in the backfield quick enough to be able to grab a hand off and force a fumble or two. Enderle will be screaming in terror. Wouldn't you? FIST!!!!!
Before his days of sporting the meanest, most terrifying mohawk in the history of mankind, Billy Winn was lighting up fools on a football in Las Vegas, Nevada. As a senior, Winn was named the Sunrise League Defensive Player of the Year as well as being named first team All-State and All-League after registering 18 sacks and 3 forced fumbles from the defensive end position. At Boise State, he plays nose tackle and has yet to meet an offensive lineman that can contain him. He was the most sought after player in Nevada during the 2007 recruiting season. Billy Winn had offers from Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State, Arizona State, UNLV, and Texas Tech. That's pretty amazing in itself, number one, and even more so that Coach Pete and his assistants were able to get him onto The Blue. He has been paying dividends ever since. On a related note, Winn is a big man and is not afraid to show you.
Billy had 8.5 in his two years at Boise State coming into this season. His stats have not been updated to tell us how many he has this year, but I would assume that there are a few. My favorite play of his so far happened against Oregon last year at Bronco Stadium. Masoli handed off to loser/criminal LeGarrette Blount when the Ducks were pinned back deep in their own territory. At roughly the same same time the ball was handed off, Winn was there to drive Blount into the orange turf in the end zone, registering a safety and establishing the Broncos' defensive dominance that would hover over Oregon throughout the entire game.
Needless to say that anybody wearing anything close to Idaho colors tonight better have their head on a swivel, because mean Billy Winn will be coming for you. That may or may not include the losers in the stands who support that dumpster fire of a football team. Just ask this poor fool how it feels to be leveled by Mr. Winn, who is this week's (terrifying) PTW!
I wish I knew what it feels like to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Billy Winn does. In fact, he is the only one in this shot to have his helmet off. Good lookin' out Billy!
Check back in tomorrow for my take on the game and everything that goes down tonight in Moscow. Let's go Broncos!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Weekend Picks, 8th Edition (11th Week of the Season)
Saturday, November 13th at 4 PM
(3-6, 2-3 WAC)
at
(2-7, 1-4 WAC)
Louisiana Tech choked at home last weekend in a loss to Fresno State. They allowed the Bulldogs to score 23 points in the 4th quarter. Coming in, their strength was supposed to be their rush defense, but Fresno’s Robbie Rouse ran all over them, totaling 286 yards on 43 carries. They will need to shore that up with Seth Smith ready to go for the Aggies. Smith is NMSU’s only legitimate weapon and I would expect that he will be given the ball frequently. Louisiana Tech needs to win their next 3 games in order to become bowl eligible. That shouldn’t be a problem against New Mexico State and San Jose State, but Nevada is their final game and that will be a tall order for the Bulldogs. The Aggies have no shot at a bowl game, so they are playing the role of the spoiler, and for pride. Those two things can be quite the motivation, especially at home. But, I think Louisiana Tech has enough to take care of business.
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 13th at 6 PM
(3-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(1-8, 0-4 WAC)
The Aggies find themselves in the same position as Louisiana Tech. They must win their last three to become bowl eligible, but must face a daunting task at the end of the season. They have to play Boise State on The Blue. But Utah State has found some momentum, having come from behind to beat New Mexico State last week. Quarterback Diondre Borel will need to play well and they have to keep feeding Derrvin Speight the rock. San Jose State still can’t find a win and is amongst the worst teams in the nation. The Spartan offense is anemic, and their defense is not any better. Quarterback Jordan La Secla is playing better, but is not getting any help from his teammates. Utah State has been up and down this year, and San Jose State has been just down.
Prediction: Aggies 31, Spartans 17
Saturday, November 13th at 8:30 PM
(8-1, 3-1 WAC)
at
(6-2, 4-1 WAC)
The Wolfpack is feeling a lot better after last week’s complete annihilation of the Idaho Vandals. “Bird Leg” and co. racked up 844 total yards in a 63-17 beat down. They have their rushing game back, which will be important against Fresno State. They will need to be firing on all cylinders offensively and playing good enough defense to earn their third straight victory. The Bulldogs will unleash Robbie Rouse and hope that he runs wild against Nevada like he did against Louisiana Tech last Saturday. Quarterback Ryan Colburn has become the second option in their offense, but can still make plenty of plays with his arm and his legs. Fresno State is going to have to outscore the Wolfpack in order to win. I don’t know if they are going to be able to do that, but they can sure make a game out of it. This has all the makings of a great contest. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype!
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Bulldogs 35
Friday, November 12th at 7 PM
(8-0, 4-0 WAC)
at
(4-5, 3-1 WAC)
The rivalry game against the Idaho Vandals happens in the Kibbie Dome tomorrow night. The Friday game on ESPN2 will give Boise State more of the exposure they need so as to get noticed by voters and whoever else needs more convincing of their worthiness. That said, with as good of a game as they played against Hawai'i, I would expect a few more mistakes from the Broncos this time around. But that won't matter much when they play a terrible team like Idaho. The item that is discussed most is whether or not this will be the last game that these two teams play. I feel that it should only continue in Boise, as there is no need or reason for the Broncos to travel up to Moscow. So in honor of the final rivalry game for the foreseeable future, I wrote a poem.
The streets will run thick with silver and gold .23 BAC blood
The curb stomp in Moscow goes down with a sickening thud
The rivalry ends on Friday with the Broncos clearly on top
When the snot bubblers fly, not even "uncle" makes it stop
What do you think? Basically what I am saying is this game is not even going to be close. Did you see how dominant Boise State was against the Rainbow Warriors last Saturday? Even with a couple of mistakes, they owned them and there is no reason that tomorrow should be any different. Bryant Moniz was a rag doll being thrown around time after time. With as terrible as the Vandal offensive line has been, Enderle has to be shaking. In fact, he may preemptively injure himself so as to not have to take the field on Friday. I guarantee the players are sitting in their dirty, cramped, moldy offices in Moscow right now gawking at Bronco game film, drooling all over themselves out of fear and remorse for even thinking they had a chance. The pee puddle on the floor is under Nathan Enderle’s chair as he runs from the room in terror. Deer in the headlights already. If Hawaii destroys the Vandals by 35, and Boise State annihilates Hawaii 35, what do you think is going to happen in that bathroom stall they call a football stadium? Sounds like a 70 point victory to me! It will get ugly real fast. Do not expect Coach Pete to go all lovey-dovey on Idaho this time around. While he might not run up the score, there will be flea-flickers, statues of liberty, double-reverse passes, and some late throws so as to send a message. This is a rivalry game right? Sure the fans enjoy it a lot. But aren't rivalries supposed to be competitive? Vandals complain that Boise State doesn't want to continue this game, and that when they were on their streak, they never thought about ending it due to a lack of competition. What a joke! When Idaho won 12 in a row, were they ranked 4th nationally with a chance to move up into a better conference (although the merits of said new conference are now somewhat debatable)? The point is if a rivalry is lopsided and there are bigger fish to fry, then we certainly find ourselves in a different situation than we were when the Vandals won their 12 in a row. I would love to see the Broncos continue to play Idaho, but it will have to wait at least two years. Going back to this particular contest, Idaho is in huge trouble and this could be the final straw for Akey; He’ll bolt for the border and be wearing Washington State maroon and white next year at this time. 12 in a row, here we come! The Vandals might have a chance at a conference championship next year in the severely depleted WAC. Good luck then. Broncos roll big!
Prediction: Broncos 58, Vandals 13
How about this. It's funny because it's true!
Saturday, November 13th at 1:30 PM
(7-2, 5-0 ACC)
at
(6-3, 3-2 ACC)
The Hokies are playing incredibly well and are coming off of a thrilling victory over Georgia Tech last Thursday. They will have had 9 days to prepare for the Tar Heels. At the beginning of the season, this game appeared like it was going to be for all the marbles. But a few NCAA investigations and a couple of people kicked off the team later and North Carolina is pretty well depleted. Still, they have managed to win 6 games thus far and are playing great most weeks. Virginia Tech will be tested in Raleigh for sure. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor will need to play well (he has every game so far this season) and help his team avoid the let down effect from the thrills of defeating the Yellowjackets last week. The hero of the game David Wilson, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown, will not play with an injury. That is unfortunate, but with Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, they should be just fine. With a defense that is now finally playing up to its hype and a scoring threat at quarterback, the Hokies will be too much for the Tar Heels to handle.
Prediction: Hokies 31, Tar Heels 27
Saturday, November 13th at 12:30 PM
(8-1, 5-1 MWC)
at
(4-5)
The Utes were completely humiliated at home last week by the TCU Horned Frogs. It also exposed them for the overrated over-achievers that they are. Now they must try and regroup on the road in South Bend, Indiana. Utah didn’t even crack 200 yards last Saturday and didn’t score until garbage time in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame usually plays pretty tough at home (excluding the inexplicable loss to Tulsa), and this should be a pretty tough game for the Utes. At the same time, I would assume that despite their anger over the loss, they are drained emotionally and physically. This may be a letdown game for them. I am looking into the future and I see the Virginia Tech Hokies ranked higher than the Utah Utes by the end of the season. That starts on Saturday.
UPSET SPECIAL!
Prediction: Fighting Irish 31, Utes 28
Record coming into this week: 43-12
Make sure you come back tomorrow to see who I pick for my Weekly PTW. I am incredibly excited for this game, in case you can't tell! Let's go Broncos!
(3-6, 2-3 WAC)
at
(2-7, 1-4 WAC)
Louisiana Tech choked at home last weekend in a loss to Fresno State. They allowed the Bulldogs to score 23 points in the 4th quarter. Coming in, their strength was supposed to be their rush defense, but Fresno’s Robbie Rouse ran all over them, totaling 286 yards on 43 carries. They will need to shore that up with Seth Smith ready to go for the Aggies. Smith is NMSU’s only legitimate weapon and I would expect that he will be given the ball frequently. Louisiana Tech needs to win their next 3 games in order to become bowl eligible. That shouldn’t be a problem against New Mexico State and San Jose State, but Nevada is their final game and that will be a tall order for the Bulldogs. The Aggies have no shot at a bowl game, so they are playing the role of the spoiler, and for pride. Those two things can be quite the motivation, especially at home. But, I think Louisiana Tech has enough to take care of business.
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Aggies 21
Saturday, November 13th at 6 PM
(3-6, 1-4 WAC)
at
(1-8, 0-4 WAC)
The Aggies find themselves in the same position as Louisiana Tech. They must win their last three to become bowl eligible, but must face a daunting task at the end of the season. They have to play Boise State on The Blue. But Utah State has found some momentum, having come from behind to beat New Mexico State last week. Quarterback Diondre Borel will need to play well and they have to keep feeding Derrvin Speight the rock. San Jose State still can’t find a win and is amongst the worst teams in the nation. The Spartan offense is anemic, and their defense is not any better. Quarterback Jordan La Secla is playing better, but is not getting any help from his teammates. Utah State has been up and down this year, and San Jose State has been just down.
Prediction: Aggies 31, Spartans 17
Saturday, November 13th at 8:30 PM
(8-1, 3-1 WAC)
at
(6-2, 4-1 WAC)
The Wolfpack is feeling a lot better after last week’s complete annihilation of the Idaho Vandals. “Bird Leg” and co. racked up 844 total yards in a 63-17 beat down. They have their rushing game back, which will be important against Fresno State. They will need to be firing on all cylinders offensively and playing good enough defense to earn their third straight victory. The Bulldogs will unleash Robbie Rouse and hope that he runs wild against Nevada like he did against Louisiana Tech last Saturday. Quarterback Ryan Colburn has become the second option in their offense, but can still make plenty of plays with his arm and his legs. Fresno State is going to have to outscore the Wolfpack in order to win. I don’t know if they are going to be able to do that, but they can sure make a game out of it. This has all the makings of a great contest. Let’s hope it lives up to the hype!
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Bulldogs 35
Friday, November 12th at 7 PM
(8-0, 4-0 WAC)
at
(4-5, 3-1 WAC)
The rivalry game against the Idaho Vandals happens in the Kibbie Dome tomorrow night. The Friday game on ESPN2 will give Boise State more of the exposure they need so as to get noticed by voters and whoever else needs more convincing of their worthiness. That said, with as good of a game as they played against Hawai'i, I would expect a few more mistakes from the Broncos this time around. But that won't matter much when they play a terrible team like Idaho. The item that is discussed most is whether or not this will be the last game that these two teams play. I feel that it should only continue in Boise, as there is no need or reason for the Broncos to travel up to Moscow. So in honor of the final rivalry game for the foreseeable future, I wrote a poem.
The streets will run thick with silver and gold .23 BAC blood
The curb stomp in Moscow goes down with a sickening thud
The rivalry ends on Friday with the Broncos clearly on top
When the snot bubblers fly, not even "uncle" makes it stop
What do you think? Basically what I am saying is this game is not even going to be close. Did you see how dominant Boise State was against the Rainbow Warriors last Saturday? Even with a couple of mistakes, they owned them and there is no reason that tomorrow should be any different. Bryant Moniz was a rag doll being thrown around time after time. With as terrible as the Vandal offensive line has been, Enderle has to be shaking. In fact, he may preemptively injure himself so as to not have to take the field on Friday. I guarantee the players are sitting in their dirty, cramped, moldy offices in Moscow right now gawking at Bronco game film, drooling all over themselves out of fear and remorse for even thinking they had a chance. The pee puddle on the floor is under Nathan Enderle’s chair as he runs from the room in terror. Deer in the headlights already. If Hawaii destroys the Vandals by 35, and Boise State annihilates Hawaii 35, what do you think is going to happen in that bathroom stall they call a football stadium? Sounds like a 70 point victory to me! It will get ugly real fast. Do not expect Coach Pete to go all lovey-dovey on Idaho this time around. While he might not run up the score, there will be flea-flickers, statues of liberty, double-reverse passes, and some late throws so as to send a message. This is a rivalry game right? Sure the fans enjoy it a lot. But aren't rivalries supposed to be competitive? Vandals complain that Boise State doesn't want to continue this game, and that when they were on their streak, they never thought about ending it due to a lack of competition. What a joke! When Idaho won 12 in a row, were they ranked 4th nationally with a chance to move up into a better conference (although the merits of said new conference are now somewhat debatable)? The point is if a rivalry is lopsided and there are bigger fish to fry, then we certainly find ourselves in a different situation than we were when the Vandals won their 12 in a row. I would love to see the Broncos continue to play Idaho, but it will have to wait at least two years. Going back to this particular contest, Idaho is in huge trouble and this could be the final straw for Akey; He’ll bolt for the border and be wearing Washington State maroon and white next year at this time. 12 in a row, here we come! The Vandals might have a chance at a conference championship next year in the severely depleted WAC. Good luck then. Broncos roll big!
Prediction: Broncos 58, Vandals 13
How about this. It's funny because it's true!
Saturday, November 13th at 1:30 PM
(7-2, 5-0 ACC)
at
(6-3, 3-2 ACC)
The Hokies are playing incredibly well and are coming off of a thrilling victory over Georgia Tech last Thursday. They will have had 9 days to prepare for the Tar Heels. At the beginning of the season, this game appeared like it was going to be for all the marbles. But a few NCAA investigations and a couple of people kicked off the team later and North Carolina is pretty well depleted. Still, they have managed to win 6 games thus far and are playing great most weeks. Virginia Tech will be tested in Raleigh for sure. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor will need to play well (he has every game so far this season) and help his team avoid the let down effect from the thrills of defeating the Yellowjackets last week. The hero of the game David Wilson, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown, will not play with an injury. That is unfortunate, but with Ryan Williams and Darren Evans, they should be just fine. With a defense that is now finally playing up to its hype and a scoring threat at quarterback, the Hokies will be too much for the Tar Heels to handle.
Prediction: Hokies 31, Tar Heels 27
Saturday, November 13th at 12:30 PM
(8-1, 5-1 MWC)
at
(4-5)
The Utes were completely humiliated at home last week by the TCU Horned Frogs. It also exposed them for the overrated over-achievers that they are. Now they must try and regroup on the road in South Bend, Indiana. Utah didn’t even crack 200 yards last Saturday and didn’t score until garbage time in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame usually plays pretty tough at home (excluding the inexplicable loss to Tulsa), and this should be a pretty tough game for the Utes. At the same time, I would assume that despite their anger over the loss, they are drained emotionally and physically. This may be a letdown game for them. I am looking into the future and I see the Virginia Tech Hokies ranked higher than the Utah Utes by the end of the season. That starts on Saturday.
UPSET SPECIAL!
Prediction: Fighting Irish 31, Utes 28
Record coming into this week: 43-12
Make sure you come back tomorrow to see who I pick for my Weekly PTW. I am incredibly excited for this game, in case you can't tell! Let's go Broncos!
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