Boise
State
and
Fresno
State
provided thrills
aplenty tonight before a nationwide television audience but it was the Broncos
who emerged with a 51-34 win in the 100-degree heat of
Fresno
.
The two Western
Athletic teams combined for 983 yards from scrimmage and another 509 of returns
in the early showdown for the top spot in the league.
Jeremy Avery ran wild for 186 yards on 11 carries (16.9 average) and
hauled in five catches for another 83 to total 269 yards of all-purpose running.
Avery’s 67-yard touchdown off a screen pass from quarterback Kellen Moore salted the game away for the Broncos. Avery finished with the school record for yards per carry in a single game, tied Brock Forsey for fifth in all-purpose yardage for a game and had the 14th best rushing performance in school history.
Boise State's game rushing average of 10.3 yards per carry also broke a 30-year old school record of 9.4 set against Idaho State in 1979.
The Texas
Tornado (D.J. Harper) blew through the Bulldog defense as well, enjoying a
107-yard game on 12 carries (8.9 avg.) and a spectacular 60-yard touchdown run
in the second quarter. The 60-yard
run to paydirt was the longest of Harper’s career.
Boise
State
gained 299 yards
on the ground, easily their best effort of the young season.
The
Boise
State
defense, however,
had by far their worst effort of the year, allowing 504 yards to the
homestanding Bulldogs. Ryan Matthews
was incredible, bursting through the usually tough Bronco line for three long
touchdown runs and a 234-yard outburst.
In the
beginning, it looked like it could be a
Boise
State
rout.
Winston Venable picked off Ryan Colburn’s pass at the Fresno State 30
and took it in for an early 7-0 Bronco lead.
After a Kyle Brotzman 32-yard field goal, Harper cut to the outside on
his 60-yard burst to make it 17-0. Fresno
State responded with a drive ending in a 37-yard Kevin Goessling field goal, but
Boise State came right back as Titus Young returned the ensuing kickoff 77
yards. Young capped off the threat
by grabbing a seven yard pass from
Moore
to make it 24-3.
But a Pat
Hill-coached team does not give up, and Matthews launched the Bulldog comeback
with a 69-yard run up the middle and followed that up on the next series with
another 60-yard scamper to the end zone and
Fresno
State
was within seven
at the half, 24-17.
Boise
State
came out of the
locker room and was in business immediately.
Doug Martin’s 77-yard kickoff return culminated in a 30-yard Brotzman
field goal to make it 27-17. But
Fresno State came right back with Colburn hitting Devon Wylie in the end zone
for a 21-yard pass play and the Bulldogs were within three, 27-24.
But the Broncos would have an answer for every
Fresno
score from here on
out and then some. Avery exploded
for a 74-yard run, and, as he was caught from behind, his fumble into the end zone was recovered by Young
right before it went out for a touchdown.
After another
Goessling field goal closed the margin to seven again,
Boise
State
came back with a
drive as Austin Pettis caught a fade in the right corner of the end zone to make
it 41-27. Matthews ripped up the
middle once again from 68 yards to close it to 41-34, but Avery’s great run
off the screen pass settled things. Avery's 69-yard run on the Broncos' next possession set up freshman Jimmy Pavel's first career field goal with four minutes remaining to close out the
scoring.
Many of the
Bronco drives were set up by amazing production from the
Boise
State
kickoff returners,
Young and Martin. Young had five
returns for 154 yards (30.8 avg.) while Martin burst through the Bulldog special
teams for two returns for 103 yards.
Moore
finished 18-26 for 181 yards and three scores.
Pettis grabbed five passes for 34 yards and the touchdown.
Freshman Robbie Rouse also was a star for
Fresno
State
, picking up 53
yards on seven carries. Chastin West
had two catches for 71 yards and Wylie finished with four receptions for 37
yards and a touchdown.
Boise
State
advanced to 3-0 on
the season while
Fresno
State
is 1-2.
Boise
State
continues its road
trip against
Bowling Green
next Saturday in a
key non-conference tilt.