Championship potential: Boise State football preview

This Saturday has been dubbed different names by both Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin and USU’s Gary Andersen. For the Broncos it’s championship week as they try to clinch their season long goal of claiming a bid to the conference title game. In their way is the Aggies who, coach Andersen says, have won two of their three “elimination games”. Of course, everyone expected the Aggies to be in the hunt and possibly even ranked, as the Broncos are, at the start of this season. However, a series of injuries, miscues, and possible coaching transitional confusions have caused the Aggies to slip to 6-4. Even with this less than attractive record, they’re still in the conversation for the Mountain West Conference Championship. Andersen’s comments refer to their big wins against Fresno State two weeks ago and Wyoming last Saturday. Even with the momentum of those two “elimination wins”, Utah State will be facing a whole different, top ranked, kind of monster this weekend.

Since 2013 the Aggies have faced the Broncos every year, winning just one of those matchups. Their one win came in Maverick Stadium in 2015, that 52-26 win was the highlight of the season for Utah State. However, it took Boise’s eight turnovers and a break out game from quarterback Kent Meyers to complete that feat. It’s unlikely that Boise State will turn the ball over that many times in Saturday’s game. But, the Aggies have forced 19 fumbles this season while the Broncos have coughed it up 18 times. It’s not impossible that we’ll see Utah State win the turnover battle. Unfortunately, that’s the most interesting battle of the game.

Both teams will be shorthanded for this contest. Boise State’s first and second-string quarterbacks are out with injuries. When Harsin was asked to speak on his starter’s return he had no comment. A similar story is happening on the other side of the ball. Jordan Love exited last week’s win in the 3rd quarter and did not return. Andersen didn’t speak to whether or not his star would play against the Broncos, but it’s likely both sides will be going with their backups. This is better news for Boise than Utah State seeing that 3rd string Jaylon Henderson started and threw for 291 yards with 3 TDs during the Broncos’ mauling of an underwhelming New Mexico team. This gave Henderson Mountain West offensive player of the week honors and poses a new, unexpected threat to a defense that has appeared lack-luster in a few of its games.

Star linebacker David Woodward has also been hurt and won’t play the rest of the season. Henderson’s counterpart, the defensive player of the week in the conference, came from an unexpected place as well: Woodward’s replacement Eric Munoz. The junior college transfer walked on to the team this past season and patiently waited for an opportunity to play. Munoz led the team in tackles against Wyoming and snagged two key interceptions, the second of which sealed the game for the Aggies. This earned Munoz a scholarship on the team along with DPOW honors. He’ll be called on again to stop the bleeding of a defensive front-seven that’s given up 21 touchdowns on the season. The secondary of our defense will have their hands full as well.

With Boise State receiver John Hightower coming up to Logan, Utah State’s corners and safeties will need to be on their toes. They will undoubtedly have to double Hightower, as he’s averaging 20.4 yards per catch and has amassed six touchdowns over the course of the season. Utah State gives up just seven yards per catch to their opponents but those are too big of numbers from one guy to ignore. With doubling up on Hightower it leaves the Aggies’ defense vulnerable to the rest of BSU’s receiving core. Utah State’s secondary has given up 2,510 yards through the air this season with their opponents averaging 251 per game, eighth in the Mountain West. The Broncos will have to be shut down through the air if the Aggies want to upset the top-ranked team in the conference.

Naturally, this game, as all games do, will come down to who scores more points. The Aggies have struggled on third down, only converting on 39 percent of attempts. The stalling of drives has been a major issue on the offensive side of the ball. In the red-zone Utah State has scored just 12 touchdowns out of its 36 trips there. However, its opponents have scored 30 times during their 41 trips. The Aggies can’t rely on the leg of senior kicker Dominik Eberle to give them all their points, as they did against Wyoming. If back-up Henry Colombi can’t get the ball into the end zone, it’ll be a long, chilly night for the Utah State supporters.