Boise State Broncos

Boston College and Boise State University will meet for the second time in football on Wednesday, December 26, in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl, Dallas, Texas. The 7-5 Eagles will go up against the 10-3 and 25th-ranked Broncos in the Cotton Bowl in a game that starts at 10:30 am PT.

Boise State lost in overtime to #21 Fresno State, 19-16, in Saturday’s Mountain West Conference championship game. For local reference, on October 6, San Diego State beat Boise 19-13.

Among victories by the Broncos this season are wins over Air Force, BYU, Fresno State (in an earlier regular conference game), and, in a 62-7 trouncing, UConn.

Brett Rypien

Boise State is led by senior quarterback Brett Rypien and junior running back Alexander Mattison. Rypien, 6-2, 202, passed this season for 3,705 yards and 30 touchdowns. Mattison, 5-11, 211, rushed for 1,415 yards, averaging 108 yards per game, and scored 17 touchdowns. As a team, the Broncos averaged just under 460 yards, mostly through the air, and just over 35 points a game.

Just in statistical comparison, BC QB Anthony Brown, who missed a portion of the season due to injury, threw for 2,121 yards and 20 touchdowns. RB AJ Dillon, also hampered by injury, ran for 1,108 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Teamwise, BC averaged 404 yards in total offense and 32 points per game.

The 2018 bowl game is BC’s 27th in its history and 17th in the last 20 seasons. The Eagles are 14-12 in bowl games, 1-3 in their last 4 bowl appearances. In 2005, sophomore QB Matt Ryan led the Eagles to a 27-21 win over Boise State in the MPC Computers Bowl, in Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho.