No. 12 Boise State holds off stubborn Wyoming 17-13 and advances to Mountain West title game

Posted by Admin November 24, 2024 Football

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown to lead No. 12 Boise State to a 17-13 win over Wyoming on Saturday night and a berth in the Mountain West Conference title game.

The Broncos (10-1 overall, 7-0) will play in the conference championship game for the seventh time in the past eight seasons against an opponent to be determined and kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Boise State was the provisional No. 4 seed in the playoff in this week’s rankings.

Boise State finished the Mountain West unbeaten, extended its winning streak to nine games and beat Wyoming (2-9, 2-5) for the eighth straight time, dating to 2016.

“I’m proud of our guys, and knowing this team and knowing our heart, we’re not done yet,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “We got a big-time opponent that we have to be ready for in Oregon State and whoever we play in the championship game. We got to go earn the right to play our best.

“I couldn’t tell you the last time we won back-to-back championships, I know it’s not in my time. We know whoever we play, we’re going to get their best and we have to be ready, but right now, we’re locked and focused on Oregon State.”

Wyoming, which entered as a heavy underdog, gave the Broncos plenty of problems and held a 13-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

But Boise State’s Jambres Dubar scored on a 2-yard run with just over five minutes left to play and the Broncos defense came up with one final stop to seal the win.

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen was 14 for 25 passing for 168 yards.

Wyoming used a pair of quarterback. Kaden Anderson was 9 for 14 for 116 yards and a touchdown before being knocked out of the game and place in concussion protocol before the start of the second half. Evan Svoboda took over and connected on 6 of 13 passes for 87 yards.

Led by Heisman candidate Jeanty, who surpassed 2,000 yards for the season and averaged 8.5 yards per carry, the Broncos outgained the Cowboys 353-319 in total yardage, despite going 1 for 10 on third down.

Jeanty went to the medical tent in the second half with an apparent lower body injury, but he was back in the game after missing one drive.

“Ashton’s a warrior,” Danielson said. “I’m going to keep hitting that. He’s banged up. This is game 11, week 13 of the season, and he’s an absolute warrior playing through being banged up. … We got to be smart with his body and make sure we get him what he needs. In that last drive of the game, he was ready to go. … He’s going to be just fine.”

John Hoyland opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal, giving the Cowboys an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Boise State’s Jonah Dalmas had a chance to tie it with a 49-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, but his attempt missed wide left.

After Hoyland missed a 53-yard field goal try, Jeanty put the Broncos up 7-3 with a 61-yard touchdown run with 3:40 left in the first.

The Cowboys reclaimed a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter when a four-play, 67-yard drive was capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Justin Stevenson.

Boise State tacked on a 24-yard field goal from Dalmas as time expired in the first half, sending the teams into the break tied at 10.

After a scoreless third quarter, Hoyland put the Cowboys back in the lead with a 25-yard field goal. But, Boise State answered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by Dubar’s touchdown run.

It was likely the Broncos’ last trip to Wyoming, as Boise State is set to join the Pac-12 in 2026. Boise State leads the all-time series 18-1, with its lone loss coming against Josh Allen’s 2016 squad in Laramie.

“Give credit to Boise State,” Wyoming coach Jay Sawvel said. “They have a great football team, and they have a great football program. We wish their whole organization the best going forward, and hopefully they can represent the Mountain West well come playoff time. They have to win a couple more games, and we’ll be cheering for them to do it. They have a lot of class, and we wish them the best.”