Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson: Safety Alexander Teubner will play in Fiesta Bowl

Backup running back Sire Gaines could also return for matchup with Penn State

Boise State Broncos safety Alexander Teubner. / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Boise State could get a pair of impact players back for the Fiesta Bowl. 

Senior safety Alexander Teubner will play in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said during Monday’s press conference. Freshman running back Sire Gaines remains questionable for the third-seeded Broncos’ (12-1) Dec. 31 matchup with No. 6 Penn State (12-2) in Glendale, Arizona. 

Boise State has been off since defeating No. 24 UNLV, 21-7, on Dec. 6 to claim its second straight Mountain West Championship.

“We’ve had a good couple weeks getting some guys that have been banged up healthy,” Danielson said. 

Teubner, a sixth-year senior and team captain, suffered a lower-body injury in Boise State’s Nov. 9 victory over Nevada. Tuebner was out the next three games but did see limited action in MWC Championship. 

“(Teubner) is practicing today, so he’s in a really good place,” Danielson said. “He’ll definitely be available for the game, we’re just going to continue to work through what that looks like. He’s able to get a lot more reps than he was. He was able to play a little a little bit in the championship game — not as much as we wanted — just because he’s an absolute warrior. But he’s doing a good job to get back healthy.”

A graduate of Seaside High School on the Oregon Coast, Teubner received all-Mountain West Conference honorable mention a season ago.

Teubner was Boise State’s leading tackler when he went down against Nevada. He has 49 total tackles, two forced fumbles, one sack and one interception this season. 

Gaines ranked among Boise State’s highest-rated recruits for the class of 2024. A graduate of California’s Orange Vista High School, Gaines chose the Broncos over reported offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State. He was rated the No. 62 athlete nationally by 247Sports. 

Gaines has dealt with injuries throughout his true freshman season and hasn’t recorded a carry since the team’s Sept. 21 victory over Portland State. For the year, Gaines has 20 carries for 156 yards and two total touchdowns. 

Gaines and Breezy Dubar are the primary backups for Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. 

“We’ll see,” Danielson said when asked about Gaines’ availability for the Fiesta Bowl. “He did some stuff at practice today. He looks really good. What’s it going to look like for the game? It’s going to be the same thing. I don’t want to say a game-time decision, but it’ll be game week.”

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