No. 12 Boise State edges Nevada for seventh straight win: 5 takeaways from Broncos’ hard-fought victory

Ashton Jeanty once again carries Boise State in the 28-21 win

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

The No. 12 Boise State football team scored touchdowns on its first two possessions Saturday night against Nevada while forcing back-to-back punts to open the game.

The route appeared to be on at Albertsons Stadium. 

But first-year Nevada head coach Jeff Choate didn’t get the memo.

The Wolf Pack answered right back with a quick-strike touchdown and battled Boise State to the end on the Blue. The Broncos survived, 28-21, to record their seventh straight victory. 

Here are five takeaways from Saturday’s Mountain West Conference matchup between Boise State (8-1, 5-0) and Nevada (3-8, 0-5). 

1. Jeanty is the Boise State offense

Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

Facing loaded boxes all night, Boise State junior running back Ashton Jeanty found a way to run for 209 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries. 

Jeanty ripped off one 46-yard run around the left side early in the game, but most of the Heisman Trophy candidate’s damage came on tough runs between the tackles. 

“He’s a warrior,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said during his postgame TV interview. “He’s the leader of our team, and he’s relentless.” 

2. Madsen comes back to earth

Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

After throwing for 307 yards and four touchdowns against San Diego State, Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen had arguably his worst game of the season Saturday. 

Madsen completed just 9 of 20 passes for 119 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also had a red zone pick overturned on replay review and threw another interception that was nullified due to pass interference. 

The sophomore did make an impact with his legs (eight carries, 58 yards), but Madsen will need to play better down the stretch for Boise State to reach its full potential.

3. Ball security issues

Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

The Broncos, who had played three straight games without committing a turnover, were a bit sloppy throughout Saturday’s game.

A promising second-quarter drive ended when Jeanty lost his first fumble of the season. The Broncos were lucky to retain possession of the ball to begin the second half when Dylan Riley muffed the kickoff. The ball squirted around for what felt like an eternity before eventually going out of bounds at the Boise State 5. 

Add in Madsen’s struggles, and the Broncos have plenty to work on in preparation for next week’s game at San Jose State (6-3, 3-2). 

“We have a tough group, and it was not perfect tonight,” Danielson said. “Turnovers, some plays we have to be better on. But we grind and they are able to finish games. That’s a testament to these kids.”

4. Virgin-Morgan is a monster

Nevada Wolf Pack quarterback Brendon Lewis. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

Jayden Virgin-Morgan didn’t have a huge day on the stat sheet with three tackles (two for loss) and a sack, but the sophomore pass rusher was a disruptive presence from start to finish. 

Virgin-Morgan ruined Nevada’s first possession with a sack, poked the ball away from Sean Dollars on the next drive and had a big pressure late in the first half that forced another punt.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, Virgin-Morgan hammered Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis on a third-and-five. The ball sailed in the air like a baseball pop fly but fell harmlessly to the ground in the Boise State secondary. 

Virgin-Morgan leads the Broncos with nine sacks. 

5. Nevada is better than its record

Nevada Wolf Pack running back Sean Dollars. / Brian Losness-Imagn Images

The Wolf Pack has now lost five games by seven or fewer points, including a 29-24 Week 1 defeat to SMU. The Mustangs sit at No. 13 in the College Football Playoff rankings, one spot below Boise State.  

Choate was a Broncos assistant under Chris Petersen from 2006-11 and led Montana State to the FCS semifinals in 2019. He took over the Wolf Pack after spending three seasons as the co-defensive coordinator at Texas. 

Nevada picked up a win over Oregon State earlier this season and has a chance to bank another against Air Force on Nov. 23. Expect the Wolf Pack to contend for a bowl game next year under Choate. 

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