G5 Football Daily

RECAP: With All Eyes on Ashton Jeanty, Maddux Madsen Headlines #17 Boise State Win At UNLV

Joe Londergan

Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) and wide receiver Austin Bolt (81) react in the end zone after Bolt scoring a fourth quarter touchdown against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) and wide receiver Austin Bolt (81) react in the end zone after Bolt scoring a fourth quarter touchdown against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images / Marco Garcia-Imagn Images
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The #17 Boise State Broncos passed a major test on Friday night, beating the UNLV Rebels 29-24 in Las Vegas.

To give UNLV credit, the Rebels' defense stifled Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty, allowing the Broncos back to reach just 128 yards (one yard above his season low) on 33 carries. Jeanty did add a critical rushing touchdown, however it was Broncos' quarterback Maddux Madsen that kept the Broncos in the game long enough to capitalize on some key UNLV mistakes in the second half.

Madsen finished with 18 completions on 33 attempts for 209 yards and one touchdown pass, while also rushing for 58 yards and a touchdown

The Broncos' defense also played a major role, adding six sacks to their already nation-leading total, and grabbing a critical interception at the end of the first half.

A 49-yard run by Madsen on the opening possession put Boise State inside the Rebels' 30-yard line, but the Broncos would end up settling for a 37-yard field goal by Jonah Dalmas. It would then take UNLV just two plays to reach the red zone, with Hajj-Malik Williams scampering 71 yards to the three-yard line. However, a third-down sack from Alex Teubner would force the Rebels to settle for a field goal of their own.

Boise State punted on their second possession, opening the door for UNLV to get down to the five-yard line on a 50-yard completion from Williams to Casey Cain. Williams lobbed a touchdown pass to Kaleo Balungay three plays later to go up 10-3.

The Broncos punted once again with 2:09 remaining in the first quarter, forcing UNLV to start their drive at their own 11-yard line. The Rebels made it to Boise State's 34 before missing a 52-yard field goal attempt to start the second quarter.

Dalmas kicked another field goal, this time from 44 yards, to cut the UNLV lead to 10-6 in the Broncos' first possession of the second quarter. On the ensuing possession, a tackle for loss from Teubner on third down once again forced a UNLV punt. Then, Boise State answered by driving 80 yards in 11 plays for a touchdown, capped by a seven-yard scramble up the middle by Madsen.

The Boise State defense found a rare interception (Andrew Simpson) a few moments later, setting up Madsen to complete a touchdown pass to Matt Lauter on a fourth-and goal from the two-yard line. That turn of events put the Broncos up 20-10 at the break.

UNLV got the ball to start the second half and cut the lead to three with a quick nine-play, 70-yard scoring drive. Williams capped it by powering through defenders for a five-yard score. Boise State answered by getting down the field in a hurry and adding another field goal by Dalmas.

Both teams seemed to have each other stopped for much of the third quarter, until there was one minute remaining when Williams connected on a deep shot to Jaden Bradley for a 34-yard touchdown strike. UNLV took a 24-23 lead into the fourth quarter.

To open the fourth, Boise State again went for it on fourth-and-goal, with Jeanty pushing the pile into the end zone from the one-yard line. The Broncos failed to convert the two-point conversion, taking a 29-24 lead. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty halted UNLV's ensuing drive, giving the Broncos the ball back with eight minutes remaining.

UNLV had Boise State stopped deep in their own territory, but a defensive holding call gave the Broncos a fresh set of downs. UNLV having to burn two timeouts early in the half came back to bite them here, as the Rebels had little recourse to Boise State mounting the longest drive of the game. The Broncos ran 14 plays in just over eight minutes, ending the game by taking a knee on three consecutive plays.

With the win, Boise State improve to 6-1 and achieve bowl eligibility for the 27th consecutive season. For now, the Broncos have sole possession of first place in the Mountain West Conference. They'll return to action next Friday, November 1 at home against San Diego State.

UNLV will drop to 6-2 and have a bye week before traveling to Hawaii on November 9.

Editor's Note: This article originally stated Ashton Jeanty's season-low as 128. He rushed for 127 against Portland State on September 21.

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Joe Londergan
JOE LONDERGAN

Joe covers college sports from the Group of Five ranks and beyond. He has worked in the sports industry since 2008, earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville, and a Master's degree from Seattle University.

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