September 9 – Boise, ID
As the ball off the foot of UCF’s Colton Boomer danced out and into the uprights at Albertson’s Stadium a collective sigh of despair rippled through the fans of Bronco nation. UCF’s walk-off win dropped the Broncos to 8-6 on the blue over the past two years. And honestly, it’s apparent there is a mounting feeling of discontentment that has become commonplace for the fans of the once darling group of five program. So, what can be done to fix these sunken emotions? Are Boise State fans even obligated to feel so poorly? And what is the outlook on the future for Boise State Football?
HOW TO FIX BRONCO FOOTBALL
To answer the first question, the answer is winning football games, obviously. But it’s winning these high-profile games that would fix the collective pain felt in the city of Boise. The teams of the Chris Petersen era seemed to have had a knack for competing with and beating power five schools and winning high-leverage contests. But unfortunately, this has not continued in the past few years for the Broncos. Against power five teams Boise State is 1-4 over the last three years, which is certainly not emblematic of the culture and past success of the Bronco program.
Surely a Mountain West conference championship would heal some sore areas. But it won’t stave off the fact that Boise State is not the nationally respected brand it once was. Perhaps this has been a reality for some time now; but after a beatdown in Seattle and a heart-wrenching loss to UCF, it feels almost certain that the Bronco name no longer holds the weight it once did.
It may seem smattering, but it is the national respect and feeling of contention that would do the most in the way of bringing Bronco fans happiness. The feeling of a hometown, community-driven school competing with the nation’s best plants a stake of pride in the heart of Bronco nation. Moreover, it provides the city of Boise and the state of Idaho with the idea that their football program represents the spirit of Idahoans and fans across the nation. So, to see Bronco football lose its respect and sense of national contention is certainly something to not feel good about.
SEASON AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
It is reasonable to say Boise State will be fine for the rest of the year. The toughest games of the year have come and gone, and Boise is very well in contention for a Mountain West title. Yet, a birth in a New Year’s Six bowl seems unlikely for the time being, as Boise will have no power five wins to boast on its resume. So, if the Broncos play well over the course of the year, they could be looking at an invite to the LA Bowl playing against a middle-of-the-pack PAC 12 team. Making it to a game like this would certainly be a gratifying feeling for all of Bronco nation, considering the start to the year. And although a bowl berth against a mediocre power five team sounds amazing right now, could this way of thinking be part of the problem in Boise?
It feels as if these past few years have had the most struggle since the turn of the century for the program. And this struggle has appeared to bring down the goals for Bronco football. In the 2009-11 seasons, it wouldn’t have been out of touch to say the Broncos were looking to make a run at the national title. After the departure of Chris Petersen and the Bronco great, Kellen Moore, those aims lowered just a tad, with Boise looking to qualify for a BCS or New Year’s Six bowl game. But in recent history, it seems the Broncos are just looking to win the Mountain West conference, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished since 2019.
Now, it is fully reasonable to recognize this decline in standard as a slight one, and a high-handed problem of great past success. But in recognition of the lightening of expectations, one can’t help but contemplate if the Bronco program will continually regress because of these lowered expectations. If the Bronco season plays out as discussed above, it is likely most fans will forgive what has been the Bronco’s worst start in 18 years. This sort of pardon could bleed over into next year when Boise State opens the 2024 season playing 3 power five schools in its first four games (vs. Oregon State, at Oregon, vs. Houston) not to forget a tricky Clay Helton-led Georgia Southern who knocked off Nebraska just last year. So, if the Broncos operate much like the beginning of this year, it could very well be a 1-3 or even 0-4 start for Boise State.
This feedback loop of mediocracy is a dangerous act to enter. And one perhaps Boise State football could find itself in if change is not imminent. However, Bronco football will have chances to escape what could swallow their program. All games left on Boise’s schedule this season are feasibly winnable, so if the wish comes to fruition, Boise State could find itself with a chance to prove respectable against a formidable power five program in a notable postseason game. A win in a setting like this would certainly build momentum and give the Broncos more aspiration of what can be accomplished in the future.