Boise State enters Saturday’s game at No. 7 Oregon in an unfamiliar position: heavy underdogs.
As of Wednesday afternoon, Boise State was an 18.5-point underdog , although the line has fallen slightly compared to when it opened with the Ducks as a 20-point favorite on Monday morning — despite their struggles with FCS opponent Idaho last weekend in a 24-14 win.
The Broncos are nearly a three-touchdown underdog for the first time since they were a 19-point underdog at South Carolina in 2001 — the Gamecocks went on to win 32-13 .
Not that Boise State’s players and staff care about any of that.
“Nobody’s really worried about anything on the outside,” redshirt junior safety Zion Washington said Wednesday. “We know the special group that we have in the locker room, and at the end of the day, that’s all we need.”
Of course, the Broncos also need a few other things. The primary one is shoring up the defense after giving up 45 points to Georgia Southern last weekend.
“Obviously, that’s not how we want to go out … ever,” said Washington, who had six tackles in the win. “So it’s all about believing in each other and coming together and making changes.”
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander told the media earlier this week that the Broncos need to do better at limiting explosive plays and getting off the field on third downs. Boise State forced Georgia Southern into 19 third downs but stopped the Eagles just seven times, and they allowed quarterback JC French to throw for 322 yards and two touchdowns.
Redshirt sophomore edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan said Wednesday that the defensive line needs to do a better job at winning its one-on-one battles and putting pressure on the quarterback — who this week is elusive sixth-year senior Dillon Gabriel, a starter at UCF and Oklahoma before coming to the Northwest.
But otherwise, there’s an air of excitement and confidence around the program.
The Broncos enter Saturday’s game at Autzen Stadium undefeated against the Ducks, leading the series 3-0. The last meeting between the two teams came in 2017, when Boise State beat a Justin Herbert-led Oregon team 38-28 in the Las Vegas Bowl. The other two victories came in 2008 (37-32 in Eugene) and 2009 (19-8 in Boise).
Combined with the attention that junior running back Ashton Jeanty has received following his record-breaking performance at Georgia Southern (267 yards, six touchdowns), Boise State has a chance to make big waves again nationally — for the first time in a decade, really — with a victory in Eugene on Saturday.
“This game is one of those games. Our guys have been hearing about playing Oregon since last season ended,” coach Spencer Danielson said earlier this week. “Immediately after the bowl game, it was Oregon 2024, and that’s college football. That’s why you come to Boise State: to have an opportunity to play these games and to play a top-five opponent on the road.”
Veteran Broncos know all about the atmosphere they will encounter Saturday night — Oregon’s Autzen Field holds 54,000 and is notoriously loud — having played at Washington last season in front of 70,000 people. But this will be an experience for someone like 17-year-old freshman running back Sire Gaines.
Jeanty’s Heisman-hype performance last weekend overshadowed Gaines’ first college game, which saw him pile up 154 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
“I’m so excited,” Gaines said Wednesday with a smile. “I’ve always heard about how loud Oregon is. I embrace it, and I’m ready just to feel a college atmosphere for the first time and embrace the challenge. I know that we’re going against a good team, but I like my team better.”
Despite this week’s excitement, and Boise State’s history of success against Oregon, it’s the Broncos’ man under center who seems the calmest.
“The past is the past,” redshirt sophomore quarterback Maddux Madsen said. “Our focus right now is with us. How can we go about getting better from week one to week two?”
Boise State at Oregon
When: 8 p.m. Mountain time Saturday
Where: Autzen Stadium (54,000, Turf), Eugene, Oregon
TV: Peacock (Andrew Siciliano, Michael Robinson, Laura Britt)
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM/Sirius XM Ch. 390 (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 1-0; Oregon 1-0.
Series: Boise State leads the series 3-0.
Vegas line: Oregon by 18.5 points
Weather: 91 degrees, humidity 56%, partly cloudy skies, 8% chance of rain
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