Two biggest overreactions Boise State football fans should avoid

Broncos still have questions to answer entering Week 1

Boise State's Max Stege (right) and Boen Phelps. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Boise State has completed its 2026 fall camp and is now in full preparation for a Week 1 showdown with second-ranked Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 5. 

The Broncos are coming off a five-loss 2025 season that included the program’s third straight Mountain West championship. Boise State and four other former MWC programs are now in the rebuilt Pac-12. 

Heading into a new era of Boise State football, here are two potential overreactions Broncos football fans should avoid.

Stressing over past tackling woes 

Boise State ranked among the worst tackling teams in FBS last year with a missed tackle rate of 20 percent. According to Cody Nagel of CBS Sports, Boise State’s 2026 defenders have a career missed rate of 17.3 percent, ranking No. 127 of 138 Division I teams. 

Head coach Spencer Danielson implemented new tackling drills during spring practice and fall camp. Danielson believes the Broncos will tackle better in 2026, but wants to see how the defense performs in Week 1 before making any grand proclamations. 

“This time last year, I was confident that we’d be a good tackling team,” Danielson said during Saturday’s post-scrimmage press conference. “As a coach, you have to do everything in your power to field the best product. We were one of the worst tackling teams in the country last year, so obviously I did not do a good job. So we made changes. Do these changes work? How we tackle in scrimmages looks really good and when we go live … I think we’re tackling well. We’ll see Game 1 against Oregon if it has paid off.”

Believing the wide receiver room is now a surefire strength 

Quarterback Maddux Madsen received plenty of blame for poor play in multiple losses last season, but Madsen was regularly let down by Boise State’s receivers. 

The Broncos had a drop rate of 15.6 percent in 2025 with 29 total drops. Boise State topped the MWC in both categories. 

Several interesting pieces emerged in the wide receiver room during fall camp, including transfers Akeem Wright and Darren Morris and true freshman Rasean Jones. Much like the tackling, Danielson is cautiously optimistic about the receivers heading into Week 1. 

“It’s a younger room where there’s not a bunch of returning starters in regards to yards and catches, but I love where our receivers are heading to,” Danielson said. “They’re doing a really good job in practice, but a lot of these guys have not done it in a game yet. … I’m excited where they’re heading to, but until we do it in a game, I can’t say that I can stand on that table yet (and say I feel great about the room).”