Boise State drops in AP Poll despite rout of Utah State in Pac-12 opener

Broncos hammer Aggies, 37-18, for fourth straight win

Boise State's Madden Soliai (left) and JeRico Washington Jr. | Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics

While the Coaches Poll continues to ignore Boise State, the Broncos remained in the top 25 of the latest AP Poll. 

Boise State (4-1, 1-0 Pac-12) checked in at No. 23 in the Week 5 AP Poll, which was released on Sunday. The Broncos entered the AP Poll at No. 22 last week. 

Boise State’s vote share actually increased from 221 to 271 votes, but the Broncos were jumped by UCLA in the Week 5 poll. The Bruins moved up two spots on a bye week. 

In Saturday’s Pac-12 opener, Boise State jumped out to a 21-0 first-half lead and coasted to a 37-18 home victory over Utah State (1-4, 0-1). 

“They have a good football team and their execution was superior to ours,” Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall said after the game. “They made the critical plays, and they deserve to win.”

It was Boise State’s 11th straight victory over the Aggies and fourth straight win overall following a Week 1 loss to Oregon. 

Quarterback Maddux Madsen completed 17 of 21 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. The fifth-year senior also compiled 42 rushing yards on seven attempts. 

Through five games, Madsen is 87 of 132 passing (66 percent) for 1,058 yards with 12 total touchdowns and zero turnovers. 

There was minimal separation near the bottom of the Week 5 AP Poll between No. 21 UCLA (287 votes), No. 22 Houston (279), No. 23 Boise State (271), No. 24 SMU (167) and No. 25 Pittsburgh (162).

Two other Group of Six teams received votes in the Week 5 AP Poll: James Madison (12 votes) and North Dakota State (seven). 

The highest-ranked Group of Six conference champion in the final College Football Playoff rankings receives an automatic bid to the CFP.  

The top five teams in the AP Poll—Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami and Ohio State—held their ground. 

Here is the full Week 5 AP poll (first-place votes in parentheses):

1. Texas (61)

2. Georgia (6)

3. Notre Dame 

4. Miami (2)

5. Ohio State

6. Alabama

7. Indiana

8. BYU

9. Ole Miss

10. LSU

11. Texas Tech

12. Utah

13. Oregon

14. Missouri

15. Tennessee

16. Florida

17. Mississippi State

18. Oklahoma State

19. USC

20. Iowa

21. UCLA

22. Houston

23. Boise State

24. SMU

25. Pittsburgh

Others receiving votes: Kentucky 160, Wake Forest 142, Wisconsin 88, Duke 83, Northwestern 59, Nebraska 48, Minnesota 19, Arizona 19, James Madison 12, North Dakota State 7