Boise State escaped South Dakota with a 38-24 win - here are 4 takeaways

The Broncos overcame another slow start and a barrage of explosive plays to beat South Dakota

Boise State's Rasean Jones. | Boise State Athletics

Boise State entered Saturday’s game against FCS South Dakota as a heavy favorite, but the Broncos got all they could handle and more on The Blue. 

Dylan Riley’s two-yard touchdown run with 6:25 remaining put the Broncos back in front before a worried Albertsons Stadium crowd.

Boise State’s defense then came through with a big defensive stand following a Cam Bates muffed punt. Riley finished it off with a late 83-yard touchdown burst for a 38-24 Broncos win. 

Riley (26 carries, 198 yards, two touchdowns) and Sire Gaines (17 carries, 102 yards, one touchdown) both topped the 100-yard mark on the ground. Gaines exited the game in the fourth quarter with a right arm injury. 

Here are four takeaways from the Broncos’ (2-1) lackluster performance against South Dakota (3-1). 

1. Another sluggish start for Boise State

After falling behind 17-3 in the first half of last week’s win against Memphis, the Broncos faced another early deficit on Saturday.

Boise State went three-and-out on its opening drive and Riley fumbled on the ensuing series, setting up a 16-yard touchdown pass from Austyn Modrzewski to Bryce Cohoon for a 7-0 lead. The lost fumble was the Broncos’ first turnover of the season. 

Gaines was stuffed on a fourth-and-one carry on Boise State’s third drive before Rasean Jones got the home team on the board with a nine-yard touchdown reception late in the first quarter. South Dakota promptly answered with a quick-strike touchdown to regain the lead at 14-7.

The Broncos rescued the poor half with a pair of touchdowns to take a 21-14 lead into the locker room, but head coach Spencer Danielson can’t allow sluggish starts to become a trend moving forward. 

2. Explosive play issues resurface

Boise State’s defense allowed nine plays of 40 or more yards during its two games, ranking last in FBS entering the week. 

The big-play issues cropped up again on Saturday as South Dakota connected on passing plays of 29, 40, 46 and 59 yards. The 59-yarder went for a touchdown, cutting Boise State’s lead to 24-21 late in the third quarter. 

The Broncos will not make a return trip to the College Football Playoff without some defensive adjustments. 

3. Rasean Jones continues to shine

Just three games into his college career, Jones is already a star for Boise State.

The true freshman wide receiver had the Broncos’ first five receptions—including a 31-yarder—and finished Saturday’s game with eight receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. 

A local product from Rocky Mountain High School, Jones is the Broncos’ leading receiver through three games with 15 catches for 232 yards and two total touchdowns. 

4. Mixed bag for Kyle Hall in first career start

Making his first start in a Boise State uniform, junior Kyle Hall flew around the field against South Dakota. 

Hall, a junior college transfer from College of San Mateo, recorded two tackles on the Coyotes’ first drive and made a big play in coverage on the late defensive stand. He was also the primary defender on South Dakota’s first touchdown and was flagged for pass interference. 

For the game, Hall recorded three total tackles (one for loss).

Hall started in place of regular safety Derek Ganter Jr., who was inactive for Saturday’s game.