San Diego State football opponent preview: Boise State

Aztecs host Broncos in marquee late-season game

Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4). | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Boise State has been the class of the Mountain West for so long that playing the Broncos is not only one of the highlights of the schedule, but a true measuring stick. The Broncos are coming off their biggest season yet, when they reached the College Football Championship for the first time, earning a No. 3 seed and a first-round bye before losing 31-14 to No. 6 Penn State.

This season, the game against BSU is the marquee game on the schedule for San Diego State, which is looking for a bounce-back performance in coach Sean Lewis’ second year on Montezuma Mesa. It comes at a good time, in mid-November, when teams will be jockeying for a spot in the conference championship game and for bowl eligibility. 

These two schools will move into the reconfigured Pac-12 in 2026, along with Fresno State, Colorado State and Utah State. They’ll join Washington State, Oregon State and Texas State in football, and Gonzaga will join in basketball. 

The Broncos won the Mountain West regular season championship and then beat UNLV in the conference championship game last fall. Not surprisingly, they were picked No. 1 in the MW preseason media poll for the 18th straight season. They also check in at No. 25 in the first coaches’ preseason poll. 

The Broncos beat the Aztecs 56-24 in Boise last season to take a 6-4 lead in the series. The Aztecs’ only win against the Broncos in San Diego was in 2013. SDSU beat BSU in 2021 in what was technically a home win, but the game was played in Carson while Snapdragon Stadium was being built.

Game 10: Boise State at San Diego State

Date: Saturday, Nov. 15

Kickoff time: 7:30  p.m. PT

Location: Snapdragon Stadium

TV/Streaming: CBS Sports Network

Boise State offense preview

Ashton Jeanty is gone to the NFL after carrying the Broncos into the College Football Playoff for the first time. He clearly was the focus of the offense, rushing for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns, and finished second to Travis Hunter in voting for the Heisman Trophy.

Despite his loss, the Broncos remain the conference favorite, as well as the favorite among Group of 5 conferences to earn another spot in the CFP.

The focus will shift more to quarterback Maddux Madsen, who was named the Preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.

Madsen was highly efficient in throwing for a MW-high 3,018 yards and 23 touchdowns, with just six interceptions. He completed 62.4% of his passes and had a rating of 142.5. He also rushed for 221 yards and five touchdowns. 

There weren’t many snaps left over after that in the running game, but returnee Sire Gaines and newcomer Malik Sherrod from Fresno State will compete for the top job. 

Gaines played in the first three games before suffering a season-ending injury, carrying 20 times for 156 yards and one score. He’s been named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List, as well as an All-Mountain West First Team pick by Athlon and Phil Steele. 

Sherrod played in four games last year at Fresno State before suffering a season-ending injury, finishing with 196 yards and four TDs on 60 carries. 

Besides Madsen, other Broncos named to the preseason All-Mountain West team were wide receiver Latrell Caples, tight end Matt Lauter and offensive linemen Kage Casey and Mason Randolph. Casey and Lauter were named All-Mountain West after last season.

Boise State defense preview

The Broncos have six starters returning on a unit that was second in the MW in scoring defense (22.57 points) and fourth in overall defense (363.7 yards). 

Among them are end Jayen Virgin-Morgan and tackle Braxton Fely, who were named to the preseason All-Mountain West Team, along with linebacker Marco Notarainni and defensive backs Ty Benefield and A’Marion McCoy. Benefield led the Broncos with 82 tackles and two interceptions.

The Broncos tapped the transfer portal to sign edge Sterling Lane II from Arizona and Jaden Mickey from Notre Dame.