Thatcher Bluestem · Boise State Insider · College Debut · Week 8
Meet Your Insider
Paint it blue! Howdy, friends, I'm Thatcher Bluestem, and yes, my car is blue, my pancakes are blue and my opinions are the bluest you'll ever hear. I travel with the Broncos and I live with the Broncos, and every week I'll bring you the players, the matchups, the history and the storylines, loud and sunny and endlessly proud. Visitors always ask me if the field really looks that blue in person. Friend, it looks bluer. Bring sunglasses and an open mind. Here's the thing about me: no matter how good this team gets, I carry myself like we're the scrappy kids from the foothills nobody invited to the party. Old habits. We earned every seat at the table, and I'll never take one of them for granted. Smurf Turf, baby, show some respect.
The School in 60 Seconds
Boise State was established in 1933 and now plays in the Pac-12. The Broncos have won 23 conference championships and six division titles in the Mountain West's Mountain Division. Home is Albertsons Stadium, on campus in Boise, listed at 36,387 seats, and yes, that's where the famous blue turf lives. The last five years: 7-5, 10-4, 8-6, a glorious 12-2 in 2024 and 9-5 in 2025, all in the Mountain West. This is our first ride through the new Pac-12, and so far we're 2-0 in league play. Blue all the way down.
The Coach and the Scheme
Spencer Danielson is the head coach; CFBD dates his hire to Dec. 3, 2023. Danielson's Broncos run the ball and keep it: 234.5 rushing yards a game (9th in FBS), 35 points a game (37th) and 450.5 total yards (27th). Friends, we lead the entire country in time of possession at 36:41 a game. We convert 50.6% of third downs, 16th in FBS. And we take care of the football: only 3 turnovers in six games, a plus-3 margin. The defense stops the run, 106.8 yards allowed a game (29th), and its red zone defense ranks 30th. Where we need work: the pass defense allows 261.3 yards a game, 126th in FBS. I'm loud, not blind.
Players to Know
QB Maddux Madsen: 110 of 166 for 1,296 yards, 13 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Zero! That's bluer than a cloudless October sky.
RB Dylan Riley: 835 yards on 127 carries, 6 TD. At Fresno State he ran 19 times for 150 yards and a touchdown and caught four passes for 64 yards and another score.
WR Rasean Jones: 23 catches, 359 yards, 1 TD. Matt Wagner had five catches for 46 yards at Fresno.
LB Boen Phelps: team-high 35 tackles. LB Max Stege: 2.5 sacks. DB Travis Anderson: 3 interceptions.
The Conference Picture
Boise State is 5-1, 2-0 in the Pac-12, and ranked No. 21 by the AP and No. 22 in the coaches poll. We opened with a 34-27 loss at Oregon, then rolled: Memphis 38-20, South Dakota 38-24, at Western Michigan 32-7, Utah State 37-18 and at Fresno State 38-31. Then we had a week off to rest. After Pullman, Texas State comes to the blue turf on Oct. 31. I'm not doing standings math, friends, but an unbeaten league record keeps the dream bright and blue.
About that Oregon game: we lost by a touchdown on the road, in Week 1. I've watched that one more times than I'll admit, and I still came away proud. Since then, five straight wins.
This Week: No. 21 Boise State (5-1) at Washington State (1-6)
Saturday, Oct. 24 · 6 p.m. ET · Pullman, Wash. · USA Network. The venue is Gesa Field at Martin Stadium; Gesa names the playing surface. CFBD lists it at 32,952 seats.
Last time out: we beat Fresno State 38-31 on Oct. 10; Madsen went 23 of 34 for 238 yards and two scores. Washington State lost 48-30 at Oregon State on Oct. 17.
Watch out for: redshirt freshman Owen Eshelman, who made his first career start at Oregon State, threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 136 yards and a score. AP says he led three straight late touchdown drives. Friends, that kid can run, and our defense needs to keep him in the pocket. Receiver Branden Ganashamoorthy caught 11 passes for 147 yards in that game.
Our offense vs. their defense: Washington State allows 158.3 rushing yards a game (94th) and 27.1 points (101st). That's a good matchup for Riley.
Their offense vs. our defense: the Cougars average 308.3 yards a game (130th), but our pass defense ranks 126th, so I'll be watching every throw.
Series: I couldn't find an all-time series record in a free source.
Availability: no injury or availability report found for either team as of Oct. 18.
What decides it: (1) Our ground game and our clock control. (2) Keeping Eshelman from breaking loose. (3) Ball security; Washington State is minus-7 in turnovers, 131st in FBS.
To Hank Palouse, Washington State's insider: I respect anyone who's kept cassette tapes this long. Bring Ol' Crimson. I'll bring a blue thermos of cocoa.
Why I Love This Team
I love that a team from a school founded in 1933 has become the program everybody in the West circles on the calendar. I love Madsen's zero in the interceptions column. I love that Riley got a week off after Fresno. And I love that every time a new fan sees the field, they gasp. Paint it blue.
My call: Boise State Broncos 31, Washington State Cougars 20.