Boise State Football: Broncos Will Return to Winning Ways in Week 3

Even after losing offensive stars Kellen Moore and Doug Martin as well as DE Tyrone Crawford, Boise State came into the season ranked 24th in the AP Poll, seemingly poised to add to its record 152 wins in the BCS era. 

But Boise State lost to Michigan State with a lackluster performance from junior QB Joe Southwick, who seemed unable to fill Moore’s shoes. Then, the Broncos had a bye in Week 2, with no opportunity to show improvement and gain forward momentum. 

This week, however, Boise State faces a Miami (OH) team that beat Southern Illinois but got crushed by Ohio State, and the Broncos will win.

Obviously, Southwick’s passing game is an issue. Against Michigan State, he threw for 169 yards—completing less than half of his passes—with one interception, leaving the Broncos with no offensive touchdowns. Miami (OH) held Southern Illinois’ QB Kory Faulkner to similar numbers. 

Southwick lacks experience, which could enhance the issue, but expect him to get better with each start. 

In his few short appearances as a sub in 2011, he went 23-30 with a TD against Tulsa, but a pick against New Mexico. He is certainly capable of doing much better than 15-31 with no touchdowns and one interception, and should perform at a higher level against a worse team.

Boise State is simply better than Miami (OH). Miami (OH) won against 0-2 Southern Illinois, a team nowhere near the Top 25. The Top 25 team Miami (OH) did play, Ohio State, beat the Redhawks by 46, and Boise State will likely end the season in the Top 25 right alongside OSU.  

The Broncos lost to the now 10th-ranked Michigan State by only four, which in and of itself puts them as a huge favorite against Miami (OH).

The Broncos will beat Miami (OH) and the victory should bring them back into the AP Top 25. Watch for an exciting matchup in Week 4 against BYU. The Broncos won’t have one of their leading receivers, Geraldo Boldewijn, back from suspension, but Southwick has other targets like Matt Miller and Mitch Burroughs that Moore liked last season. 

If they can get past Miami (OH) and BYU, the Broncos will catapult themselves forward towards another bowl game.