Boise State Football: Stars Who Must Shine for Broncos vs. Brigham Young

Brigham Young will travel to Boise, Idaho, on Thursday night to take on the No. 24-ranked Boise State Broncos on the Smurf Turf. 

The prime-time clash will provide Boise State with a platform to prove it is deserving of its AP Top 25 ranking and to make a case for why it's deserving of our attention this fall.

Still, in order for the Broncos to contend, win and move to 2-1 in 2012, they will need a trio of stars to shine versus the Cougars. 

Let's take a look at the players who must step up for Boise State against BYU in Week 4.

D.J. Harper

Talented Boise State running back D.J. Harper is averaging 5.5 yards per carry this season, and must be relevant on the ground for the Broncos on Thursday night in order to keep the BYU defense honest. 

The senior rushed for 162 yards and three scores on just 16 carries against Miami (Ohio) last weekend. He also caught a 21-yard touchdown pass.

A game like that will do wonders for a player's confidence, and one has to believe that Harper will come out motivated to prove his brilliant outing wasn't a fluke on Thursday night. 

Jamar Taylor

The senior cornerback from San Diego has 11 tackles and an interception through two games this season and will need to step up in the secondary if Boise State is to slow the Brigham Young offensive attack on Thursday.

Taylor is a phenomenal tackler and a game-breaking threat as a player who can return a pick for a touchdown when given the opportunity. 

The veteran corner will need to motivate his teammates and lead by example against BYU on Thursday night if the Broncos defense is to turn out a big-time performance. 

Matt Miller

The Broncos' leading receiver must find openings in the Brigham Young defense on Thursday night. Miller has nine receptions this season for 125 yards through two games.

A 6'3" sophomore, Miller has yet to catch a touchdown in 2012, but is averaging nearly 14 yards per reception and doing an excellent job of moving the chains for Boise State this fall.

Miller has a long way to go to match his nine receiving touchdowns in 2011 as a freshman. Boise State will need him to put points on the board vs. BYU.

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