Fresno State at Boise State: Friday Night College Football Preview

The undefeated No. 4 Boise State Broncos will play host to WAC rival Fresno State tonight as they hope to continue their quest for a National Championship in front of their home fan base at Bronco Stadium.

With the three top teams in the nation--Oregon, Auburn and TCU--all sitting on the sidelines with bye weeks, the Broncos now have a real chance to bask in the glory of the national spotlight this weekend.

Boise is 9-0 on the season while Fresno State comes into this contest at 6-3 after a tough one point loss to Nevada at home last weekend.

The Broncos have never fallen at home during Chris Petersen’s five years as head coach and they haven’t lost to the Bulldogs since 2005, winning by an average score of 47-21 in the last four meetings.

Petersen’s bunch have been thoroughly dominating opponents all season long, routinely scoring at will and stopping opposing offenses dead in their tracks. But that may not necessarily be the case tonight.

Not only will Boise State have to contend with a fierce Fresno State defense which ranks second in the WAC in total defense, they will also likely have to battle with some gloomy weather conditions. Forecasts are calling for rain and low temperatures in the mid 30s throughout the duration of the game.

Will Boise finally slip up on the rain soaked blue turf or will they continue their miraculous run by toppling another conference foe as they try to prove they’re the best team in the country?

Let’s take a look at some keys to the game.

Boise State Key Offensive Player: QB Kellen Moore

There’s not much left to say about Kellen Moore that hasn’t already been said.

The junior quarterback, who's lost just one game in his entire career, is college football’s ultimate winner and his intangibles and poise under pressure make up for what he lacks in the physical skills department.

Moore, the country's top rated passer, is one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy. If he has a big performance in front of national audience tonight, Moore's invitation to New York could soon follow.

Boise State Key Defensive Player: S George Iloka

It’s hard to pinpoint just one standout player on Boise State’s defense because they are the definition of a unit, but safety George Iloka is definitely a difference maker.

The 6’3’’ 205 lb. junior is a factor against both the run and the pass, and he’s the leader of a Broncos' secondary which many had perceived as the weak point of the team before their dominating performance against Hawaii.

Iloka, who has 47 tackles on the season, teams with fellow safety Jerron Johnson to give the Broncos' defense a formidable back end.

Fresno State Key Offensive Player: RB Robbie Rouse

The Bulldogs will likely want to keep the ball out of the hands of Boise’s high powered offensive attack and to do so they’ll need to turn to the ground game and running back Robbie Rouse.

Rouse isn’t the biggest back at just 5’7’’ and 185 lbs. but he has surprising power and can run in between the tackles.

Rouse has made up for the loss of last year’s star Ryan Mathews and is currently closing in on a 1,000 yard season.

Fresno State Key Defensive Player: DE Chris Carter

At just 6’2’’ and 230 lbs, Chris Carter is considered small as far as defensive ends go, but the senior’s tremendous speed rushing skills negate his stature.

Carter, who has already taken down opposing quarterbacks eight times this year, will need to apply some consistent pressure on Kellen Moore tonight if Fresno has any hopes of slowing down the Boise State offense.

Carter is one of the best defensive players in the WAC Conference and he’ll have to be accounted for on every down.

Key Statistics

Boise State Offense - Per Game Averages

Points: 47
Total Offense: 530
Passing Offense: 315
Rushing Offense: 215
First Downs: 25
Yards Per Play: 7.7
3rd Down Conversions: 46 percent

Boise State Defense - Per Game Averages

Points: 12
Total Defense: 240
Passing Defense: 165
Rushing Defense: 75
First Downs: 14
Yards Per Play: 3.8
3rd Down Conversions: 28 percent

Boise State Special Teams

Field Goals: 71 percent
Punts: 41 yard average

Fresno State Offense - Per Game Averages

Points: 34
Total Offense: 399
Passing Offense: 219
Rushing Offense: 180
First Downs: 19
Yards Per Play: 6.0
3rd Down Conversions: 36 percent

Fresno State Defense - Per Game Averages

Points: 28
Total Defense: 349
Passing Defense: 193
Rushing Defense: 156
First Downs: 16
Yards Per Play: 5.6
3rd Down Conversions: 36 percent

Fresno State Special Teams

Field Goals: 78 percent
Punts: 39 yard average

Last Five Meetings

2009: Boise State 51, Fresno State 34
2008: Boise State 61, Fresno State 10
2007: Boise State 34, Fresno State 21
2006: Boise State 45, Fresno State 21
2005: Fresno State 27, Boise State 7

Las Vegas Spread: Boise State (-29), Over/Under (65)

Prediction: Boise State 40, Fresno State 17