Boise State vs. Georgia: 5 Things We Learned from the Marquee Week 1 Matchup

Yet again, Boise State proved naysayers wrong, beating Georgia 35-21 in Atlanta. It was a game that we can draw impressions from on both of these teams.

It was another in a string of big-time wins for the BCS-busting Broncos and another in a string of mediocre games for the once-proud Bulldogs.

Each team has their pros and cons that they displayed in the game. Here are five things we most definitely learned from this Week 1 matchup.

Kellen Moore Is Awesome

He’s too small. His arm isn’t big enough. He is a product of a very good system. He plays against second-rate competition.

Say what you want about this guy, but he’s still going to keep playing stellar football.

He was the best quarterback statistically last season, and going 28 of 34 for 261 yards and three touchdowns puts him off to a great start for this season.

Georgia Is Not a Top-Tier SEC Team

Unlike its fellow SEC school LSU, Georgia proved it has yet to rise back to national prominence as a football program.

Boise State is very good, but a top-tier SEC program would have beaten the Broncos in a virtual home game on national television.

Traditionally they are still up there, but right now performance-wise the Bulldogs are in the SEC cellar.

Boise State Has a Good Defense

Georgia went just 3-of-17 on third and fourth downs combined. For team with as much on-paper talent as Georgia, that’s just ridiculous.

Bulldog QB Aaron Murray had a decent game (16-of-29, 236 yards, two touchdowns), but he was clearly bothered by the Boise D.

Boise State also didn’t allow a single Georgia rusher more than 80 yards (and that guy got all 80 on one play).

Another indicator is that Boise State and Georgia had about the same amount of yards offensively, showing that Boise’s defense made big plays when they needed to.

Georgia Has Some Talent

As I wrote previously, Georgia does have talent.

QB Aaron Murray did have a solid game, and wide receiver Orson Charles caught six balls for 109 yards and a touchdown.

As a team, Georgia also averaged 4.4 yards per rush, which isn’t too bad considering that being behind most of the game prevented the Bulldogs from rushing the ball as much as they would have liked.

Boise State Is Balanced Offensively

The Broncos had four different guys reach double digits in rushing yards and two rush for touchdowns.

Also, Kellen Moore completed a pass to nine different receivers, an impressive feat for any offense.

Boise State ran the ball 37 times and passed the ball 34, using that balance to keep Georgia’s defense guessing every play.