Less than a week after falling to No. 15 Ohio State by a 27-22 score, the Toledo Rockets will have another shot at an upset when they host the No. 4 Boise State Broncos Friday night. Toledo’s upset bid ended on Saturday when its final drive stalled inside the Ohio State red zone.
The Rockets were their own worst enemy as a host of turnovers and mistakes in the kicking game prevented them from pulling off what would have been the biggest upset in college football this season.
While Toledo is certainly a talented team, especially in terms of the MAC, the chances of providing Boise State with an upset scare just six days after nearly beating the Buckeyes are slim and none. Ohio State’s program may be more highly touted than Boise State’s, but make no mistake that the Broncos are a better team in every way.
Critics are perpetually waiting for Boise State to suffer a hiccup and lose to an inferior team, but that very rarely happens under the tutelage of head coach Chris Petersen. The Broncos suffered a couple big losses on offense this offseason, primarily wide receivers Titus Young and Austin Pettis, but they are still a very battle-tested and experienced team.
Unlike a Buckeye team that is in a state of flux following the scandal that resulted in the firing of former head coach Jim Tressel, Boise State has remained constant over the past five-plus years and is perhaps the model program in today’s college football landscape.
With all that said, Boise State’s immense talent will simply trump Toledo on Friday night, and that’s really what it all comes down to. Senior quarterback Kellen Moore has been in plenty of big games over the course of his career, including a 35-21 win over the Georgia Bulldogs at the Georgia Dome to enter this season.
How will Boise State fare this season?
How will Boise State fare this season?
National Champions
Lose in National Championship Game
Play in other BCS Bowl
Play in non-BCS Bowl
Not qualify for Bowl Game
With Moore under center, the Broncos have to feel confident that they can win each and every game they play. Because of that, a mid-major team like Toledo is unlikely to instill any fear into Boise State. An argument could be made that the Broncos could take the Rockets too lightly, but I don’t see that being the case.
Hailing from a non-BCS conference in their own right, the Broncos understand that non-qualifiers can be just as good, if not better than many big-time BCS programs. Because of that, they have a unique perspective that allows them to respect every team they face.
Also, Petersen has surely shown his players plenty of film on Toledo’s near upset of Ohio State. The Broncos know that the Rockets are capable of pushing good teams to the brink, but they also know that the Rockets are mistake-prone. Making mistakes is the worst thing you can possibly do against a veteran-laden team like the Broncos because they’ll take advantage more often than not.
The Broncos are a team on a mission this season and desperately want to make it to the BCS National Championship Game before Moore graduates. Because of that, the Broncos will absolutely roll in this one, winning by a score of 45-17.
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