Monday, November 12, 2007.

The first time the term “Bronco Nation” really came into vogue was at last year’s Utah game, when 8,000 Boise State fans joined the team in Salt Lake City for the 36-3 win over the Utes. What’s happened since proves the term is not being used loosely. The Broncos recorded their first shutout on the road in 31 years Saturday in the 52-0 battering of Utah State, keyed by Taylor Tharp’s dissection of the Aggie defense. But for all practical purposes, it was a home game. The Salt Lake Tribune estimated 9,000 Bronco faithful in attendance at Romney Stadium, and the Deseret News said BSU supporters outnumbered USU fans. I’ll err on the side of conservatism and look at it this way: the average crowd in Logan in the four games preceding this one was 11,691, and the attendance yesterday was 18,864. Very simple—over 7,000 BSU fans traveling to a winless team’s stadium.

In my column Friday I did the Kevin Robinson thing, rattling off some of the credentials that make him Utah State’s one main threat to score points. The job the Boise State defense and special teams did on Robinson cannot be overstated. On his Senior Day, the kick returner and wide receiver extraordinaire did not have a single catch and carried one time on a reverse for a three-yard loss. It’s no coincidence that the Bronco defense earned a shutout. On special teams, the WAC’s leading punt returner had one punt runback for minus-three yards, and he notched four kickoff returns for a harmless 83 yards. There were plenty of Aggie fans scratching their heads over Robinson’s invisibility.

It took nine games this year, but it finally happened Saturday. Boise State scored a non-offensive touchdown. And there couldn’t have been a better poster child, as Ia Falo scooped up Ellis Powers’ blocked punt and ran 16 yards for the score in the first quarter. It’s been quite a “non-offensive drought”—the Broncos have made a living off of those sine the golden era began in 1999, scoring at last three non-offensive TDs every year, peaking at seven in 2004 and eight in 2005. One sidebar for the final three games of the season: BSU has taken at least one interception to the house each one of those seasons. Hasn’t happened yet this year.

Boise State fans will have to develop thick skins again, as they’re going to hear the ol’ “they haven’t beaten anybody” argument. Yes, it is indeed possible for the Broncos to make a second straight BCS bowl. They’ll have to win out, of course, and some more dominoes will have to fall in front of them. But hey—this is the 2007 college football season. BSU is up to No. 18 in the BCS standings and is ranked 17th in AP and 15th in the Coaches Poll. The very frustrated Hawaii Warriors stayed put in the BCS at No. 16 after their 37-30 home win over Fresno State. They’re 14th in AP and 13th in the Coaches Poll.

You can always hang your hat on what Utah State coach Brent Guy said of the Broncos after the game Saturday: “the best football team we’ve seen since Oklahoma from top to bottom, including special teams.” That’ll get Hawaii’s dander up, but what do you expect Guy to say when his Aggies were able to put up 37 points on the Warriors at Aloha Stadium and then get goose-egged at their own Romney Stadium by BSU? The Warriors are more concerned with Colt Brennan right now anyway. After a hellacious hit from Fresno State’s Marcus Riley crumpled him with a mild concussion Saturday night, Brennan said late yesterday he hopes to play in this Friday’s ESPN2 game at Nevada.

Now it’s Rivalry Week, as Boise State and Idaho face each other with inverted records—the Broncos are now 9-1 and 6-0 in the WAC, and the Vandals are exactly the opposite. Idaho has had a bye week to scheme and strategize against a team that’s had its number—BSU has won eight in a row in the series. But the past two have been hotly contested. In 2005, the Vandals tied the Broncos at 21 in the third quarter before BSU scored 49 points in 21 minutes to win going away, 70-35. Last year in the Kibbie Dome, Idaho came within a failed two-point conversion of its rival before Ian Johnson ran for the final two of his four touchdowns in the Broncos’ 42-26 victory.

A hard week of practice must have cured whatever ailed Daryn Colledge, because he and his cohorts on the Packers offensive line were in top form in Green Bay’s 34-0 stifling of Minnesota. Colledge has started every game since the second week of his rookie year but was challenged by coach Mike McCarthy last week to step up his game (as were the Packers’ other guards). Against the Vikings, the O-line didn’t allow a sack, helping Brett Favre pass for 351 yards as the surprising Packers improved to 8-1. McCarthy characterized the guards’ play as “very good.”

If the starting Boise State backcourt doesn’t score more than one point tomorrow night, I think the end result of the BSU-Washington State game is pretty much predetermined. The Broncos were able to get away with that—and 6-for-31 shooting from three-point range—in its 73-72 overtime victory against Utah Valley State in Friday night’s season opener. But BSU did display a will to win, coming to life in overtime with newcomers Paul Noonan and Jamar Greene combining to score 11 points in the extra period. The Broncos also outrebounded the Wolverines by five and forced a staggering 28 turnovers, the difference in the game. An interesting W, but a W nevertheless.

Washington State comes into Taco Bell Arena tomorrow night sporting at least a No. 10 ranking (the new polls come out later today). The Cougars opened Friday night by methodically taking apart Eastern Washington, 68-41. The way the Cougars play, if the Broncos can’t shoot any better than they did against Utah Valley, they’ll be in the 40’s, too. They won’t be forcing 28 turnovers on these guys. But still lingering in the memories of guys like Matt Nelson and Reggie Larry is last year’s game against Wazzu in the Spokane Arena, where BSU almost brought down the Cougs before falling 65-63. Nelson and Larry both played well in that one, especially on the boards—Nelson had eight rebounds and Larry six off the bench.

Maybe the Idaho Steelheads got their corner-turner Saturday night. The 7-1 win over Alaska was certainly what they needed after watching all those third period leads slip away. Friday night’s had been the most aggravating of all, as the Steelheads blew a 3-0 third period lead to lose to the Aces in overtime, 4-3. The floodgates opened Saturday courtesy of rookie Mike Sullivan, who tallied the second and third goals of his young career to send the Steelies on their way. They got something else they needed: a solid game from backup goaltender Kellen Briggs. He has the No. 2 job all to himself now that John Daigneau has been traded, and Briggs will be the starter whenever Steve Silverthorn gets a callup to Iowa. Briggs had 38 saves and notched his first professional victory against the Aces.

This Day In Sports…November 12, 1977, 30 years ago today:

Boise State tailback Cedric Minter goes one up on his fellow freshman running mate, Terry Zahner. Minter notches the second 200-yard rushing game in BSU history, going for 210 in a 42-21 win over Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. Zahner had become the Broncos’ first 200-yard rusher three games earlier, gaining 205 against Northern Arizona.

(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment Sunday nights at 10:30PM on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 1350 KTIK/The Ticket. He also handles color commentary on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football.)

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