Game Day Guide: Boise State welcomes Colorado State to Albertsons Stadium
Boise State looks to clinch bowl eligibility for the 25-straight season against Colorado State. Here is everything Bronco Nation needs to know ahead of Saturday.
Boise State welcomes Colorado State to the City of Trees for a Saturday night showdown inside Albertsons Stadium, eyeing bowl-eligible status for the 25th-straight season.
After dethroning Air Force's top-ranked rushing offense in last week's 19-14 win, the Broncos moved ahead as favorites to host the Mountain West Championship Game. Boise State is one of just 13 teams in the nation with an undefeated conference record.
On paper, all signs and statistics point towards a tough outing for the Rams on The Blue, as Boise State is a perfect 11-0 in the series and presents one of the county's best defenses.
While Colorado State has struggled in 2022 with below-average offensive numbers, Saturday's contest marks the first Broncos-Rams battle of the Jay Norvell era in the Centennial State.
After five seasons at Nevada, Norvell moved west to take over a familiar program in December 2021. 11 players followed the head coach to Fort Collins via the transfer portal this offseason.
Last October, Norvell and the Wolf Pack handed Boise State its third loss in five games, defeating the Broncos 41-31 at Albertsons Stadium. Despite success in Reno, Norvell and the Rams are in the process of a rebuild.
Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. MT Saturday on Fox Sports 1. Bronco Nation is asked to 'Wear Orange' for the first time this season. Information on ways to watch and fan need-to-knows can be found in this article below.
Game Information Broncos host Rams
Boise State (5-2, 4-0 MWC) vs. Colorado State (2-5, 2-1 MWC)
- Saturday, Oct. 29
- Albertsons Stadium - Boise, Idaho
- Capacity: 36,387
- Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT
- Channel: Fox Sports 1
- Weather: High of 59, low of 37 degrees, mostly cloudy
Ways to Watch TV, Radio, Streaming
ON TV
Boise State's home conference game will be televised on Fox Sports 1, available on the following channels:
- Sparklight: Channel 146 / 1146 HD
- DirecTV: Channel 219
- Dish Network: Channel 150
- Cox: Channel 78
ON THE RADIO
Fans can listen to the game on the Bronco Radio Network, which can be found online or on the following stations in the Boise area:
- KBOI 670 AM in Boise
- KTIK 93.1 FM in Boise
- KDZY 98.3 FM in McCall
- KSNQ 98.3 FM in Twin Falls
Here is a list of Bronco Radio Network stations outside the Boise area.
STREAMING
Streaming for Boise State vs. Colorado State is also available with the FOX SPORTS App. The app is available to subscribers of participating cable and satellite television providers (including Dish Network and DirecTV).
For more information, click here.
Fox Sports 1 is also available on fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, YouTube TV and AT&T TV Now's PLUS package.
Bronco Roundup KTVB Coverage
BRONCO ROUNDUP GAME DAY
KTVB's Bronco Roundup Game Day Show will be live on KTVB Channel 7, KTVB.COM, KTVB+ on Roku and Amazon Fire TV and the KTVB mobile app on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. MT. Join Sports Director Jay Tust and sports reporter Brady Frederick for an inside scoop on storylines surrounding the Broncos-Rams matchup.
The exclusive pre-game show will feature interviews and updates live from the sidelines of Albertsons Stadium, getting Bronco Nation prepared for kickoff.
GAME TRACKER
Once the game kicks off on The Blue, make sure to follow the action with KTVB's Game Tracker and live blog. The Game Tracker features a real-time scoreboard and the latest Twitter updates from Tust, Frederick and Boise State football.
POST-GAME INTERVIEWS
KTVB will live stream the post-game press conference on KTVB.COM, the KTVB YouTube channel, and on the KTVB mobile app.
Interviews with Boise State head coach Andy Avalos and players will be posted online soon after the press conference ends, so Bronco Nation can watch the press conference whenever and wherever they want.
Stay tuned to KTVB.COM after the game for a recap, highlights and comments from Saturday's Mountain West bout.
Odds and Predictions Broncos big-time favorites
ESPN's Matchup Predictor gives Boise State a 95.1% chance to win Saturday, with an opening spread of 27 points in favor of the blue and orange.
Popular sportsbooks in Las Vegas also favor Boise State heavily at home. BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook and WynnBET Sports each have a 27-point spread for the game, while FanDuel Sportsbook and UniBet have the Rams as 27.5-point underdogs.
History Broncos-Rams series
Boise State is a perfect 11-0 all-time against Colorado State, dating back to its first season in the Mountain West Conference in 2011.
Last October, the Broncos eliminated a 13-0 first-quarter lead for the Rams and turned it into a 28-19 road victory. The Oct. 30, 2021 win gave Boise State some much-needed momentum and started the Broncos' streak of four-straight wins.
Former Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier led the way 12 months ago, going 21-of-32 for 253 passing yards and three touchdowns, without an interception.
Colorado looks for its first win over Boise State Saturday night.
- Oct. 30, 2021: W - 28-19 (Fort Collins)
- Nov. 12, 2020: W - 52-21 (Boise)
- Nov. 29, 2019: W - 31-24 (Fort Collins)
- Oct. 19, 2018: W - 56-28 (Boise)
- Nov. 11, 2017: W - 59-52 (OT) (Fort Collins)
- Oct. 15, 2016: W - 28-23 (Boise)
- Oct. 10, 2015: W - 41-10 (Fort Collins)
- Sept. 6, 2014: W - 37-24 (Boise)
- Nov. 2, 2013: W - 42-30 (Fort Collins)
- Nov. 17, 2012: W - 42-14 (Boise)
- Oct. 15, 2011: W - 63-13 (Fort Collins)
Bronco backfield Health of Holani, Jeanty
Against Air Force, the Bronco offense was without starting running back George Holani for the entirety of the contest. They also were without true freshman Ashton Jeanty for the second half.
In Monday's press conference, Boise State head coach Andy Avalos did not comment on their status moving forward, but Holani was seen at practice Tuesday participating in full pads. Jeanty was not seen during Tuesday's session.
If the Broncos are limited in their backfield, Bronco Nation may continue to see more opportunities for guys like Elelyon Noa, Tyler Crowe and Kaden Dudley.
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said if that's the case, the play calling may change slightly to better fit the personnel's style. Koetter said he has been very impressed with the progression of the running back room.
"I mean, obviously those two guys mean a lot and they're two very explosive players. I feel like running backs may be our deepest position on our team, with [Noa] coming over from Utah State, what he did a year ago at Utah State and what he's already down for us," Koetter said. "Tyler stepped up big time. His roll wasn't to touch the ball a lot. That was a great play he made on that wheel route. Obviously we'd love to have those first two guys out there, but we'll see how that goes."
Koetter on Monday also said he has been conservative in the red zone since taking over the Broncos' play-calling duties. Since Boise State has owned leads in each game since the UTEP loss, Koetter said his approach changes, allowing the Broncos to avoid a game-altering mistake.
Against Air Force, redshirt freshman quarterback Taylen Green was asked to throw more often with Holani and Jeanty sidelined. Green went 16-of-24 with 227 passing yards and an interception.
Green only rushed for 16 yards, something that will likely change if Boise State is short on running back strength.
Lock the Gates Success by stats
In Colorado Springs, the Boise State Broncos' defense put together one of their best performances of the season, holding Air Force – the nation's No. 1 rushing offense – to just 175 yards. The ground total is fewer than half of what the Falcons had been averaging per game.
On Tuesday, defensive line coach Frank Maile and EDGE Demitri Washington said they feel Boise State is yet to hit its peak. Washington said despite this season's success, the Bronco defensive front still hasn't quite reached their true potential.
If the blue and orange has room to grow, look out opponents. The Broncos currently rank No. 3 in the FBS in total defense, allowing just 241.1 yards per contest. Boise State also touts top-25 numbers in scoring defense (No. 19) and rushing defense (No. 22), and leads the country in passing yards allowed (128.9 YPG).
On the opposite side, Colorado State has struggled offensively this fall, with three different quarterbacks throwing more than 30 passes in seven games. The Rams are yet to score 20 points in a 2022 contest, with their highest scoring effort coming in a 34-19 loss to Middle Tennessee.
Out of 131 FBS squads, the Rams rank 127th in total offense, averaging 267.1 ticks each week. Colorado State does rank ahead of Boise State in passing offense, landing at No. 116 to the Broncos' 120th rank.
Fan Guide Color Scheme, Tailgating and More
FAN COLOR SCHEME
For the first time in 2022, Bronco Nation is asked to 'Wear Orange' inside Albertsons Stadium for Saturday's matchup with Colorado State. After back-to-back blue outs, Boise State is expected to don orange uniforms against the Rams.
Saturday's promotion is Military Appreciation, with Idaho Power, Idahome Solar, Larry H. Miller and Western Stats CAT listed as 'Community and Sustainability Grouped Sponsors.'
A full schedule of fan color schemes for the 2022 season is shown below:
FORD FAN ZONE
Prior to kickoff, Bronco Nation can enjoy activities and live music in the upgraded Ford Fan Zone. The fan space is free to enter and includes food trucks, concession stands, a Bronco Kids Club booth with inflatables and sports gardens with alcohol sales.
Located along Bronco Lane between DeChevrieux Field and the Larry and Marianne Williams Plaza, the Ford Fan Zone opens at 1 p.m. MT Saturday, four hours before kickoff.
'Tylor & The Trainrobbers' will perform in the fan area at 2 p.m. MT Saturday, three hours ahead of kickoff on The Blue. For more information on pre-game concerts for the entire 2022 season, click here.
BRONCO WALK
The Ford Fan Zone gives fans a close view of the Bronco Walk, a tradition outside Albertsons Stadium prior to Boise State home games.
The Bronco Walk is scheduled to begin two hours and 40 minutes ahead of kickoff, or 2:20 p.m. MT Saturday, and goes from the Student Union Building, along Bronco Lane, and through the Larry and Marianne Williams Plaza to the Allen Noble Hall of Fame.
In 2022, the Bronco Walk will be difficult to miss, as fireworks have been added to signal the start of the pre-game tradition.
PARKING, TRAFFIC & SHUTTLES
Expect increased traffic on all roads surrounding Boise State before and after the game. University Drive, from Capitol Boulevard to Broadway Avenue, will be congested throughout the afternoon. Bronco Lane will be closed to traffic for the Ford Fan Zone.
Due to limited public parking on-campus, fans are encouraged to park off-campus and walk/bike or use a shuttle to get to the game.
Parking in Boise Parks:
Parking is allowed in designated parking spots within Julia Davis Park, Ann Morrison Park, Idaho Fallen Firefighters Memorial Park, and Kristin Armstrong Municipal Park. Parking for Boise State home games is free on a first-come, first-served basis.
Towing will be delayed at those parks until 9 a.m. the following morning regardless of kickoff time.
Shuttle service:
Three to five shuttles run from the Lincoln and Brady garages on Boise State game days. The shuttles drop fans off on the west side of Albertsons Stadium, in front of Gate A.
For the Lincoln Garage, pick up and drop off is located at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and University Drive. For the Brady Garage, pick up and drop off is located off Brady Street, next to the Multi-Purpose Building.
Off-campus Parking:
The Downtown Boise Association coordinates free shuttle buses from seven convenient downtown locations to Albertsons Stadium. These shuttles run every 20 minutes starting two hours prior to game time, and immediately after the game for one hour.
Locations for the Bronco Gameday Shuttle are listed below. The shuttle takes fans to the east side of Albertsons Stadium, off Broadway Avenue.
- 6th & Grove (Bardenay)
- 8th & Main (Bronco Shop)
- 8th & Idaho (Diablo & Sons)
- 8th & Broad (Solid Grill & Bar)
- 6th & Broad (Boise Brewing)
- River & Pioneer (Payette Brewing)
- 9th & Front (Anthony's Restaurant)
Here is more information on the Bronco Gameday Shuttle, and game day parking options.
ENTRY TO THE GAME
Tickets for 2022 Bronco sporting events are digital and screenshots no longer work, according to Boise State Athletics. Fans should use the Boise State Broncos Athletics app and their Boise State Ticket Account Manager to have full access to tickets on a smartphone.
Tickets can also be saved to the wallet app before arriving at Albertsons Stadium and should be pulled up before the ticket scanner area.
For more information, visit Boise State's Digital Ticket Information page.
Bronco fans should arrive early. Those whose seats are not in the Stueckle Sky Center may enter the stadium through any gate. The only bags allowed in Albertsons Stadium are:
- Clear bags: 12 x 12 x 6
- Clutches: 4.5 x 6.5
- Fanny packs: 4.5 x 6.5
Prior to entry, fans will pass through metal detectors, and any bags carried in will be subject to search. Remember to leave prohibited items behind, including all weapons, alcohol, glass, and coolers.
10 TO 10 ZONE
According to the Boise Police Department, the 10 to 10 Zone remains in place for home games this season. It specifies off-campus areas where people over the age of 21 may consume alcoholic beverages from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Boise State home football game days only.
Alcoholic beverages are allowed in opaque plastic cups within the zone. Glass containers, beer cans and types of liquor bottle and cups with alcoholic labeling are not allowed.
The "Zone" begins at Broadway Avenue and Myrtle Street, extends south down Broadway to Beacon, turns west along Beacon, north up Oakland Avenue, west on Potter Drive, north again up South Joyce Street, and then west along University Drive all the way to Capitol Boulevard.
The boundary extends north along Capitol and turns east onto Cesar Chavez Lane, crosses Friendship Bridge north, and leads into Julia Davis Park. In the park, the "10 to 10 Zone" boundary is the area east of Zoo Boise to Broadway Avenue, and south of the Julia Davis pond.
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