Boise State Already Wins First Battle with Marshall

BOISE, Idaho – Huntington, West Virginia, or Boise, Idaho?

That was the question the NCAA Football Committee had to wrestle with this week, providing, of course, Boise State and Marshall won their playoff games.

Well, the Broncos and Thundering Herd held up their ends of the bargain and the ball was in the NCAA's court to decide on whose field the semifinal game would be played.

The winner is …

Boise.

For the first time in two years, Marshall has to go on the road in the I-AA playoffs. No matter what, Huntington is the site of the I-AA Championship Game on Dec. 17.

Marshall's streak of 10 successive home playoff games will end next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Bronco Stadium.

"We knew coming into the game what the decision would be," said Will Rudd, media coordinator for the NCAA Championships. "It's just a matter of announcement."

"The committee was very concerned about Marshall playing at home throughout the playoffs and having an unnecessary home-field advantage. It was decided that if No. 2 (seed Marshall) plays No. 3 (Boise State), No. 2 would go on the road. It was a tough call."

That came in the final minute after Boise State pinned Appalachian State on its 4-yard line, with a responding roar from most of the 15,302 at Bronco Stadium.

"We don't announce it until we have a good idea of the outcome," Rudd said. "We want to be fair to both teams. Knowing you're going to host can be a great emotional advantage."

Home Sweet Home

Talk about home-field advantage, Saturday's semifinal is the 10^th home game of the season for the Broncos.

It's also the first time Boise State has advanced to the semifinals of the playoffs since 1990 when Nevada won a 59-52 overtime thriller at Reno.

Pokey Allen may enjoy the home-field advantage, but he has been less than ecstatic about the turnout for the two postseason games – 14,706 for North Texas and 15,302 for Appalachian State.

"I expected 17,000 for the (North Texas game on) Thanksgiving weekend and 20,000 for this game," Allen said. "They (the fans) are not used to taking the next step. We've got to educate them. The playoffs are great.

"To draw 22,000 for Weber State and 15,000 for the second round of the playoffs is unbelievable."

P.S.

The two playoff crowds are the smallest at Bronco Stadium this year.

New Face in the Crowd

Boise State had two offensive linemen on the All-Big Sky team but only one of them played against Appalachian State.

Center Paul Coffman, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound junior from Lompoc, Calif., missed the game with a shoulder injury. His spot was taken by Matt Romberg, a 6-4, 255-pound junior from Borah High School.

Slippery When Wet

How much of a factor was the wet, slippery field?

BSU receiver Jarett Hausske slipped down on the first play of the game. The result was an interception by Appalachian State safety Johnny Smith. On the next series, Mountaineer quarterback Scott Satterfield couldn't find the handle on the center snap on a fourth-down-and-2 play from the BSU 33.

The initial first down of the game was the result of a 5-yard run by Appalachian State's Chip Hooks with 5:39 left in the first quarter. Boise State didn't get a first down until K.C. Adams' 9-yard run on the first play of the second period.

Boise State Athletics

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