Saturday, December 3
Boise, Idaho
1 p.m.
Boise State
17
vs
14
App State
BSU Amazing Again
12/3/1994 10:11:00 PM | Football
GamebookBSU Shuts Down ASU OptionBig Plays Hurt Appalachian Big TimeBoise State Already Wins First Battle with Marshall
Even with seven turnovers, Broncos beat ASU 17-14
BOISE, Idaho – The Boise State Broncos are on such an incredible roll, they can't even lose to themselves.
Three fumbles? No problem.
Four Tony Hilde interceptions? No problem.
Appalachian State's option offense? No problem.
Marshall University? Big problem. But, at least the Broncos will get their shot at one of the most dominant Division I-AA programs in NCAA history next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Bronco Stadium.
Third-ranked Boise State earned that right Saturday by slipping past Appalachian State 17-14 in the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs.
The Broncos (12-1) overcame seven turnovers and a steady rain to reach the semifinals for the first time since the three-overtime thriller at Nevada in 1990.
"We're a lucky football team. I guess it really is destiny," said Hilde, who had only 10 interceptions in BSU's first 12 games. "That was one of the worst games we've played all year, and we're still in the semifinals. Amazing."
The second-ranked Thundering Herd (12-1), who have played in the last three championship games, winning in 1992, needed overtime to beat James Madison 28-21 in their quarterfinal.
After Saturday's sloppy performance before 15,302 soaked fans, the Broncos can hardly wait another six days.
"Bring 'em on," senior linebacker Stefan Reid said.
"Playing Marshall at home in the semifinals, we couldn't ask for anything more," defensive end Joe O'Brien said.
Now the Broncos need to find a way to fix their sputtering, aching and breaking offense.
They ran 72 plays against the 17th-ranked Mountaineers (9-4), but only three decided the outcome.
Hilde, who had three interceptions in the Broncos' first seven drives, hit Ryan Ikebe for a 61-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
The two-play, 63-yard drive was set up by Keith Walk-Green's interception.
Three minutes later, after Reid recovered a fumble, Greg Erickson drilled a 45-yard field goal.
Then with 1:27 left in the third quarter, Hilde and Ikebe hooked up again, this time for a 64-yard score, and BSU led 17-7.
"That should have been the end of the game," BSU coach Pokey Allen said. "I didn't expect the offense to be real sharp, but I didn't expect anything like this.
"I've never had a team win with that many turnovers. Shoot, I've never even been in a game where we had that many turnovers."
On both touchdowns, Hilde threw a perfect ball into tight one-on-one coverage, and Ikebe broke free into the end zone.
"With our style of offense, you just can't do that," Ikebe said of the Mountaineers' one-on-one coverage.
"They were perfectly thrown balls and catches," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. "It was great execution on their part. I wouldn't change a thing."
Ikebe finished with four catches for 140 yards on a day where 60 percent of the passes were dropped.
"Just concentration," he said. "The will to catch the ball, I guess, and the heart."
The Broncos finished with 342 yards of offense after no yards and no first downs in the first quarter. Hilde threw an interception on the first play of the game, the Broncos' next three drives ended with punts, Hilde threw another interception, and Willie Bowens lost a fumble.
Not the type of start offensive coordinator Al Borges had in mind.
"That was ugly as sin," he said. "It's the most frustrating thing I have ever seen, but we also found a way to win the game and that's what we're going to dwell on."
Borges said the rain had nothing to do with the seven turnovers.
"This is a beautiful sunny day in Portland and we never had these kind of problems there," he said. "It's just an attention to detail. We have to start taking care of the ball. If we do this next week, we'll get killed."
Said Hilde: "There's no reason to have seven turnovers. That's ridiculous … We should have scored 40 points."
Appalachian State scored once in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Chip Hooks. Quarterback Scott Satterfield added another 1-yard run midway through the fourth. Both came after BSU turnovers.
The Mountaineers ran for 153 yards and passed for 73, but they averaged only 2.9 yards a play. They had three turnovers, including two interceptions from Satterfield, who completed only 7 of 27 passes.
Three fumbles? No problem.
Four Tony Hilde interceptions? No problem.
Appalachian State's option offense? No problem.
Marshall University? Big problem. But, at least the Broncos will get their shot at one of the most dominant Division I-AA programs in NCAA history next Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Bronco Stadium.
Third-ranked Boise State earned that right Saturday by slipping past Appalachian State 17-14 in the quarterfinals of the I-AA playoffs.
The Broncos (12-1) overcame seven turnovers and a steady rain to reach the semifinals for the first time since the three-overtime thriller at Nevada in 1990.
"We're a lucky football team. I guess it really is destiny," said Hilde, who had only 10 interceptions in BSU's first 12 games. "That was one of the worst games we've played all year, and we're still in the semifinals. Amazing."
The second-ranked Thundering Herd (12-1), who have played in the last three championship games, winning in 1992, needed overtime to beat James Madison 28-21 in their quarterfinal.
After Saturday's sloppy performance before 15,302 soaked fans, the Broncos can hardly wait another six days.
"Bring 'em on," senior linebacker Stefan Reid said.
"Playing Marshall at home in the semifinals, we couldn't ask for anything more," defensive end Joe O'Brien said.
Now the Broncos need to find a way to fix their sputtering, aching and breaking offense.
They ran 72 plays against the 17th-ranked Mountaineers (9-4), but only three decided the outcome.
Hilde, who had three interceptions in the Broncos' first seven drives, hit Ryan Ikebe for a 61-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
The two-play, 63-yard drive was set up by Keith Walk-Green's interception.
Three minutes later, after Reid recovered a fumble, Greg Erickson drilled a 45-yard field goal.
Then with 1:27 left in the third quarter, Hilde and Ikebe hooked up again, this time for a 64-yard score, and BSU led 17-7.
"That should have been the end of the game," BSU coach Pokey Allen said. "I didn't expect the offense to be real sharp, but I didn't expect anything like this.
"I've never had a team win with that many turnovers. Shoot, I've never even been in a game where we had that many turnovers."
On both touchdowns, Hilde threw a perfect ball into tight one-on-one coverage, and Ikebe broke free into the end zone.
"With our style of offense, you just can't do that," Ikebe said of the Mountaineers' one-on-one coverage.
"They were perfectly thrown balls and catches," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. "It was great execution on their part. I wouldn't change a thing."
Ikebe finished with four catches for 140 yards on a day where 60 percent of the passes were dropped.
"Just concentration," he said. "The will to catch the ball, I guess, and the heart."
The Broncos finished with 342 yards of offense after no yards and no first downs in the first quarter. Hilde threw an interception on the first play of the game, the Broncos' next three drives ended with punts, Hilde threw another interception, and Willie Bowens lost a fumble.
Not the type of start offensive coordinator Al Borges had in mind.
"That was ugly as sin," he said. "It's the most frustrating thing I have ever seen, but we also found a way to win the game and that's what we're going to dwell on."
Borges said the rain had nothing to do with the seven turnovers.
"This is a beautiful sunny day in Portland and we never had these kind of problems there," he said. "It's just an attention to detail. We have to start taking care of the ball. If we do this next week, we'll get killed."
Said Hilde: "There's no reason to have seven turnovers. That's ridiculous … We should have scored 40 points."
Appalachian State scored once in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Chip Hooks. Quarterback Scott Satterfield added another 1-yard run midway through the fourth. Both came after BSU turnovers.
The Mountaineers ran for 153 yards and passed for 73, but they averaged only 2.9 yards a play. They had three turnovers, including two interceptions from Satterfield, who completed only 7 of 27 passes.
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