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Boise State Athletics
Friday, November 9
Boise, Idaho
8:15 p.m. MT
Boise State
vs
Fresno State
Broncos, No. 16/17 Bulldogs Battle For The Milk Can Friday
11/5/2018 2:10:00 PM | Football
BOISE, Idaho - The Boise State football team will play host to No. 16/17 Fresno State in a rematch of the 2017 Mountain West Championship Game, Friday (Nov. 9). The Broncos (7-2, 4-1 MW) and Bulldogs (8-1, 5-0) are slated to kick at 8:15 p.m., and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
The teams will also be playing for the Milk Can, a trophy that is currently in the possession of the Bulldogs for winning last year's regular-season match-up. The trophy's first appearance came in the 2006 meeting in Boise.
Boise State has never lost to Fresno State on The Blue, since the Bulldogs' lone win in Boise came in 1984, two seasons before The Blue was installed.
RYPIEN NEARING MW PASSING RECORDS: Brett Rypien needs 36 yards to become the Mountain West's all-time passing yardage leader. Entering Friday's match-up against Fresno State, Rypien has 12,655 career passing yards. The current leader, San Diego State's Ryan Lindley (2008-11), had 12,690 yards. Rypien, with 957 career completions, is also just five away from passing Lindley (961) to become the league's all-time leader.
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: The game against Fresno State (8-1) is the second of three November home games for Boise State against teams at least .500 or better, the first such occurrence in the final month of the season for the Broncos since 1986. BYU entered last week's contest at 4-4, and Utah State (Nov. 24) is currently 8-1.
SOMEONE'S ALWAYS RANKED: With Fresno State being ranked 16/17 in this week's Associated Press/Amway Coaches Polls, this Friday's Broncos-Bulldogs matchup will feature at least one of the two teams being ranked by at least one of the polls for the fourth-straight time. Dating back to 2001, and including this Friday's game, at least one of the two teams has been ranked by one of the two polls in 15 of the last 18 matchups. Boise State is 11-3 in the 14 previous matchups in which one or both teams has been ranked.
FRESNO MATCHES AN OPPONENT MILESTONE: Fresno State being ranked 16th in this week's Associated Press Poll makes the Bulldogs equal to the highest AP-ranked opponent to visit Albertsons Stadium for a matchup with Boise State. Oregon was also ranked 16th in the AP Poll ahead of Boise State's 19-8 win at Albertsons Stadium on Sept. 3, 2009.
DESTINY IN THEIR HANDS: With the Broncos returning to Mountain West play for the final three games of the regular season, they control their own destiny towards reaching the Mountain West Championship Game for a third time. Boise State's easiest path to capturing the Mountain Division lies in winning its final three games, which would give the Broncos a 7-1 conference record and the head-to-head advantage over every Mountain Division foe.
PROTECTING ALBERTSONS STADIUM (FROM BYU): Saturday night's 21-16 victory over BYU brought the Broncos to 5-0 all-time against the Cougars at Albertsons Stadium. It was also the fourth time of the five meetings in Boise that the teams played a game that was decided by five or less points.
A HOME-FRIENDLY NOVEMBER: November provides an advantageous schedule for the Broncos in their attempt to claim the Mountain Division, with two of the final three conference games at home. Beginning Friday, the Broncos will have home dates against Fresno State (Nov. 9) and Utah State (Nov. 24) sandwiched around its conference road finale at New Mexico on Nov. 16.
Along with the Nov. 3 win over BYU, the Broncos are a combined 23-3 at Albertsons Stadium against its three November home foes. Broken down individually, the Broncos are 5-0 at home against BYU, 9-1 against Fresno State (the Broncos have won nine in a row at home against the Bulldogs since the lone loss in 1984), and 9-2 against Utah State (last home loss to the Aggies coming in 1996).
THAT'S THE "STUFF": Boise State's defense added another dramatic moment to the program's rivalry with BYU on Nov. 3, as linebacker Tyson Maeva and nose tackle Scale Igiehon combined to sack Cougar quarterback Zach Wilson at the Bronco four-yard line on the final play to preserve the 21-16 victory.
Credit has to also go to the Boise State secondary for its coverage on the short field, as it forced Wilson to scramble right into the grasps of Maeva and Igiehon.
WEAVER'S HEATING UP: Redshirt sophomore Curtis Weaver burnished his credentials for a second-straight selection to the All-Mountain West First Team Nov. 3 against BYU, recording two sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss among his career-high seven tackles.
It was Weaver's fifth-career games with at least two sacks, and it brought his season total to a team- and Mountain West-leading 7.5. His 11.0 TFL also lead the Broncos, and rank third in the conference, just a half-TFL back of co-leaders Malik Reed and Korey Rush of Nevada.
The teams will also be playing for the Milk Can, a trophy that is currently in the possession of the Bulldogs for winning last year's regular-season match-up. The trophy's first appearance came in the 2006 meeting in Boise.
Boise State has never lost to Fresno State on The Blue, since the Bulldogs' lone win in Boise came in 1984, two seasons before The Blue was installed.
RYPIEN NEARING MW PASSING RECORDS: Brett Rypien needs 36 yards to become the Mountain West's all-time passing yardage leader. Entering Friday's match-up against Fresno State, Rypien has 12,655 career passing yards. The current leader, San Diego State's Ryan Lindley (2008-11), had 12,690 yards. Rypien, with 957 career completions, is also just five away from passing Lindley (961) to become the league's all-time leader.
NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER: The game against Fresno State (8-1) is the second of three November home games for Boise State against teams at least .500 or better, the first such occurrence in the final month of the season for the Broncos since 1986. BYU entered last week's contest at 4-4, and Utah State (Nov. 24) is currently 8-1.
SOMEONE'S ALWAYS RANKED: With Fresno State being ranked 16/17 in this week's Associated Press/Amway Coaches Polls, this Friday's Broncos-Bulldogs matchup will feature at least one of the two teams being ranked by at least one of the polls for the fourth-straight time. Dating back to 2001, and including this Friday's game, at least one of the two teams has been ranked by one of the two polls in 15 of the last 18 matchups. Boise State is 11-3 in the 14 previous matchups in which one or both teams has been ranked.
FRESNO MATCHES AN OPPONENT MILESTONE: Fresno State being ranked 16th in this week's Associated Press Poll makes the Bulldogs equal to the highest AP-ranked opponent to visit Albertsons Stadium for a matchup with Boise State. Oregon was also ranked 16th in the AP Poll ahead of Boise State's 19-8 win at Albertsons Stadium on Sept. 3, 2009.
DESTINY IN THEIR HANDS: With the Broncos returning to Mountain West play for the final three games of the regular season, they control their own destiny towards reaching the Mountain West Championship Game for a third time. Boise State's easiest path to capturing the Mountain Division lies in winning its final three games, which would give the Broncos a 7-1 conference record and the head-to-head advantage over every Mountain Division foe.
PROTECTING ALBERTSONS STADIUM (FROM BYU): Saturday night's 21-16 victory over BYU brought the Broncos to 5-0 all-time against the Cougars at Albertsons Stadium. It was also the fourth time of the five meetings in Boise that the teams played a game that was decided by five or less points.
A HOME-FRIENDLY NOVEMBER: November provides an advantageous schedule for the Broncos in their attempt to claim the Mountain Division, with two of the final three conference games at home. Beginning Friday, the Broncos will have home dates against Fresno State (Nov. 9) and Utah State (Nov. 24) sandwiched around its conference road finale at New Mexico on Nov. 16.
Along with the Nov. 3 win over BYU, the Broncos are a combined 23-3 at Albertsons Stadium against its three November home foes. Broken down individually, the Broncos are 5-0 at home against BYU, 9-1 against Fresno State (the Broncos have won nine in a row at home against the Bulldogs since the lone loss in 1984), and 9-2 against Utah State (last home loss to the Aggies coming in 1996).
THAT'S THE "STUFF": Boise State's defense added another dramatic moment to the program's rivalry with BYU on Nov. 3, as linebacker Tyson Maeva and nose tackle Scale Igiehon combined to sack Cougar quarterback Zach Wilson at the Bronco four-yard line on the final play to preserve the 21-16 victory.
Credit has to also go to the Boise State secondary for its coverage on the short field, as it forced Wilson to scramble right into the grasps of Maeva and Igiehon.
WEAVER'S HEATING UP: Redshirt sophomore Curtis Weaver burnished his credentials for a second-straight selection to the All-Mountain West First Team Nov. 3 against BYU, recording two sacks and 2.5 tackles-for-loss among his career-high seven tackles.
It was Weaver's fifth-career games with at least two sacks, and it brought his season total to a team- and Mountain West-leading 7.5. His 11.0 TFL also lead the Broncos, and rank third in the conference, just a half-TFL back of co-leaders Malik Reed and Korey Rush of Nevada.
Players Mentioned
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