Broncos Look to Give Memphis The Blues

BOISE, Idaho – Boise State will make its first return to the City of Blues since 2004 on Saturday as the Broncos will face Memphis (3-1) in their final non-conference game of the regular season.

The last time Boise State (2-2) appeared at Liberty (Bowl) Stadium, the then-10^th-ranked Broncos faced No. 8 Louisville in the 2004 Liberty Bowl. Despite a 92-yard interception return by linebacker Andy Avalos, Louisville would escape with a 44-40 win.

Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Krik Morrison (analyst) and Stormy Buonantony (sidelines) will broadcast the game live on ESPN2 with a 3 p.m. CT/2 p.m. MT kickoff while Bob Behler (play-by-play) and Pete Cavender (analyst) will have the call on the Bronco Radio Network as well as on the SiriusXM app.

Opening Kickoff

Start and stop. Start and stop. After starting Mountain West Conference play last Friday with a 34-31 win at San Diego State, Boise State will remain on the road but step back out of conference competition with the program's first-ever meeting against Memphis.
Stop us if you've heard this before this season, but Boise State will be facing a highly-rated offense as Memphis has a passing attack that ranks 33rd in the nation by averaging 279.0 passing yards per game. The Tigers also rank 30th in scoring in the nation, averaging 37.0 points per game.
Boise State's defense often leaves opponents feeling blue when they are seeing red. Entering this week's contest, the Broncos have posted a Red Zone Defense that ranks 45th in the country. So far this season BSU opponents have scored 14 times (12 touchdowns, two field goals) in 18 visits with the Broncos forcing three red zone turnovers against UCF.
While this weekend's game won't be the first time Boise State pr Andy Avalos will make an appearance at Liberty Stadium, it will be the first time to do so against the Tigers. The last time the Broncos made their way to the City of the Blues, Avalos had a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown in the 2004 Liberty Bowl. The 10th-ranked Broncos came out on the wrong side of Beale Street, however, in a 44-40 loss to No. 8 Louisville.
Welcome to Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 each year. Boise State is proud to celebrate the hispanic heritage of head coach Andy Avalos, one of five hispanic head coaches in the FBS. Bienvenido al Mes de la Herencia Hispana, que se celebra del 15 de septiembre al 15 de octubre de cada año. Boise State se enorgullece de celebrar la herencia hispana del entrenador en jefe Andy Ávalos, uno de los cinco entrenadores en jefe hispanos de la FBS.

What You Need to Know

Run, Run, As Fast As You Can...

Can't catch him, he's the Jeanty-man! Boise State's Ashton Jeanty is quickly becoming one of the most dynamic players in the country as he enters this week's contest ranked leading the nation in all-purpose yards per game. Over the next two games Jeanty has a chance to achieve a feat few have ever done. Since 1996, there has only been one other FBS player to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving combined) in six games or less. Moreover, there have only been 11 players that have reached 1,000 all-purpose yards in six games or less. The Boise State sophomore has an opportunity to join elite company over the next two games. More than just on a national level, a strong showing byJeanty over the next two gamescould mark a first. No player in Mountain West Conference history has recorded 1,000 yards from scrimmage in six games or less and only one - Deon Long (New Mexico) - has tallied 1,000 all-purpose yards in that same timespan.

Road Warriors

Boise State is one of four schools nationally to post a winning record on the road each of the last nine seasons. The other are college football royalty in Alabama, Georgia and Ohio State. The Broncos are 19-1 in their last 20 Mountain West road games.

We Hang Banners Here

The Broncos currently have 14 league titles since 1996, when they joined the Football Bowl Subdivision, tied with Oklahoma for the most in the country during that time. Ohio State (13) and Florida State (11) are the only other schools in the country to win double-digit conference titles during that time. The Broncos have won 35 conference championships all-time, including four in the Mountain West, eight in the WAC, two in the Big West, six in the Big Sky and 15 in the Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference (ICAC).

Winning Ways

If you've read to this point, perhaps you're seeing a trend. Boise State knows a thing or two about football. In fact, the Broncos currently rank fifth in the nation in all-time winning percentage at the FBS level with a .726 mark. Wake up the Echoes because that is just four percentage points behind Notre Dame (.730) and five points behind the alleged Champions of the West, Michigan (.731). Ohio State (.733) has the best all-time winning percentage while Alabama is close behind at .732.

Say What?

If Boise State opponents think a little noise is going to throw off the Broncos defensive line, they might want to rethink that strategy. The unit led by Erik Chinander haslearned to communicate regardless of the decibel level and that was the easy part. Across the line, Chinander's unit speaks a total of eight different languages including: English, Arabic, German, Spanish, French, Samoan, Greek and ASL. Each game, the unit affectionately named the "United Nations" looks to unite themselves with opposing quarterbacks. Ready, Set, Hutt! jahizi, jahizi, hut!Auf die Plätze, fertig, Hutt! Listo, listo, Hutt! À vos marques, prêts, Hutt! Sauni, Seti, Hutt! Έτοιμος, Σετ, Χατ!

The Magic Number is 140

Boise State is 13-2 under Andy Avalos when rushing for 140 yards or more, including 7-1 last season (the only loss was to Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship Game).

Scouting Memphis

Memphis enters this week's contest with a 3-1 record (1-0 The American) following a close 34-27 loss to Missouri in a rare case of a Tiger-on-Tiger battle.
Ryan Silverfield is in his fourth full season at Memphis, compiling a 24-17 record (.585).
This week's contest begins back-to-back home games for the Tigers with a bye week sandwiched in between.
No player on either team was born yet when the Tigers last played a regular season game against a team that is currently a member of the Mountain West Conference.
Overall, the Tigers are 7-4 (.636) against current MW schools following a 38-10 win over Utah State in the 2022 First Responder Bowl.
Prior to last year's bowl game against the Aggies, Memphis had not played a current MW team since 1977. Groovy.
Memphis enters this week's match-up ranking third nationally in 3rd Down Conversion Defense (.226) and 10th nationally in 4th Down Conversion Defense (.250). The Tigers rank fifth nationally in 4th Down Conversions (.889).
UM ranks 30th nationally and leads The American by averaging 37.0 points per game while allowing an average of only 18.8 points per game, a mark that ranks 37th nationally and second in The American. So far that seems to be a good formula.
The university was founded in 1909 and was originally known as West Tennessee State Normal School. Believing that to be a bit of a mouthful, the school's name was changed to Memphis State College in 1941.
Blake Watson is doing his best Ashton Jeanty impression as he is averaging 138.75 all-purpose yards per game, ranking him 12th in the nation and first in The American.
QB Seth Hanigan ranks 10th in the country in completions per game (25.5) and 27th nationally in completion percentage (.694).
Since 1972, Memphis has had a live Tiger mascot named TOM. There's been TOM I, TOM II, TOM III and TOM IV. If you say their names really fast, it sounds like an old Tums commercial jingle.
While it's fun to sing jingles, we believe this is a missed opportunity to name a mascot "Bustopher Jones." Pity.
Speaking of TOM IV, you won't likely see him at the game Saturday as the university announced in 2020 that the live Bengal tiger mascot will henceforth remain in his enclosure at the Memphis Zoo. Hasn't anyone told them that the COVID-era isolations have ended?
A plan circulated the Tennessee Legislature in 1951 to merge Memphis State College into the University of Tennessee system with a name change suggested as "UTAM - University of Tennessee at Memphis." This plan fell through possibly because of potential confusion with nearby UTM (UT Martin) but we are still remisce at the loss of the potential with such a name, considering "TAM" is short for "Tam-O'-Shanter", a woolen cap of Scottish origin with a tight headband, usually with a pompon in the center. And who wouldn't want to see that depicted atop a Tiger's head?

A Win Would...

Move Boise State to 1-1 all-time at Liberty Stadium.
Up Boise State's record against Volunteer State teams to 2-0.
Bring the Broncos' all-time record in the Central Time Zone to 19-10.
Mark Boise State's 10th win in 11 tries when playing in the Central Time Zone.
Move to 3-1 when facing a team from the American Athletic Conference
Be better than a loss.

For complete coverage of Boise State Football, download the Bronco Sports App or follow the team on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.

-BroncoSports.com-

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Players Mentioned

Ashton Jeanty