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Boise State Athletics
Boise State Celebrates 38th Anniversary of The Blue
9/13/2024 12:58:00 PM | Football
On this date 38 years ago, the first blue turf football field debuted
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State is celebrating the 38th anniversary of what would become an iconic symbol of the blue collar mentality that the Broncos are known for worldwide.
Making its initial debut on this date 38 years ago, Boise State hosted its first game on the now famous blue turf at Bronco Stadium II (now known as Albertsons Stadium).
What might have been a gimmick then is hardly laughed at now. Since the installation of the blue turf (known as “The Blue”), Boise State has compiled a 205-45 (.820) record at home. Since 2018, the Broncos home field advantage on the blue turf often has opponents seeing red – Boise State (and Bronco Nation) has caused more opponents to false starts during that timeframe than any other FBS team.
The very first game on blue turf, a 74-0 win over Humboldt State (now known as Cal Poly Humboldt) on Sept. 13, 1986, kicked off with great fanfare. Bronco Stadium was awash in blue and orange balloons, blue and orange cotton candy and Sno Cones were hawked by vendors, Boise State played in orange jerseys, an orange football was used on the first play of the game and the first 5,000 fans were recipients of a free small swatch of blue turf.
“I like it very much. It’s innovative and very attractive. Besides that, the scoreboard looks good tonight.”former Boise State football coach Lyle Smith said of the blue turf field during its debut
The first blue turf was also the first non-green artificial football field in the country and was made of standard Astroturf. Since then, four more iterations of blue turf have been installed in Boise. Over the years the surface has changed from Astroturf to Field Turf but the results have remained the same – more often than not the Broncos have been victorious.
Boise State has recorded 16 undefeated seasons in that 38-year time span, failing to lose at home on The Blue in 42% of those years.
Gallery: The Blue Through the Years
Broncos on The Blue
- Boise State has scored 50 or more points in 45 games.
- The Broncos have defeated opponents by 40 or more points on 32 different occasions.
- Opponents have been shut out by the Broncos 13 times on The Blue.
- The longest game in Boise State history, a four-overtime thriller against Nevada in 2007, was played on The Blue with the Broncos prevailing, 69-67.
- Boise State has a record of 21-14 (.600) against ranked opponents on The Blue.
- The Broncos are 9-2 (.818) all-time in postseason games on The Blue.
- Boise State has a 32-6 (.842) record in Homecoming Games on The Blue.
- The Broncos are 10-9 (.526) against teams that have been in P5 conferences when playing on The Blue.
- Against Pac-12 Conference opponents on The Blue, the Broncos are 6-3 (.667).
- Most Points Scored: 74, vs. Humboldt State (now Cal Poly Humboldt) on Sept. 13, 1986.
- Largest Margin of Victory: 74, vs. Humboldt State (now Cal Poly Humboldt) on Sept. 13, 1986.
Fact or Fiction?
Think you know your history of The Blue? Click the tabs below to see what's fact and what's fiction.
Fiction
After the NCAA office learned of the blue turf, a regulation was written into the national rule book that banned any other non-green artificial turfs. The Bronco field, however, was grandfathered in as being able to stay blue.
The Blue Over Time
Boise State's blue turf field is currently in its fifth iteration and today celebrates the 38th anniversary of its debut. Click the tabs below to read how The Blue has changed over the years.
1986
Boise State installed its first blue turf in the summer of 1986 and christened the first Bronco Blue on Sept. 13 of that year with a 74-0 win over Cal Poly Humboldt (then known as Humboldt State). What outsiders initially considered a gimmick or a fad, soon became known as a symbol of the program’s blue collar work ethic. The first blue turf was also the first non-green artificial football field in the country. That first blue was home to the 1994 Big Sky Conference Champions. One of the most famous games played in that era was the 28-24 victory over Marshall on Dec. 10 in the 1994 NCAA Division I-AA National Semifinal.
On This Date
Click the tabs below to see what happened on The Blue on Sept. 13 over the years.
Sept. 13, 1986
In front of a crowd of 17,465, The Blue made its worldwide debut with a premonition of what was to come. Boise State, ranked No. 15, resoundingly defeated Cal Poly Humboldt (then known as Humboldt State) 74-0 amidst a ton of fanfare and a little family controversy. Bronco Stadium was awash in blue and orange balloons, blue and orange cotton candy and Sno Cones were being hawked by vendors, Boise State played in orange jerseys and 5,000 small patches of blue Astroturf were given away to blue and orange decked fans. The game’s controversy was played out in between the lines as Bronco senior linebacker Mike Dolby Jr. helped lead his team to a shutout over an opponent that was coached by none other than his father, Mike Dolby Sr.
Notable Moments on The Blue
Now in its fourth decade, The Blue has had several thrilling moments take place on its royal surface over the years. Click below to expand the highlights of each of its four decades of history.
Sept. 13, 1986 – No. 15 Boise State 74, Humboldt State 0
The Blue makes its debut as No. 15 Boise State rolls to a 74-0 win over Cal Poly Humboldt (then known as Humboldt State).
Sept. 5, 1987 – Boise State 34, No. 10 Delaware State 13
Boise State recorded its first win over a ranked program on The Blue in a decisive 34-13 victory over 10th-ranked Delaware State.
Oct. 22, 1988 – Boise State 31, No. 12 Montana 28
On 4th-and-Goal at the Montana 3, Duane Halliday zipped a pass to tight end Jeff Lindsley with 23 seconds remaining in the game to beat the 12th-ranked Bobcats 31-28 on a chilly night.
Sept. 9, 1989 – No. 12 Boise State 23, No. 17 Stephen F. Austin 12
The 12th-ranked Broncos rallied from a 12-3 halftime deficit to defeat a 17th-ranked Stephen F. Austin team, 23-12, after holding the Lumberjacks to minus-one yard rushing. To engineer the comeback victory, Boise State pulled from its bag of tricks – a fake punt, a play where the Boise State quarterback starts to walk away from the line of scrimmage as if to call a timeout then the ball getting snapped directly to a running back – with both bits of chicanery coming on fourth-quarter drives.
Sept. 1, 1990 – No. 12 Boise State 14, No. 2 Stephen F. Austin 10
At the time, this rematch of the previous season’s battle made No. 2 Stephen F. Austin the highest-ranked opponent to fall on The Blue in a 14-10 battle against the 12th-ranked Broncos. The win marked another come-from-behind victory for Boise State following a 7-0 halftime deficit against a Lumberjack team that finished as the national runner-up to Georgia Southern the year prior.
Nov. 10, 1990 – No. 6 Boise State 30, No. 2 Nevada 14
Another team ranked No. 2 in the nation – this time a conference foe in Nevada – would be feeling blue after a trip to Boise. The second-ranked Wolf Pack were held to “a season-low minus-14 yards rushing on 49 futile attempts,” according to the Idaho Statesman.
Nov. 24, 1990 - #10 Boise State 20, No. 11 Northern Iowa 3 (NCAA I-AA Playoff First Round)
The 10th-ranked Broncos won their first playoff game on The Blue in a 20-3 battle that saw Boise State shut down every aspect of the UNI offense. The 11th-ranked Panthers entered the game averaging 375 yards and 30 points a game and departed from The Blue after recording only 156 total yards and scoring just a single field goal, while giving up six interceptions in that single game after allowing just seven interceptions all season.
Dec. 1, 1990 – No. 10 Boise State 20, No. 1 Middle Tennessee 13 (NCAA I-AA Quarterfinal)
With less than 12 minutes remaining in a game tied 13-13, Boise State faced 4th-and-2 and their own 19-yard line and lined up in punt formation. That’s when the mystique of The Blue took control. Bronco punter Mike Black took the snap from center and threw an 18-yard pass to Elijah George for a first down. That parked a drive that went 63 yards in 12 plays to score the winning touchdown on a one-yard run by Sean Sanders with 5:37 remaining as the Broncos toppled a top-ranked team on The Blue for the first time.
Nov. 5, 1994 – No. 15 Boise State 38, No. 1 Montana 14
Then the fourth largest crowed in Boise State history (22,630) witnessed one of the most devastating performances ever against one of the nation’s best offenses. No. 1 Montana, riding a 14-game winning streak, saw starting quarterback Dave Dickenson get sacked 11 times before leaving on a stretcher with an ankle injury. His replacement, Bert Wilberger, was sacked two more times and intercepted twice. It marked the second time a No. 1-ranked team had lost on The Blue.
Nov. 19, 1994 – No. 6 Boise State 27, No. 3 Idaho 24
A 27-24 win over the third-ranked Vandals clinched Boise State’s first conference title since 1980. The win came thanks to an impressive performance by Ryan Ikebe, who caught nine passes for 156 yards and all three touchdowns. He was fed by Tony Hilde, who was 23-for-37 passing for 338 yards in passing for the sixth-ranked Broncos.
Nov. 26, 1994 – No. 3 Boise State 24, No. 18 North Texas 20 (NCAA I-AA First Round)
The third-ranked Broncos overcame a halftime deficit for the first time all season to rally for a 24-20 NCAA I-AA First Round playoff win over No. 18 North Texas.
Dec. 3, 1994 – No. 3 Boise State 17, No. 17 App State 14 (NCAA I-AA Quarterfinal)
Boise State overcame seven turnovers and steady rain to claim a 17-14 win over No. 17 App State in an NCAA I-AA Quarterfinal playoff game. On both touchdown plays for the Broncos, quarterback Tony Hilde threw a perfect ball into tight one-on-one coverage to Ryan Ikebe, who broke free into the end zone for a score of over 60 yards.
Dec. 10, 1994 – No. 3 Boise State 28, No. 2 Marshall 24 (NCAA I-AA Semifinal)
Marshall entered the game with the No. 2 ranking and having played in the last three national championship games. The Thundering Herd held a 24-14 halftime lead over the third-ranked Broncos. But the mystique of The Blue prevailed yet again as Boise State scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and left Marshall’s title hopes in ruins I with a 28-24 victory before 20,068 frozen faithful at Bronco Stadium.
Sept. 16, 1995 – No. 3 Boise State 38, Sam Houston 14
The third-ranked Broncos recorded their 50th win on The Blue after dominating Sam Houston in a 38-14 game in front of 23,377 fans at Bronco Stadium (II).
Oct. 21, 1995 – Boise State 27, No. 22 Idaho State 17
An unranked Boise State team prevailed on Homecoming over No. 22 Idaho State in a 27-17 battle in front of 23,621 fans.
Sept. 7, 1996 – Boise State 33, Portland State 22
The Broncos recorded their first win as a member of Division I-A (now FBS) with a 33-22 decision over Portland State.
Sept. 5, 1998 – Boise State 26, Cal State Northridge 13
On a steamy 92-degree day on The Blue, Dirk Koetter made his head coaching debut in spectacular fashion, leading Boise State to a 26-13 win over Cal State Northridge.
Dec. 30, 1999 – Boise State 34, Louisville 31 (Humanitarian Bowl)
Dirk Koetter led Boise State to its first bowl win as a member of Division I-A (now FBS) with a thrilling 34-31 win over Louisville on a 22-degree day in the Humanitarian Bowl.
Dec. 28, 2000 – Boise State 38, UTEP 23 (Humanitarian Bowl)
Another year, another bowl win on The Blue. The Dirk Koetter-led Broncos gave Boise State its second Humanitarian Bowl title in as many years with a 38-23 win over UTEP.
Sept. 22, 2011 – Boise State 42, UTEP 17
The Broncos hosted their first Western Athletic Conference game on The Blue in front of 23,517 fans and celebrated by strolling to a 42-17 win over UTEP.
Nov. 16, 2002 – No. -/23 Boise State 36, Louisiana Tech 10
For the first time since moving to the Division I-A (now FBS) level, Boise State played as a ranked team on The Blue as they attained a No. 23 ranking in the Coaches Poll. The Broncos responded by dominating Louisiana Tech in a 36-10 win.
Dec. 31, 2002 – No. 18/15 Boise State 34, Iowa State 16 (Humanitarian Bowl)
Boise State won its third Humanitarian Bowl on The Blue with a 34-16 win over Iowa State, doing so on The Blue as a ranked team in both polls for the first time. The morning game was witnessed by 30,446 fans on hand to watch the win over the Big 12 Conference member Cyclones.
Oct. 29, 2004 – No. 18/15/13 Boise State 69, Hawai’i 3
Boise State, ranked No. 18/15/13 (AP/Coaches/BCS) pasted the visiting Warriors of Hawai’i 69-3 to record their 100th overall win on The Blue.
Nov. 20, 2004 – No. 13/12/9 Boise State 55, Louisiana Tech 14
Louisiana Tech was once again at the mercy of the Broncos on The Blue in a 55-14 Boise State win. The Broncos played their first game at the Division I-A (now FBS) level as a top-10 team on The Blue, reaching a No. 9 ranking in the BCS Standings (while ranking 13th by the Associated Press and 12th in the Coaches Poll).
Sept. 23, 2006 – No. 25/25 Boise State 41, Hawai’i 34
For the first time in nearly two years, Boise State played a game on The Blue as a ranked team and thrilled the 30,642 in attendance in a 41-34 win over Hawai’i.
Nov. 18, 2006 – No. 13/13/12 Boise State 49, Utah State 10
Boise State capped off an undefeated season on The Blue with a 49-10 win over Utah State in front of 30,515 fans at Bronco Stadium (II).
Oct. 14, 2007 – Boise State 69, Nevada 67 [4OT]
The longest game in Boise State history, a four-overtime thriller against Nevada, took place on The Blue with the Broncos coming out triumphant, 69-67.
Nov. 28, 2008 – No. 9/9/9 Boise State 61, Fresno State
The Milk Can stayed in its rightful home for another year as the ninth-ranked Broncos (ranked No. 9 in all three polls) dismantled Fresno State, 61-10, in front of 32,412 fans to secure a third consecutive undefeated season on The Blue.
Sept. 3, 2009 – No. 14/16 Boise State 19, No. 16/14 Oregon 8
The Broncos and the Ducks were evenly matched when it came to the two national polls but that’s where it ended. When it came to playing on The Blue, Boise State exterted its dominance in a 19-8 win over the Pac-12 opponent in front of 34,127 fans that striped the stadium.
Oct. 3, 2009 – No. 5/5 Boise State 34, UC Davis 16
A top-five Boise State team played on The Blue and celebrated Homecoming with a 34-16 win over UC Davis in front of 32,497 fans.
Dec. 5, 2009 – No. 6/6/6 Boise State 42, New Mexico State 7
The sixth-ranked Broncos rolled over New Mexico State, 42-7, in the regular season finale to secure an undefeated regular season overall and a 7-0 mark that year on The Blue. That win helped propel Boise State to its second Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Sept. 25, 2010 – No. 3/3 Boise State 37, No. 24/- Oregon State 24
Boise State, now ranked third in the nation, took down a Pac-12 opponent on The Blue for the second consecutive year. The Broncos registered the 37-24 win over the Beavers in front of 34,137 fans.
Dec. 4, 2010 – No. 9/10/11 Boise State 50, Utah State 14
A dominating 50-14 win over Utah State clinched a fifth consecutive undefeated season on The Blue and a Western Athletic Conference Championship in the program’s final year as a WAC member.
Oct. 1, 2011 – No. 4/5 Boise State 30, Nevada 10
New conference, same result. The No. 4/5 ranked Broncos hosted their first league game as members of the Mountain West and rolled to a 30-10 win over Nevada before 34,098 fans.
Sept. 7, 2013 – Boise State 63, UT Martin 14
In the Broncos’ first home game of the 2013 season, Boise State rolled to a 63-14 win over UT Martin to register the program’s 150th win on The Blue.
Nov. 30, 2013 – Boise State 45, New Mexico 17
Chris Petersen coached his final game on The Blue as head coach of the Broncos, guiding Boise State to a 45-17 win over New Mexico.
Sept. 6, 2014 – Boise State 37, Colorado State 24
Newly minted Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin made his head coaching debut on The Blue as the former Bronco quarterback led the program to a 37-24 win over Colorado State in front of 34,910 fans at the newly-named Albertsons Stadium.
Sept. 4, 2015 – No. 23/24 Boise State 16, Washington 13
The Huskies became the third Pac-12 opponent to regret coming to The Blue as Boise State edged Washington in a 16-13 game before 36,836 fans.
Sept. 10, 2016 – Boise State 31, Washington State 28
A total of 36,163 fans watched Boise State win another thriller on The Blue over a Pac-12 program as the Broncos topped Washington State, 31-28.
Dec. 2, 2017 – Boise State 17, No. 25/-/25 Fresno State 14 (MW Championship Game)
In what was soon to become a nearly annual tradition, Boise State hosted the Mountain West Championship Game on The Blue and upset a 25th-ranked Fresno State team, 17-14.
Nov. 9, 2018 – Boise State 24, No. 16/17/23 Fresno State 17
The Milk Can was rightfully returned home to Boise as the Broncos once again upset a ranked Fresno State team on The Blue with a 24-17 win over the Bulldogs.
Dec. 7, 2019 – No. 19/17/19 Boise State 31, Hawai’i 10 (MW Championship Game)
Securing yet another conference championship for the Broncos, the No. 19/17/19 ranked Boise State were in hospitable hosts for the 2019 Mountain West Championship Game, dispatching Hawai’i by a 31-10 margin.
Oct. 24, 2020 – Boise State 42, Utah State 13
No fans? No problem. With no fan attendance allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Boise State opened a delayed 2020 schedule with a 42-13 win over Utah State.
Nov. 25, 2022 – Boise State 42, Utah State 23
The 2022 regular season home finale witnessed a dominating 42-23 win over Utah State in front of 31,402 fans, clinching a Blue-field advantage in the MW Championship game. That win over the Aggies marked the program’s 200th win on The Blue.
Nov. 24, 2023 – Boise State 27, Air Force 19
Led by then interim head coach Spencer Danielson, the Broncos capped off an improbable home regular season by beating Air Force, 27-19, in front of 36,390 fans at Albertsons Stadium. That pushed the season’s home attendance average to 35,867 fans per game, setting a new program record, as Boise State played its 250th game on The Blue.
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are going fast! Don’t miss your chance to see all six home games of the 2024 season by getting yours today. They can be purchased online or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 208-426-4737.
THREE GAME MINI-PLANS
Boise State's Athletic Ticket Office has three great options as part of the 2024 football mini-plans. Each option includes three home games for one low price starting at $99. One package includes home games against Oregon State, San Diego State and Portland State, another includes Washington State, Oregon State and San Diego State while a third option includes home games against Washington State, San Diego State and Nevada. Fans wishing to purchase their mini-plans for the 2024 season can do so online by clicking here or by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 208-426-4737.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Haven’t found a ticket package that suits your needs yet? Fans can now get their single-game tickets for the highly anticipated 2024 season now for as low as $25. While the season ticket packages, flex passes and mini-plans offer the best seats available, single-game tickets are still a great option to get out to see the Broncos on The Blue this fall. Fans can purchase single-game tickets online at BroncoSports.com over the phone with the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office at (208) 426-4737, or in person at the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office located at the southwest corner of Albertsons Stadium.
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