BOISE STATE CASHES IN AT UNLV

BY KTIK STAFF AND BSU MEDIA SERVICES

LAS VEGAS – The No. 15-ranked Boise State football team scored on its opening possession for the first time this season, then withstood a series of miscues and poor execution to beat UNLV 38-13 in the Broncos’ final regular season appearance at Sam Boyd Stadium on Saturday night.

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NEXT: Boise State (5-0, 2-0 Mountain West) hosts Hawaii (4-0, 1-0) at 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, at Albertsons Stadium.

The Broncos were led by STUD Curtis Weaver (three sacks), and wide receivers John Hightower (four catches, 105 yards, 76-yard TD; two rushes for 51 yards) and Khalil Shakir (7-111, 24-yard TD from Chase Cord in the fourth quarter).

Weaver, a junior and NFL prospect, has nine sacks this season and the most career sacks (29.5) in Mountain West history.

Boise State had season highs in penalties (10) and penalty yards (130), and finished a season-worst 2-for-13 on third downs.

POSTGAME NOTES: Boise State is 8-3 all-time against UNLV, which is moving into the new Raiders stadium after this season. The Rebels are 1-4, 0-2. …  The Broncos’ defense held UNLV to 2-of-16 on third-down conversions. … The Broncos led 24-0 after wide receiver Akilian Butler’s 23-yard run midway through the third quarter. … Hightower’s 76-yard touchdown catch from freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier is the sixth play of 50-plus yards of his career (three catches, two runs, one kick return). The pass was the longest of the season for Bachmeier (19-for-30, 299 yards,  two TDs). … Running back Andrew Van Buren scored his first touchdown of the season (six yards for the final score of the game). … Punter/kicker Joel Velazquez made his first-career field goal (52 yards, final play of the first half). It ties for the sixth longest in Boise State history.

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