BOISE STATE MEDIA SERVICES
Boise State (1-0) improved to 37-15 all-time in season openers after Saturday’s 36-31 victory at Florida State.
Boise State’s victory capped a wild road trip in which Saturday’s game, originally scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Jacksonville, Fla., was moved Thursday morning to 12 p.m. ET at Doak Campbell Stadium (Florida State’s home) in Tallahassee due to concerns about Hurricane Dorian potentially affecting the Jacksonville area.
Boise State arrived in Jacksonville on Thursday evening, practiced at a local high school Friday afternoon, then made the bus ride to Tallahassee, arriving at the hotel just before 6 p.m. ET (18 hours before kickoff).
The Broncos’ 18-point comeback (down 31-13 in the second quarter) is the largest in program history against a Power 5 program.
The Broncos scored the final 23 points of Saturday’s contest, over the final 17:51. Boise State held Florida State scoreless over the final 19:07 after giving up 31 points through the first 25:53.
Boise State is 5-1 in season openers under Bryan Harsin (2014-present), and have won the last five such games.
Boise State’s defense held Florida State to zero points, 68 yards and four first downs in the second half.
Boise State is 17-25 overall against Power 5 teams, and 16-9 since 2006.
The win over Florida State snapped a two-game Bronco slide against Power 5 opposition.
Boise State’s 57 rushing attempts were the second-most during Harsin’s tenure as head coach (2014-present). The 57 carries was just two shy of the mark of 59 set Oct. 3, 2015 against Hawaii.
Freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier finished his college debut 30-for-51 for 407 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Bachmeier’s 407 passing yards are the most by a Broncos’ quarterback in his first start during the FBS Era (1996-present). It is the Boise State passing yardage record for a season opener.
Bachmeier’s 51 pass attempts tied for the fifth-most in Broncos’ single-game history with three other former Broncos (Brett Rypien, Travis Stuart, Keith Jarrett). Bachmeier was 7-for-11 for 115 yards, seven first downs, and a touchdown on third down plays.
Redshirt junior running back Robert Mahone set career highs for carries (24), rushing yards (142) and touchdowns (two). His previous highs had been 12 carries (Dec. 16, 2017 vs. Oregon at the Las Vegas Bowl), and 35 yards (Sept. 29, 2018 at Wyoming).
Freshman running back George Holani ran 14 times for 70 yards and caught two passes for 33 yards in his collegiate debut.
Nine different Broncos caught a pass Saturday, led by five catches for 103 yards from CT Thomas, and eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown from sophomore Khalil Shakir.
Junior wide receiver CT Thomas posted his first-career 100-yard receiving game, going for 103 yards on five catches. Thomas’ previous career high in receiving yardage was 89 (Nov. 24, 2018 vs. Utah State).
Shakir set career highs in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (78). His previous bests were four catches and 59 yards against Fresno State last Nov. 9.
Redshirt senior kicker Eric Sachse tied the Boise State single-game record with five field goals (36, 36, 41, 26, 30), going 5-for-5 and converting all three PAT attempts.
Sachse tied the record of five previously accomplished by Eric Guthrie (Nov. 6, 1971 vs. Northern Arizona) and Roberto Moran (Nov. 2, 1985 vs. Idaho State). His five field goals are the most by a Broncos’ kicker in his debut, and he’s the first Broncos’ kicker to make at least four field goals in a game since Tyler Rausa on Sept. 26, 2015 at Virginia.
The Broncos’ defense made four sacks – one each from Chase Hatada, Kekaula Kaniho, Sonatane Lui and Curtis Weaver.
Kaniho finished the game with 4.0 tackles-for-loss among his six tackles.
The Broncos also forced a pair of fumbles, recovered by David Moa and Kekoa Nawahine.
Boise State’s 18 rushing attempts in the first quarter were the most by the Broncos in the opening stanza since 18 against Colorado State Sept. 6, 2014 (Harsin’s second game as HC).
Boise State had 19 rushes of five yards or more.
Weaver was Boise State’s fourth game captain. Redshirt junior cornerback/returner Avery Williams led the Broncos onto the field with The Hammer. Offensive lineman Garrett Larson carried the “Bleed Blue” flag, and defensive tackle Chase Hatada carried the United States flag.
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