Presented by POOL SCOUTS.
Wednesday Weekly…September 17, 2025.
Saturday marks what could be the final game ever between Boise State and Air Force, and the Broncos would love to come out of it with a positive. The Falcons have given them more trouble than anyone else in the Mountain West, beating them four times in 10 tries. Two of those victories came on the blue turf (the most recent in 2021). It’s the dreaded triple-option that has caused the headaches. When these games are close in the fourth quarter, it’s anybody’s guess. The key is to do what Utah State did against Air Force last week in a 49-30 victory in Logan: build a sizeable second half lead. The Falcons offense isn’t built to overcome a big deficit. Too often the Broncos have had to sweat it out at the end. Example: the 19-14 win the last time they played in Colorado Springs in 2022.
Boise State’s two losses at the Air Force Academy, however, featured two very perplexing offensive efforts. In a 28-14 loss in 2014, the Broncos threw five interceptions and lost two fumbles (and, as it turned out, wouldn’t be defeated again through their third Fiesta Bowl). In 2016, Boise State star quarterback Brett Rypien didn’t throw any interceptions. But with a trip to the Mountain West championship game on the line, Rypien was a stunning 9-of-26 through the air. Those nine completions covered 316 yards, but the Broncos stayed home the following week.
WHAT COACH PETE SAYS
Reminiscing on this series—Bronco Nation is known for booing opponents as they run onto the blue turf, which is not that unusual for any venue around the country. But in 2011, when the Broncos and Falcons were about to play for the first time, coach Chris Petersen urged fans to show Air Force players respect. “It just amazes me what they get done, and how important discipline is in your life—to be organized and be on it is truly, truly impressive,” Coach Pete said at the time. The fans behaved, and Boise State won that first game 37-26 and was No. 5 in the AP Poll. The Broncos thus had been ranked in the Top 10 for 40 consecutive weeks. Not Top 25—Top 10.
BRONCOS NEED A BOOMING FOOT
One year removed from the five-year run of Jonah Dalmas, Boise State is still looking for a long-term solution at placekicker. Broncos coach Spencer Danielson says Colton Boomer remains the penciled-in starter. The UCF transfer wears the same number as Dalmas used to, No. 35, but he’s not seen as Mr. Automatic. Boomer missed a 46-yard field goal against Eastern Washington. Hey, that happens in college football—and it happened to Dalmas last year. But coaches had what looked like a quick hook for Boomer. Canaan Moore missed a 24-yarder later in the game, which seems more egregious, of course. But Moore, the true freshman from Vancouver, WA, who materialized this summer, just isn’t as seasoned yet, while Boomer is in his fourth year of college ball. Something to watch in the Air Force game.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE RUNNING BACKS?
I’m among those who didn’t think the running backs room was in dire straits after the South Florida game, and it sure looked good against an FCS school last time out. It’s currently a three-deep group, and you know who is leading the team in yardage? It’s Dylan Riley with 143 yards, one more than Sire Gaines. Riley wheeled past the Eastern Washington defense on his 77-yard touchdown run—we’ll see if that speed translates against a much tougher FBS defense at Air Force on Saturday. All three guys, including Malik Sherrod, have scored one TD. There’s always that wild card, too. Who isn’t rooting for Breezy Dubar to get back on the field? Dubar hasn’t played a snap yet as he continues to deal with nagging injuries. Let’s not forget him.
INSTANT REBUILD IN ALBUQUERQUE?
The Boise State-New Mexico game on October 11 may be sold out, but there’s always a way to get a ticket. Thing is, that’ll be a hot ticket after what transpired at the Rose Bowl last Saturday night. The Lobos took apart UCLA 35-10, resulting in the firing of Bruins coach Deshaun Foster on Sunday morning. It also resulted in former Idaho head man Jason Eck being one of the most celebrated new coaches in the country. Eck’s Lobos hung with Michigan two weeks ago before getting a push from Idaho State. But in Week 3 it appeared that Eck has glued together a roster with a staggering 73 new players. It’s hard to take the Mountain West’s temperature right now, except to say that the summer theory that it was Boise State and everybody else is getting some holes punched in it.
A TRUE THROWBACK GAME
The Idaho offense behaved like the old “Vandal Veer” did when the Kibbie Dome was christened in 1975. The Vandals celebrated with 50th anniversary of the Dome with 286 yards on the ground in their 20-6 win over Utah Tech last Saturday. Idaho, now No. 8 in the FCS rankings, looks to make a statement against the Mountain West as it visits former WAC colleague San Jose State on Saturday. Idaho State looks for its first win of the season when it hosts Lincoln University in Holt Arena. And the Bengals should get it. Lincoln is the vagabond program for Oakland that College of Idaho routed the past two years. The Oaklanders don’t have their 2025 schedule up on their website yet. And speaking of C of I, the Yotes are back home after a bye, looking to go 3-0 as they host Montana State-Northern.
RYPIEN ISN’T OUT OF IT YET
Instead of leaving Brett Rypien languishing on the practice squad and signing another quarterback to leapfrog him, the Cincinnati Bengals have activated Rypien to the active roster to back up Jake Browning. With Joe Burrow out for three months due to pending turf toe surgery, we wondered what would happen there. Rypien was signed by the Bengals August 27 after being released by Minnesota. He remains one of only two former Boise State QBs ever to play in an NFL game (the other is Kellen Moore). And Rypien is the only ex-Bronco ever to win a game as a starter. He hasn’t played in a game since 2023 with the L.A. Rams. In seven seasons, Rypien has appeared in 10 games, completing 58 percent of his throws for 950 yards and four touchdowns against nine interceptions.
TALE OF TWO FORMER BRONCOS
More mop-up from the NFL weekend: before we get to Ashton Jeanty, how about George Holani’s first career NFL touchdown? Holani, Jeanty’s predecessor at Boise State, chased down a bouncing kickoff and fell on it in the end zone for a Seahawks TD. It was an egregious error by the Pittsburgh Steelers and a heads-up play by a guy who is proving his value in Seattle. As for Jeanty, he was off-kilter in the Raiders’ loss to the Chargers on Monday Night Football. And he was hampered by a head-scratching game plan that didn’t play to his strengths. Jeanty carried 11 times for 43 yards. Tom Brady was in the Raiders coaches booth during the game, wearing a headset and sitting down the row from offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Did Brady perhaps meddle and take the rhythm out of Kelly’s play-calling?
MERRITT’S PGA TOUR RETURN
Boise State Hall of Famer Troy Merritt played in only his eighth PGA Tour event of the year last week—and his first since late July. Merritt was contending after a first round 68 at the Procore Championship in Napa, CA, but he was all over the board from there. He carded a 75, then a 66, then a 76 and finished in a tie for 53rd. Merritt has always worn his honesty on his sleeve, posting this on X: “This game owes you nothing, and will take everything from you. Nobody is exempt. It never misses an opportunity to humble you in ways that you never thought possible. Sometimes it’s hard to find joy out there, but we keep fighting the good fight.”
This Day In Sports…brought to you by POOL SCOUTS…perfect pools, scout’s honor!
September 17, 1955, 70 years ago today: Independent Hawaii, assumed to be a fish out of water, shocks Nebraska 6-0 in Lincoln to avenge a 50-0 humiliation in Honolulu the prior season. The Rainbow Warriors’ 29-man team outgained the Cornhuskers’ offense, 318 yards to 219. With the game still scoreless and five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Hawaii halfback Bill Taylor ran 37 yards to the Nebraska 7-yard line. From there, fullback Hartwell Frietas powered into the end zone for the only score of the game. Today, UH is a football-only member of the Mountain West and will join the conference in all sports next year.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
