BY KTIK STAFF
AND BSU MEDIA SERVICES
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Boise State, winless in two previous games at Air Force, outscored the Falcons 20-10 in the second half and beat the Falcons 48-38 on Saturday night.
Quarterback Brett Rypien tossed five TDs and running back Alexander Mattison ran for 136 yards and a score as the Broncos became bowl eligible for the 21st straight season (and likely going to a bowl game for the 17th consecutive season). John Hightower caught eight passes for 182 yards and three TDs, and CT Thomas caught a 35-yarder on the final play of the first half that forced a 28-28 tie.
Boise State held Air Force’s ground attack to 3.9 yards per carry, but quarterback Isaiah Sanders threw for 210 yards and two TDs. Falcons’ fullback Cole Fagan rushed for 55 yards and a TD in the first half, but was held to 12 yards in the second (Air Force converted only two third downs in the second half).
Boise State had no turnovers, only one penalty and finished with 530 yards of total offense.
- NEXT: BYU (4-4) at Boise State (6-2, 4-1 MW), 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Albertsons Stadium, 93.1 FM, 670 AM, ESPN2. BYU lost to Northern Illinois 7-6 on Saturday in Provo, Utah.
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GAME NOTES FROM BOISE STATE MEDIA SERVICES
Boise State is 4-3 all-time against Air Force, which leaves just one Mountain West team which the Broncos do not have a winning record against (San Diego State, 3-3). … Boise State scored on its opening drive against Air Force for the fourth straight game. … Quarterback Brett Rypien finished 20-for-34 for 399 yards and five touchdowns. It was Rypien’s 20th career 300-yard passing game, tying him with BYU’s Max Hall (2007-09) as the Mountain West’s all-time leader. Rypien matched his career-high of five touchdown passes (he also threw five at New Mexico on Oct. 7, 2016.) … Rypien’s five touchdown passes moved him into fourth place in the Mountain West record book at 83, passing BYU’s John Beck (79; 2003-06). … Rypien is the third Boise State quarterback to reach 80-career touchdown passes, joining Kellen Moore (142; 2008-11) and Ryan Dinwiddie (82; 2000-03). … Boise State posted its second game of the season with two receivers hitting the century mark: John Hightower (182) and Sean Modster (101 yards). Previously, Hightower (119) and A.J. Richardson (100) each hit the century mark Sept. 8 against Connecticut. … RB Alexander Mattison posted his second 100-yard game of the season, going for a season-high 136 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. It was his seventh-career 100-yard rushing game. … Kicker Haden Hoggarth hit a career-long 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, surpassing his previous long of 44 on Sept. 8 against Connecticut. Hoggarth was 2-for-2 on field goals (30, 47) and 6-for-6 on PATs. … Linebacker Riley Whimpey set a career high with 13 tackles (previous best was nine last week against Colorado State).
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