BY KTIK STAFF AND BSU MEDIA SERVICES
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The No. 25 Boise State football team set up a championship showdown with No. 23 Utah State by defeating New Mexico 45-14 on Friday night. The Broncos (9-2, 6-1 Mountain West) played turnover-free and have won six straight games, tied for the eighth-longest active streak in FBS. Boise State completed a perfect road record in Mountain West play (4-0) for the first time under coach Bryan Harsin.
- ALEXANDER MATTISON: The junior running back had a season-high 145 yards on 20 carries against the Lobos (3-8, 1-6 MW), his third 100-yard game in his four outings. He raised his season total to 1,015, becoming the sixth Bronco since 2001 to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and joining a list that features Brock Forsey (2001-02), Ian Johnson (2006-07), Doug Martin (2010-11), Jay Ajayi (2013-14) and Jeremy McNichols (2015-16). Boise State has had a 1,000-yard rusher for 10 straight seasons, the longest active streak in country and tied for the third-longest in NCAA history. Auburn has produced a 1,000-yard rusher for nine seasons, and the Tigers’ leading rusher this season has 668 yards with three games remaining.
- BRETT RYPIEN: The senior quarterback was 17-for-27 for 222 yards and three touchdowns to Sean Modster, with no interceptions. Rypien’s three touchdown passes moved him past Fresno State’s Derek Carr into third place on the Mountain West all-time list with 88. Rypien, now at a Mountain West-record 13,146 career passing yards, is the 17th quarterback in FBS history to reach the 13,000-yard milestone.
- NEXT: Utah State (9-1, 6-0 MW) at Boise State (9-2, 6-1), 8:15 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 24, 93.1 FM, 670 AM, ESPN. Utah State, the highest scoring team in the nation (51.3 ppg), plays at Colorado State (3-7, 2-4) on Saturday, Nov. 17. The winner clinches the Mountain Division title and a spot in the Mountain West championship game Dec. 1. The winner of next Saturday’s division title game will likely host the league championship game.
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POST-GAME NOTES …
Boise State played the game without injured wide receivers John Hightower, Khalil Shakir and Octavius Evans. … Boise State is 106-18 all-time when ranked in the Associated Press Poll. … The Broncos improved to 5-0 all-time at New Mexico, and have won 9-of-10 meetings overall. Boise State has averaged 43.4 points in those victories (217 points total). … Boise State picked up a first down on each of its first four plays, and scored a TD on its opening possession for the sixth time this season. … Boise State scored 21 points off three New Mexico turnovers. … SLB Desmond Williams became the 13th Bronco to score a touchdown this season when he forced a fumble and returned it nine yards in the second quarter. … Curtis Weaver notched a pair of half sacks and has four sacks in the last three games. His 9.5 sacks this season are the most by an underclassmen and tied for fifth nationally. Weaver has 20.5 career sacks, tied with Shea McClellin (2008-11) for sixth-most in school history. … Modster recorded career highs in receptions (nine) and touchdown receptions (three). He finished the game with 129 receiving yards, his third 100-yard game of his career and this season. Modster’s seven touchdowns this seasons have come over three games (two at Troy, two against Colorado State, three at New Mexico). … . Freshman running back Andrew Van Buren scored his second career touchdown, capping Boise State’s scoring with an eight-yard run with 1:14 to play. Van Buren finished with 23 yards on five carries. … Kekaula Kaniho’s second-half interception snapped a three-game streak without a pick for the defense. … Boise State outgained New Mexico 449-262, though the Broncos did give up an 86-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
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