BOISE, ID – Boise State turned a competitive game into a rout Saturday night, scoring 23 unanswered points over the final 18 minutes to defeat App State 47-14 at Albertsons Stadium before 32,904 fans.
The Mountaineers (2-2) briefly made things interesting in the third quarter, cutting a 24-point deficit to 10 with consecutive scoring drives. But the Broncos (3-1) responded with a relentless offensive display led by quarterback Maddux Madsen, who threw for 321 yards and four touchdowns while completing 25 of 37 passes.
App State's four turnovers told the story of a night where little went right against a Boise State team that capitalized on every mistake. The Broncos converted two interceptions into 14 points, including pick-sixes of 26 and 33 yards that bookended the game's decisive moments.
Early Dominance Sets the Tone
Boise State established control immediately with a methodical 10-play, 75-yard opening drive capped by Madsen's 10-yard touchdown pass to Latrell Caples. The drive consumed over five minutes and set the template for the Broncos' offensive approach: patient, efficient, and mistake-free.
The Mountaineers' response revealed problems that would plague them all night. After moving the ball into Boise State territory on their opening possession, App State punted from the Broncos' 46-yard line. Their next drive ended abruptly when cornerback A'Marion McCoy stepped in front of an AJ Swann pass and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 14-0 with 1:49 left in the first quarter.
Madsen added his second touchdown pass early in the second quarter, finding Ben Ford on a 14-yard strike that completed another lengthy scoring drive. The 80-yard march took nearly six minutes and demonstrated Boise State's ability to sustain drives against an App State defense that entered the game allowing just 21 points per contest.
Mountaineers Find Brief Life
Trailing 21-0, App State finally showed the offensive rhythm that had produced 357.7 passing yards per game through three contests. The Mountaineers embarked on their own 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ate up nearly six minutes of clock.
The series appeared dead when App State faced third-and-23 from its own 20-yard line after consecutive sacks. But a roughing-the-passer penalty extended the drive, and Rashod Dubinion provided the spark with a 16-yard run where he hurdled a defender near midfield.
A 15-yard facemask penalty on Boise State moved the ball into the red zone, where Swann found Dalton Stroman on a perfectly placed fade route. Stroman outjumped the defender in the corner of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining in the half.
The Mountaineers nearly added to their momentum before halftime when Kevin Abrams-Verwayne strip-sacked Madsen for a 15-yard loss, forcing Boise State to settle for a 25-yard field goal instead of a potential touchdown.
Special Teams Spark Doesn't Last
App State's most impressive play of the night came from an unexpected source early in the third quarter. With Boise State punting toward the front corner, returner Jaden Barnes created a decoy by acting like he would field the punt on the opposite side of the field. True freshman Juan Berchal, who had sprinted toward the actual landing spot, caught the ball cleanly and raced 45 yards down the sideline to set up first-and-10 at the Boise State 42.
Two plays later, Dubinion broke free for a season-long 39-yard gain to the 3-yard line. Jaquari Lewis punched it in from there, cutting the deficit to 24-14 and giving App State its first real hope of the evening.
The optimism lasted exactly one Boise State possession.
Broncos Pull Away for Good
Boise State answered the App State touchdown with an 11-play drive that resulted in a 40-yard field goal by Colton Boomer. More importantly, the Broncos forced a quick three-and-out on the ensuing App State possession and took over at their own 42-yard line.
Facing fourth-and-5 from the App State 40, Madsen found his receiver for an 11-yard completion. On the very next play, he delivered a strike to Quinton Brown, who made an acrobatic touchdown catch in the end zone despite losing his helmet as he hit the turf. The successful two-point conversion failed, but Boise State led 33-14 with 1:24 left in the third quarter.
Madsen wasn't finished. His fourth touchdown pass of the night came with 10:47 remaining in the fourth quarter, a 34-yard connection to Caples that completed an eight-play, 69-yard drive and pushed the lead to 40-14.
The final dagger came just 26 seconds later when linebacker Boen Phelps jumped an App State pass route and raced 33 yards untouched for the second pick-six of the night.
The loss drops App State to 2-2 as they prepare to host Oregon State next Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
Top Performers
- Maddux Madsen, QB, Boise State: 25-of-37 passing, 321 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs
- Rashod Dubinion, RB, App State: 17 carries, 113 yards (season-long 39-yard run)
- Latrell Caples, WR, Boise State: 5 catches, 84 yards, 2 TDs
- Jaelin Willis, LB, App State: 10 tackles (5 solo)
- A'Marion McCoy, CB, Boise State: 26-yard interception return for TD