With a 27-21 victory on Saturday, the No. 20 Boise State Broncos improved to 7-1 in the Mountain West Conference and a three-way tie for the conference title with Fresno State and San Diego State. However, the Broncos are likely to receive the top bowl bid for the conference and play in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Boise State vs. Nevada 2012 final score: Broncos hold off late rally, win 27-21
Boise State improved to 9-1 and earned a share of the Mountain West Conference with Fresno State and San Diego State.
Otto Kitsinger III
Boise State took a big lead early in the game, scoring 17 unanswered points in the first half and keeping the Nevada offense scoreless. The Wolf Pack won the second half with three touchdowns, but couldn’t make up the early deficit.
With 27 seconds remaining, Nevada had one last opportunity to drive 80 yards for a game-winning touchdown, but Cody Fajardo threw three incompletions on the drive, including one last attempt intended for Aaron Bradley.
Boise State quarterback Joe Southwick found success early and consistently connected with wide receiver Matt Miller. Southwick finished with 199 yards passing and two touchdowns, while Miller accumulated 127 yards receiving on seven receptions.
Box Score Hero: D.J. Harper averaged better than 5 yards per carry as he consistently shredded the Nevada defense throughout the game. By game's end, Harper had accumulated 130 yards rushing and a touchdown on 24 carries.
Rankings Ramifications: The Broncos entered the game No. 20 in the BCS rankings and could move ahead of some teams. However, the team is very unlikely to receive the votes necessary to have a BCS Bowl bid.
But Did They Cover? Boise State was an 8-point favorite against the Wolf Pack and couldn’t quite cover that spread.
Next Week’s Schedule: The regular season is over for both teams, but both will advance to play in a bowl game. Nevada has already accepted an invite to play in the New Mexico Bowl, where it is projected to face Arizona. With the win, Boise State is likely to be the first MWC team selected for the Las Vegas Bowl a second consecutive season. In that game, the Broncos are projected to face Washington.
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