The Boise State Broncos are unranked by the College Football Playoff selection committee, and perhaps that shouldn't be the case, but it also might not matter too much. With three more victories, the Broncos would just need to have a strong enough case to convince the committee that their postseason resume is better than the one put together by Marshall. If Boise State is ranked higher than Marshall and Colorado State, they will advance to one of the major bowls.
How to watch Boise State vs. Wyoming: Game guide, TV/streaming, odds
Boise State needs to find a few more victories, including one against Wyoming on Saturday, to keep itself in contention for a major New Year’s bowl game.
With victories over Colorado State and BYU, the Broncos have higher-quality victories than Marshall, but will likely have to contend with an undefeated record of the Thundering Herd, who may have the nation’s worst schedule. Still, Boise State will have to finish with back-to-back victories over Wyoming and Utah State to be in that position.
After winning three of the first four games of the season, Wyoming dropped four consecutive games and ranks eighth in the Mountain West Conference in scoring defense. That could mean trouble against a Boise State offense that is the conference’s best and averages 37.7 points per game.
Boise State’s defense hasn’t been quite as dominant and ranks ninth in the conference and 90th in the nation in points allowed. That could provide an opportunity for Wyoming’s Colby Kirkegaard to find a rhythm. The senior racked up 867 yards passing, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his last three games, including his best performance of the year against Colorado State.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 10:15 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN2 (Beth Mowins/Joey Galloway)
Radio: Boise State | Wyoming
Online streaming: WatchESPN
The numbers
Rankings and records: Boise State enters this game just on the outside of the AP Poll and has a record of 8-2 (5-1 MWC). Wyoming is 4-6 (2-4 MWC). The Broncos lead the all-time series 8-0, and have four straight wins of at least 22 points or more over the Cowboys.
Vegas: Boise State opened as a 16-point favorite, but that line has slimmed to a 12-point line in most sportsbooks. The over/under for this game is 55.5, per OddsShark.
Weather forecast: A low of 22 on Saturday night with a possibility of light snow.
Two things at stake
Boise State’s bowl chances. A slip-up against Wyoming would kill Boise State’s chances at playing in a major bowl game, but a less-than-convincing victory could prove costly too. With two losses already, the Broncos can’t afford any missteps and need to run through Wyoming pretty easily. In each of its five road games this season, Boise State has trailed in the second quarter or later, and will have to deal with cold conditions in Lamarie, Wyo.
Wyoming’s bowl eligibility. A loss to Utah State last week was very costly for Wyoming’s chances at a bowl game berth, but the team technically isn’t done. If the Cowboys can pull off the big upset over Boise State, it would play for a chance at participation in bowl season against New Mexico in the season finale. Wyoming hasn’t played in a bowl since 2011 and has an uphill climb to snap that streak in 2014, beginning on Saturday against the Broncos.
One big matchup
Boise State vs. turnovers. The Broncos have forced 20 turnovers, but have given up 20 as well. Only 25 teams in the nation have been more turnover-prone and if there’s one way to fall into upset traps, it’s to needlessly afford the other team with opportunities. Wyoming has done a pretty decent job at avoiding turnovers, but hasn’t forced many either. If Boise State can avoid turnovers, they should be able to score with some consistency against the Cowboys defense.
Further reading
For more on Boise State, check out One Bronco Nation Under God. For more on Wyoming, head over to Mountain West Connection.
See More:
