The 2010 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos were led by fifth-year head coach Chris Petersen and played their home games at Bronco Stadium. They entered the 2010 season with winning streaks of 14 games overall and 25 games in regular-season play. This was the Broncos' final season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference, as the school announced on June 11, 2010, that it would leave the WAC for the Mountain West Conference effective July 1, 2011.
The Broncos finished the season 12–1, 7–1 in WAC play to claim a share of the WAC title with Nevada and Hawaii. The title was their third straight and eighth in the last nine years. They were invited to the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas where they defeated Utah 26–3.
Recruiting
Pre-season Expectations for this season's team were arguably the highest in the program's history. The Broncos returned 23 of the 24 players who started in their 2010 Fiesta Bowl win over TCU. The only loss was cornerback Kyle Wilson, who was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the New York Jets. Before the season, the Broncos were in the top 5 of most publications' early top 25 rankings, including #2 by Mark Schlabach of ESPN and Lindy's. In both polls they were only ranked behind defending BCS National Champions Alabama.
Award Watch lists Jeremy Avery Sr. RB – Doak Walker Award.
Kyle Brotzman Sr. PK – Lou Groza Award.
Jeron Johnson Sr. DB – Lott Trophy,http://lotttrophy.com/index.php/web/watchlist/Boise%20State/ Jim Thorpe Award.
Doug Martin Jr. RB – Paul Hornung Award.
Kellen Moore Jr. QB – Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award, Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award.
Austin Pettis Sr. WR – Biletnikoff Award.
Nate Potter Jr. OL – Rotary Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy.
Ryan Winterswyk Sr. DE – Rotary Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Chuck Bednarik Award.
Titus Young Sr. WR – Biletnikoff Award.
All–American lists Jeron Johnson Sr. DB – Sporting News 3rd team, Nationalchamps.net 3rd team.
Kellen Moore Jr. QB – Sporting News 2nd team, Nationalchamps.net 1st team.
Austin Pettis Sr. WR – Nationalchamps.net 3rd team.
Billy Winn Jr. DE – Nationalchamps.net honorable mention.
Ryan Winterswyk Sr. DE – Nationalchamps.net honorable mention.
Titus Young Sr. WR – Nationalchamps.net 3rd team as kick returner, honorable mention as wide receiver.
WAC media days During the WAC's football preview on July 26 in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Broncos were selected by both the coaches and media as favorites to win the conference. They received 42 of a possible 43 first-place votes in the media poll, with Nevada coming in second and receiving the other first-place vote. They were effectively the unanimous choice in the coaches' poll, receiving all eight of the possible first-place votes; because conference rules prohibit coaches from voting for their own teams, Chris Petersen gave Nevada his first-place vote.
Kellen Moore was selected as the preseason offensive player of the year.
Media poll Boise State – 386 (42) Nevada – 333 (1) Fresno State – 300 Idaho – 207 Louisiana Tech – 200 Utah State – 196 Hawaii – 166 New Mexico State – 81 San Jose State – 66
Coaches poll Boise State – 64 (8) Nevada – 55 (1) Fresno State – 50 Utah State – 37 Hawaii – 36 Idaho – 33 Louisiana Tech – 26 New Mexico State – 14 San Jose State – 9
Pre-season Top 25 polls On August 6 Boise State received 1,215 points to rank 5th in the USA Today preseason poll, one spot ahead their season opening opponent, Virginia Tech. The Broncos were the highest rated non BCS conference school.
On August 21, Boise State received 1,336 points to rank 3rd in the Associated Press preseason. They also received one first place vote from Joe Giglio of The Times & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina. Just as they were in the Coaches poll, the Broncos were the highest rated non-BCS conference school and the ranking is the highest ranking in any poll in school history.
The Broncos' rankings were by far the highest preseason rankings ever for a non BCS conference school as the previous high to start a season was 14th in the AP poll, also achieved by Boise State in 2009.
Schedule
Denotes the largest crowd in Bronco Stadium history to date. Previous high was 34,127 vs Oregon in 2009. The record was broken on October 22, 2011, vs Air Force with 34,196.
Game results
Virginia Tech
First ever meeting.
Boise State started fast, gave up the lead, and scored in the last two minutes of the game to pull off a win over #6 Virginia Tech in one of the premier matchups of college football's opening weekend. The Broncos recovered a fumble on Tech's second snap of the game which led to a 44-yard Kyle Brotzman FG. Austin Pettis blocked a punt on Tech's next possession then caught an 8-yard TD pass from Kellen Moore 2 plays later to put the Broncos up 10–0. The Broncos extended their lead to 17–0 on their next possession on a diving 2-yard TD catch by Tommy Gallarda. The Hokies countered with 2 TD's in the second quarter while Kyle Brotzman added a 47-yard FG to make the score 20–14 at halftime. Virginia Tech opened the scoring in the second half on Ryan Williams second 1-yard TD run to give the Hokies a 21–20 lead. The Broncos answered quickly on their next possession with a D.J. Harper 71-yard TD run. The PAT would be blocked for a 26–21 Broncos lead. On the ensuing possession, the Broncos forced the Hokies to attempt a 51-yard field goal, which they missed badly. However, the Broncos were called for running into the kicker, gave the Hokies a 4th and 5 situation where they went for it and scored on a 28-yard TD pass yet failed on the 2-point conversion. A 34-yard Hokie FG put them up by 4 late in the fourth. The Broncos got the ball back with 1:47 left and no timeouts, needing a TD to take the lead. The Broncos would march the field in only 38 seconds, with the help of a personal foul penalty, and finished the game-winning drive with a 13-yard TD pass from Moore to Pettis, their second connection of the game, to bring the final score to 33–30.
Passing Leaders Rushing Leaders Receiving Leaders Total Yards Kellen Moore: 23/38, 215 YDS, 3 TDS Doug Martin: 12 CAR, 83 YDS, LG of 23 Austin Pettis: 6 REC, 73 YDS, 2 TDS, LG of 16 BSU: 383 D.J. Harper: 4 CAR, 80 YDS, 1 TD, LG of 71 Titus Young: 6 REC, 80 YDS, LG of 28 VT: 314
1st Quarter 12:44 BSU–Kyle Brotzman 44 YD FG 3–0 09:48 BSU–Austin Pettis 8 YD Pass From Kellen Moore (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 10–0 01:11 BSU–Tommy Gallarda 2 YD Pass From Kellen Moore (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 17–0
2nd Quarter 11:44 VT–Ryan Williams 1 YD Run (Chris Hazley Kick) 17–7 10:23 BSU–Kyle Brotzman 47 YD FG 20–7 00:57 VT–Ryan Williams 12 YD Pass from Tyrod Taylor (Chris Hazley Kick) 20–14
3rd Quarter 06:34 VT–Ryan Williams 1 YD Run (Chris Hazley Kick) 20–21 05:38 BSU–D.J. Harper 71 YD Run (PAT Blocked) 26–21 02:40 VT–Jarrett Boykin 28 YD Pass from Tyrod Taylor (Two-Point Conversion Failed) 26–27
4th Quarter 07:38 VT–Chris Hazley 34 YD FG 26–30 01:09 BSU–Austin Pettis 13 YD Pass from Kellen Moore (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 33–30
Boise State remained at #3 in the AP poll but did gain 7 more first place votes to now have 8. They moved up to #3 in the coaches poll. They were named the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week and quarterback Kellen Moore was named the Davey O'Brien Award Quarterback of the Week. Moore and kicker Kyle Brotzman were named the WAC offensive and special teams players of the week, respectively. During their bye week they lost 7 first place votes in the AP poll, but did remain at #3 in both polls.
Wyoming
5th meeting. 4–0 all time. Last meeting 2007, 24–14 Bronco win in Boise. With Boise State joining the Mountain West in 2011, the Cowboys' scheduled non conference game in Boise in 2011 will become a conference game.
Boise State's last trip to Laramie in 2006 saw the Broncos walk away with a hard-fought 17–10 win. This game, however, would never be in doubt as the Broncos scored early and often on their way to a 51–6 win over their future Mountain West Conference counterparts. After an early Kyle Brotzman field goal, Shea McClellin fell on a bad Wyoming snap in the end zone for the Bronco defense's first touchdown of the season and a 10–0 lead. The Broncos next offensive possession only took 4 plays to go 93 yards and finished with a flea-flicker 58-yard touchdown pass from Kellen Moore to Austin Pettis. After Doug Martin's first rushing touchdown of the season, Kellen Moore would find Titus Young for a 49-yard touchdown reception. Another Brotzman field goal brought the score to 34–0 at halftime. The offense added another 17 points after halftime with Brotzman's third field goal, a 2-yard D.J. Harper touchdown run, and an 11-yard Jarvis Hodge touchdown run. Kellen Moore finished 20/30 for 370 yards, 2 TD's and 1 interception. Hunter White and Jeron Johnson recorded the Bronco's first interceptions of the season. The Broncos out gained Wyoming 648 to 135 total yards and held the Cowboy rushing game to −21 yards with the help of 4 sacks. Since the formation of the Mountain West Conference in 1999, Boise State has never lost a regular season game to a Mountain West team (their only loss to a Mountain West school was against TCU in the 2008 Poinsettia Bowl).
Passing Leaders Rushing Leaders Receiving Leaders Total Yards Kellen Moore: 22/30, 370 YDS, 2 TDS, 1 INT Doug Martin: 17 CAR, 105 YDS, 1 TD, LG of 15 Titus Young: 4 REC, 94 YDS, 1 TD, LG of 49 BSU: 648 D.J. Harper: 11 CAR, 59 YDS, 1 TD, LG of 11 Austin Pettis: 3 REC, 88 YDS, 1 TD, LG of 58 WYO: 135
1st Quarter 09:54 BSU–Kyle Brotzman 24 YD FG 3–0 08:30 BSU–Shea McClellin Recovered Fumble In End Zone (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 10–0 05:42 BSU–Austin Pettis 58 YD Pass From Kellen Moore (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 17–0
2nd Quarter 13:28 BSU–Doug Martin 7 YD Run (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 24–0 11:41 BSU–Titus Young 49 YD Pass From Kellen Moore (Kyle Brotzman Kick) 31–0 00:00 BSU–Kyle Brotzman 29 YD FG 34–0
3rd Quarter 09:00 BSU–Kyle Brotzman 38 YD FG 37–0 06:21 WYO–Greg Saydjari 35 YD Pass From Austyn Carta-Samuels (Pat Failed) 37–6 00:14 BSU–D.J. Harper 2 YD Run (Jimmy Pavel Kick) 44–6
4th Quarter 00:57 BSU–Jarvis Hodge 11 YD Run (Jimmy Pavel Kick) 51–6
The convincing win helped the Broncos remain at #3 in both major polls and to keep their one first place vote in the AP Poll.
Oregon State
7th meeting. 2–4 all time. Last meeting 2006, 42–14 Bronco win in Boise. The Broncos will return to Corvallis in 2016.
ESPN's College GameDay broadcast from Bronco Stadium.ESPN College GameDay & ABC Sports Headed To Boise – Broncosports.com – The Official Athletics Website Of Boise State University This was the first time that College Gameday broadcast from a Western Athletic Conference School. The game was broadcast nationwide on ABC, the first ever national network television broadcast of a regular season game in school history.