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Boise State Broncos football
Current season:
2025 Boise State Broncos
First season 1933 [1]
Head coach Spencer Danielson
1st year, 10–2 (.833)
Home stadium Albertsons Stadium
Field Albertsons Stadium
Stadium capacity 36,387
Stadium surface Blue FieldTurf
Location Boise, Idaho, U.S.
Conference Mountain West [2]
All-time history
Boise State Broncos Historical Teams
1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
All-time record 497–188–2 [3] (.725)
Postseason bowl record 13–8 (.619)
Playoff appearances 9
(1 FBS: 2024)
(5 Division I-AA)
(3 Division II)
Claimed national titles 2
(Junior College): 1958
(Div. I FCS): 1980
Conference titles 22
Division titles 6 (MW, Mountain)
Rivalries Fresno State Bulldogs (rivalry)
Idaho Vandals (rivalry)
Nevada Wolf Pack (rivalry)
Washington State Cougars
Heisman winners 0
Consensus All-Americans 3
Current uniform
Colors Blue and Orange

             


Fight song Orange and Blue
Mascot Buster Bronco
Marching band Keith Stein Blue Thunder Marching Band
Website broncosports.com

The Boise State Broncos football team represents Boise State University located in Boise, Idaho.

The Broncos are a member of the NCAA FBS Mountain West Conference and play their home games at Albertsons Stadium (formerly Bronco Stadium) in Boise. The Broncos are currently coached by Spencer Danielson.

Affiliations[]

Rivals[]

History[]

See also: List of Boise State Broncos football seasons and Boise State Broncos football junior college seasons

Early history (1933–1975)[]

Originally a junior college, Boise State first fielded a football team in 1933 under head coach Dusty Kline. That team compiled a record of 1–2–1 (.375). Kline was succeeded by Max Eiden. Under Eiden, the Broncos posted a record of 11–17–1 (.397) from 1934 to 1937. Eiden was succeeded by Harry Jacoby, who coached the team from 1938 to the middle of the 1941 season before being called into Army service. The remainder of the 1941 season was coached by George "Stub" Allison, who posted a record of 2–1 (.667). The Broncos did not compete in intramural football from 1942 to 1945 due to having a reduced male student population during World War II. Following the war, Jacoby would return to coach the Broncos for one more season in 1946, posting a final record of 14–15–2 (.484). After a year as an assistant, Lyle Smith was promoted to head football coach of Boise Junior College in 1947. Smith saw incredible success as head coach, winning his first 31 games in a row as head coach. In 1950, the team moved into a new 10,000-seat stadium. With the outbreak of the Korean War, Smith, still undefeated as a head coach, was recalled to the Navy and was only able to coach in the first three games of the 1950 season. George Blankley assumed the head coaching duties for the remainder of 1950 and the entire 1951 season in Smith's absence and compiled a 16–2 (.889) record. Smith returned as head coach in 1952 and stretched his winning streak all the way to 37 games before suffering his first defeat. In 1954, Smith was a leading candidate for the vacant job at his alma mater Idaho, but withdrew his name from consideration, content at Boise. Boise won thirteen conference titles in football under Smith and the NJCAA National Football Championship in 1958. Smith's final record is 150–25–6 (.845). Coach Smith never had a losing season as the head coach. Boise State's football program moved up to four-year status in 1968 under new head coach Tony Knap and competed as an NAIA independent for two seasons. The Broncos were accepted into the NCAA in October 1969, and a month later into the Big Sky Conference, effective the following July. The Broncos began NCAA competition in 1970 in Division II ("College Division" prior to 1973) in a brand new Bronco Stadium. Knap and the Broncos won three consecutive Big Sky titles from 1973 to 1975 and compiled a record of 71–19–1.

Jim Criner era (1976–1982)[]

Knap was succeeded by Jim Criner in 1976, a defensive assistant the previous season under Dick Vermeil at UCLA, the Rose Bowl champions. BSU won the Big Sky again in 1977, and in 1978, the Broncos and the Big Sky moved up to the new Division I-AA (renamed FCS in 2006). A scouting violation late that season at NAU resulted in probation and compromised an excellent 10–1 season in 1979, undefeated in conference at 7–0; the Broncos were ineligible for the Big Sky title and I-AA playoffs. Off probation in 1980, BSU won its first national title, taking the I-AA national championship over defending champion Eastern Kentucky in Sacramento. A runner-up to Idaho State in the Big Sky in 1981, BSU hosted Eastern Kentucky in the I-AA semifinals, but lost, 17–23. Criner departed after the 1982 season to accept the head football coach position at Iowa State; his overall record at BSU was 59–21–1 (.735).

Lyle Setencich era (1983–1986)[]

1933 Boise State Football team

1933 Boise State Football team

Lyle Setencich was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach of Boise State following Criner's departure. Under Setencich, Boise State posted a 24–20 record in four seasons. Setencich's final season in 1986, the first season of blue turf, saw the first losing campaign (5–6) for the Broncos football program in four decades, winning just one road game and losing the final two home games. He lost all four rivalry games against Idaho and resigned following the season.

Skip Hall era (1987–1992)[]

Skip Hall, previously an assistant coach under Don James at Washington, was hired after Setencich's resignation. In Hall's second season in 1988, the Broncos returned to the Division I-AA playoffs, their first appearance since 1981. Hall's best season was in 1990, when Boise State advanced to the national semifinals, falling in a high scoring game against Big Sky rival Nevada, the conference champion whom the Broncos had defeated a month earlier in Boise. Hall lost all six against Idaho; he resigned after six seasons, with a 42–28 (.600) record.

Pokey Allen era (1993–1996)[]

The Broncos turned to Portland State head coach Pokey Allen to lead the Boise State football team after Hall resigned. In Allen's second season, the Broncos returned to the championship game in 1994. After 26 years in the Big Sky, BSU joined the Big West Conference in 1996 and moved up to Division I-A (now FBS). The Broncos had an interim head coach for part of 1996 as Allen battled cancer. Allen died due to the cancer in December 1996.

Houston Nutt era (1997)[]

Head coach Houston Nutt made the step up to NCAA Division I-A the next year when Boise State hired him away from Murray State to take over the program. Two years after making the Division I-AA finals in 1994, Boise State's first year in Division I-A had been difficult and was looking for a recruiter and motivator to jump start their program following Allen's death. Nutt's team posted a 5–6 record in 1997, playing at the Division I-A level with its Division I-AA players. Nutt's team beat rival Idaho on the road in overtime for the first BSU win in Moscow since 1981. Additionally, Boise State almost pulled off an upset against Wisconsin of the Big Ten. Nutt resigned as head coach after just one season to accept the head football coach position at Arkansas.

Dirk Koetter era (1998–2000)[]

Boise State wins the 1980 FCS National title

Boise State wins the 1980 FCS National title

In three seasons under head coach Dirk Koetter, who previously served as Oregon's offensive coordinator, the Broncos were 26–10, won two Big West championships and moved to the Western Athletic Conference effective in 2001. In his three winning seasons at Boise State, Koetter won ten or more games twice, with two bowl wins. Koetter departed the Broncos after the 2000 season for Arizona State in the Pac-10.

Dan Hawkins era (2001–2005)[]

Dan Hawkins was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach on December 2, 2000. In 2004, Hawkins was honored with his second Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Coach of the Year title in three years. Through the 2005 season, he compiled a 53–11 record as Boise State's head coach, including a 37–3 record in WAC competition with four straight WAC titles. Only Walter Camp, George Washington Woodruff and Bob Pruett had more total wins in their first five years of head coaching. He holds a 31–game WAC winning streak, the longest in conference history. One of his first hires at Boise State was Chris Petersen as his offensive coordinator; Petersen was a quarterback at UC Davis while Hawkins was an assistant coach, and was the wide receivers coach at Oregon under head coach Mike Bellotti. After five seasons at the helm of the Broncos football program, Hawkins left for Colorado of the Big 12 Conference. He had three top 25 finishes, won ten or more games three times, and won two bowl games.

Chris Petersen era (2006–2013)[]

Following Hawkins' departure, offensive coordinator Chris Petersen was promoted to head coach. At Boise State, Petersen won two Paul "Bear" Bryant National Coach of the Year Awards, voted on by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. He is the first coach to receive this award twice, which debuted in 1986 (it has since been awarded twice to Nick Saban and three times to Dabo Swinney). Under Petersen, Boise State recorded two undefeated seasons, three undefeated regular seasons, and reached the Bowl Championship Series twice. The 2006 season was capped with a memorable upset of Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, while the 2009 team defeated TCU in the Fiesta Bowl to finish at 14–0 and were fourth in both major polls. They were just the second team ever to go 14–0 in the history of major college football. Petersen brought Boise State football its highest ranking during the 2010 season. The team rose to second in the Associated Press poll during weeks 7, 8, and 9, and No. 2 in the Coaches' Poll, as well as earning the No. 3 slot in the first BCS ranking. After 2010, Boise State joined the Mountain West Conference.

In May 2011, Boise State Athletics was cited by the NCAA for "lack of institutional control," for one major violation in women's tennis and several minor violations in four sports, including football. While the football program's violations were minor (student athletes provided fellow recruits with meals and beds while visiting campus), the football program suffered serious penalties nonetheless. The Boise State football program was given three years' probation, lost three scholarships a year, and had its number of Fall practices reduced. As a result of the NCAA violations, Gene Bleymaier, the athletic director who brought blue turf to Boise State in 1986 and promoted Petersen 20 years later, was asked to resign, and ultimately fired when he refused. Despite President Bob Kustra's firing of Bleymaier, boosters continued to support him. Just two years later, the new football facility was named in his honor.

#41 Ian Johnson Boise State 2007 Fiesta Bowl

#41 Ian Johnson Boise State 2007 Fiesta Bowl

Between 2008 and 2011, the Broncos went 50–3 to become the first FBS team to win 50 games over a four-year span. With the 50–3 record, quarterback Kellen Moore became the winningest quarterback in FBS history, passing former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy (45 wins). On December 7, 2011, it was announced that the Broncos would join the Big East Conference as football-only members in July 2013, in a division with Memphis, SMU, Houston, San Diego State, and Temple. However, the following year Boise State announced they had decided to stay in the Mountain West Conference, leaving the Big East without ever playing a game in the conference. Petersen accepted the head coaching position at the University of Washington of the Pac-12 Conference on December 6, 2013. The vacancy was created when the Huskies' Steve Sarkisian left to take the head coaching position at USC. Petersen finished his eight seasons as head coach of Boise State with a record of 92–12 (.885), with three top 10 finishes, seven seasons with ten or more wins, six top 25 finishes, two Fiesta Bowl titles, five bowl wins, and five conference titles. He was at BSU for a total of 13 years, the first five as offensive coordinator under Hawkins. Assistant head coach Bob Gregory was named interim head coach for Boise State's bowl game.

Bryan Harsin era (2014–2020)[]

On December 11, 2013, Arkansas State head coach Bryan Harsin returned to his alma mater as Petersen's replacement. Harsin had been an assistant for the Broncos under Petersen and was co-offensive coordinator at Texas under Mack Brown. In his first season in 2014, they went 10–2 in the regular season and won the Mountain West Championship Game, defeating Fresno State 28–14. This was Boise State's first outright Mountain West Conference championship. The Broncos faced the Arizona Wildcats in the Fiesta Bowl and won 38–30 for a 12–2 record and were ranked 15th in both major polls. Boise State shared the Mountain division title in 2016, going 10–3 with wins over Washington State and Oregon State. BSU was 11–3 in 2017 and won their second Mountain west conference championship under Harsin with a 17–14 win over Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship Game. Boise State capped the season with a Las Vegas Bowl win over Oregon and climbed to 22nd in both final polls. In 2018, Boise State was 10–3 overall; they won the Mountain Division championship and beat three teams that won ten or more games (Troy, Utah State, and Fresno State) and were ranked in both final polls. In 2019 Boise State went 12–2 won the opener at Florida State went 8–0 in the Mountain West conference play for the first time in the regular season, won the Mountain Division and won the conference championship 31–10 vs Hawaii and finished ranked in both final polls. Under Harsin, Boise State is 69–19 (.784) through 2020, with at least nine wins per year, a 3–2 record in bowl games, 1 Fiesta Bowl title, Have been ranked in the top 25 in the polls at some point in every season, won three conference titles, five division titles, and have been in the AP final poll four times. On December 22, 2020, Harsin resigned to become the head coach at Auburn. He finished at Boise State with a seven-year record of 69–19.

Andy Avalos era (2021–2023)[]

On January 8, 2021, Boise State hired Oregon defensive coordinator Andy Avalos as their new head coach. Avalos, a former player and assistant coach for the Broncos, signed a five-year contract worth $7.75 million.

Images (37)

Being on the verge of the team's first losing season since 1997, it was announced on November 12, 2023 that Avalos was being let go. The remainder of his contract would be bought out, an amount near $3 million. He led the Broncos to a 2022 Mountain West Championship Game (L 28–16 to Fresno State) and the 2022 Frisco Bowl, where the Broncos defeated North Texas 35-32. Avalos ended his career as head coach with a record of 22–14 in three seasons. On December 11, 2023, Avalos was hired as defensive coordinator by Texas Christian.

Spencer Danielson era (2023–Present)[]

After Andy Avalos was let go with two games remaining in the 2023 regular season, Defensive Coordinator Spencer Danielson was announced as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Danielson was elevated to full-time head coach after winning the next three games, including the MWC Championship Game at UNLV. Danielson's first game as full-time head coach was against UCLA in the LA Bowl. The Broncos lost 22-35 and finished the season 8-6, with Danielson finishing with a record of 3-1. In 2024 the Broncos lead by Danielson, and Heisman contender Ashton Jeanty claimed their second straight MWC and a birth to the College Football Playoff's.

Championships[]

National championships[]

Boise State Claims two national titles in the Junior College Division and at the NCAA Division I FCS.

Season Conference Division Coach Overall record Conference record National Championship Game Opponent Result
1958 ICAC NJCAA Lyle Smith 10–0 4–0 NJCAA Championship Game Tyler Junior College W 22–0
1980 Big Sky NCAA I-AA Jim Criner 10–3 6–1 Division I-AA Championship Game Eastern Kentucky W 31–29

Conference championships[]

Year Conference Coach Conference record Overall record
1973 Big Sky Conference(Div. II) Tony Knap 6–0 10–3
1974 Big Sky Conference Tony Knap 6–0 10–2
1975 Big Sky Conference Tony Knap 5–0–1 9–2–1
1977 Big Sky Conference Jim Criner 6–0 9–2
1980 Big Sky Conference – (Div. I-AA) Jim Criner 6–1 10–3
1994 Big Sky Conference Pokey Allen 6–1 13–2
1999 Big West Conference(Div. I-A) Dirk Koetter 5–1 10–3
2000 Big West Conference Dirk Koetter 5–0 10–2
2002 Western Athletic Conference Dan Hawkins 8–0 12–1
2003 Western Athletic Conference Dan Hawkins 8–0 13–1
2004 Western Athletic Conference Dan Hawkins 8–0 11–1
2005 § Western Athletic Conference Dan Hawkins 7–1 9–4
2006 Western Athletic Conference Chris Petersen 8–0 13–0
2008 Western Athletic Conference Chris Petersen 8–0 12–1
2009 Western Athletic Conference Chris Petersen 8–0 14–0
2010 § Western Athletic Conference Chris Petersen 7–1 12–1
2012 § Mountain West Conference Chris Petersen 7–1 11–2
2014 Mountain West Conference Bryan Harsin 7–1 12–2
2017 Mountain West Conference Bryan Harsin 7–1 11–3
2019 Mountain West Conference Bryan Harsin 8–0 12–2
2023 Mountain West Conference Spencer Danielson 6–2 8–6
2024 Mountain West Conference Spencer Danielson 8–0 12–1

§ – Conference co–champions

  • The 1979 team went 7–0 and 10–1 overall, but they were on probation, thus they were not officially awarded a conference title.

Postseason results[]

Division I-A/FBS bowl game appearances[]

The Broncos have appeared in 22 official D-I-A bowl games with a record of 13–8, including two wins in BCS bowl games and one win in a New Year's Six bowl. They also appears in the Division II 1973 Pioneer Bowl, 1971 Camellia Bowl and 1980 Camellia Bowl. Their appearance in the 2018 First Responder Bowl was ruled a no contest after being canceled due to inclement weather. On December 5, 2021, Boise State received a bid to play Central Michigan in the Arizona Bowl. However, On December 27, 2021, Barstool Sports (the title sponsor of the bowl) founder David Portnoy announced the withdrawal of the Broncos from the bowl due to COVID-19 issues within the program. Through the 2024 season, Boise State has a streak of 24 straight seasons of bowl eligibility which is the 4th longest active bowl streak in the country behind Georgia, Oklahoma and LSU.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1971 Tony Knap Camellia Bowl Chico State W 32–28
1973 Pioneer Bowl Louisiana Tech L 34–38
1980 Jim Criner Camellia Bowl Eastern Kentucky W 31–29
1999 Dirk Koetter Humanitarian Bowl Louisville W 34–31
2000 Humanitarian Bowl UTEP W 38–23
2002 Dan Hawkins Humanitarian Bowl Iowa State W 34–16
2003 Fort Worth Bowl TCU W 34–31
2004 Liberty Bowl Louisville L 40–44
2005 MPC Computers Bowl Boston College L 21–27
2006 Chris Petersen Fiesta Bowl Oklahoma W 43–42 OT
2007 Hawaiʻi Bowl East Carolina L 38–41
2008 Poinsettia Bowl TCU L 16–17
2009 Fiesta Bowl TCU W 17–10
2010 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas Utah W 26–3
2011 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas Arizona State W 56–24
2012 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas Washington W 28–26
2013 Bob Gregory Hawaiʻi Bowl Oregon State L 23–38
2014 Bryan Harsin Fiesta Bowl Arizona W 38–30
2015 Poinsettia Bowl Northern Illinois W 55–7
2016 Cactus Bowl Baylor L 12–31
2017 Las Vegas Bowl Oregon W 38–28
2018 First Responder Bowl Boston College No contest
2019 Las Vegas Bowl Washington L 7–38
2020 Opted out of Bowl (Covid) No Opponent No Contest
2021 Andy Avalos Arizona Bowl Central Michigan No Contest
2022 Frisco Bowl North Texas W 35–32
2023 Spencer Danielson LA Bowl UCLA L 22–35
2024 Quarter-finals – Fiesta Bowl Penn State L 31-14

New Year's Six bowl game

* College Football Playoff bowl game

College Football Playoff (FBS)[]

Boise State has appeared in the (FBS) College Football Playoff once as of 2024.

Year Round Opponent Result
2024 Quarter-finals – Fiesta Bowl Penn State L 31-14

Division I-AA Playoffs results[]

The Broncos were members of Division I-AA for eighteen seasons, from its inception in 1978 through 1995. They appeared in the I-AA playoffs five times with a record of 8–4, and were I-AA national champions in 1980.

Year Round Opponent Result
1980 Semifinals

National Championship Game

Grambling State

Eastern Kentucky

W 14–9

W 31–29

1981 Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Jackson State

Eastern Kentucky

W 19–7

L 17–23

1988 First Round Northwestern State L 13–22
1990 First Round

Quarterfinals Semifinals

Northern Iowa

Middle Tennessee State Nevada

W 20–3

W 20–13 L 52–59 3OT

1994 First Round

Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship Game

North Texas

Appalachian State Marshall Youngstown State

W 24–20

W 17–14 W 28–24 L 14–28

Division II Playoffs results[]

The Broncos appeared in the Division II playoffs three times, with an overall record of 1–3; all three losses were to the eventual national champions.

Year Round Opponent Result
1973 Quarterfinals

Pioneer Bowl (Semifinals)

South DakotaLouisiana Tech W 53–10

L 34–38

1974 Quarterfinals Central Michigan L 6–20
1975 Quarterfinals Northern Michigan L 21–24

In 1977, Boise State (9–2) was undefeated in the Big Sky (6–0) and won another title. Due their regular season not ending until November 26 at Idaho, the same day as the first round of the Division II playoffs, BSU was replaced by runner-up Northern Arizona, who lost 35–0 at home.

College Division Postseason results[]

The Broncos had one appearance in the NCAA College Division postseason, with a victory in the West regional final in the Camellia Bowl in 1971. No semifinals or finals were played in the College Division from 1964 through 1972, a poll followed the four quarterfinals.

Year Round Opponent Result
1971 Quarterfinals Chico State W 32–28

Seasons[]

2020s[]

Season Coach Record
2024 Spencer Danielson 12-2
2023 Andy Avalos; Spencer Danielson 8-6
2022 Andy Avalos 10-4
2021 Andy Avalos 7-5
2020 Bryan Harsin 5-2

2010s[]

Season Coach Record
2019 Bryan Harsin 12-2
2018 Bryan Harsin 10-3
2017 Bryan Harsin 11-3
2016 Bryan Harsin 10-3
2015 Bryan Harsin 9-4
2014 Bryan Harsin 12-2
2013 Chris Petersen; Bob Gregory 8-5
2012 Chris Petersen 11-2
2011 Chris Petersen 12-1
2010 Chris Petersen 12-1

2000s[]

Season Coach Record
2009 Chris Petersen 14-0
2008 Chris Petersen 12-1
2007 Chris Petersen 10-3
2006 Chris Petersen 13-0
2005 Dan Hawkins 9-4
2004 Dan Hawkins 11-1
2003 Dan Hawkins 13-1
2002 Dan Hawkins 12-1
2001 Dan Hawkins 8-4
2000 Dirk Koetter 10-2

1990s[]

Season Coach Record
1999 Dirk Koetter 10-3
1998 Dirk Koetter 6-5
1997 Houston Nutt 5-6
1996 Pokey Allen; Tom Mason 2-10
1995 Pokey Allen 7-4
1994 Pokey Allen 13-2
1993 Pokey Allen 3-8
1992 Skip Hall 5-6
1991 Skip Hall 7-4
1990 Skip Hall 10-4

Logos / Uniforms

References[]

  1. At that time, the school was a two-year college known as Boise Junior College. The school did not become a four-year institution until 1965, and only began playing football against four-year schools in 1968.
  2. Note: (team is to begin play Pac-12 in 2026)
  3. NCAA Statistics https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/history?utf8=✓&org_id=66&sport_code=MFB&commit=Search

External Links[]

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