Well folks, we can all breathe a sigh of relief (at least for now).
Our beloved Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team has managed to pull themselves back to 0.500 with their 56-13 demolition of the Arkansas
Razorbacks last week, putting the final nail in the Sam Pittman coffin. It was so fun as an Irish fan that I think we should quickly rewatch the highlights, you guys — just a lovely game all-around against a bad opponent:
Just like last weekend, the Irish will face a brand new opponent this Saturday as the Boise State Broncos come to South Bend looking to pull a massive upset. The Broncos, of course, are coming off of a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024, but with Ashton Jeanty off to the NFL and this being a new year and a new team, the Broncos are certainly no Playoff contender this time around, losing 34-7 to South Florida in their season opener before crushing some bad teams in Eastern Washington, Air Force, and Appalachian State in succession.
With that said, they still have some nice individual talent on this squad, including some holdovers from that Playoff team, and so despite the ~20-point line that favors the Irish, we all know that doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t give ND a scare (and maybe even threaten an upset). So, I reached out to our good friends over at Mountain West Connection, SB Nation’s go-to hub for all things relating to the Mountain West Conference. Aiden Petterson, a staff writer over there, generously answered all sorts of questions, including talking about the general vibes of the fans, how Boise’s offense is dealing with losing a legend, power-ranking baseball players, trademarking non-green sports fields, and much more.
So, let’s jump into it and start soaking up all the excellent insight that Aiden had to offer.
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1. Spencer Danielson is 18-4 at the helm of the Broncos program, including a College Football Playoff appearance last season with that fun team led by generational running back Ashton Jeanty.
Even with the loss of Jeanty and the program coming back down to earth a bit in the season opener against South Florida this year, I’d imagine the vibes are still super high for Boise fans right now, right? What was that ride like for Broncos fans and do you expect Boise to continue to compete for CFP berths going forward under Danielson?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: The vibes are still positive, but an early-season loss to USF by 27 points soured the mood just a bit. However, the 2024 season was quite the euphoric run as outside of a three-point loss to Oregon in Eugene, the Broncos rolled week in and week out with Ashton Jeanty garnering more and more recognition. To put it in perspective, this was the first time that Boise State had truly been in the national spotlight since it last made a Fiesta Bowl in 2014, and Jeanty’s Heisman campaign was one of one. The only other Bronco that can rival his impact was Boise State QB and GOAT, Kellen Moore.
I do expect the Broncos to continue vying for CFP appearances in the future under Danielson, as he possesses a particular kind of work ethic and personality that mirrors the values that Boise State has held since its introduction to FBS football in the late 90s. With the move to the Pac-12 in 2026, one would think that would only improve their odds of grabbing a spot in the CFP, but the American will have a lot to say about that.
2. Boise returned starting QB Maddux Madsen from last year and he’s picked up where he left off, having thrown for 1100+ yards and 9 TDs with just 1 INT so far this year.
What does he do well and where is he limited? How can the Irish defense throw him off his game — does he have issues with accuracy, considering he’s completing less than 60% of his passes?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: Madsen is a great executor of timing rights and getting the ball out early. Boise State offensive coordinator Nate Potter loves to get him into play-action designs that allow him to find a first or second read.
His arm isn’t the biggest by any means, and his smaller stature can lead to batted balls at the line of scrimmage. The prevailing thought with Madsen has been that he finds a way not to get punished with potentially interceptable throws. Whether it’s a skill or sheer luck, that’s up to interpretation.
You alluded to his accuracy troubles, and that has certainly reared its ugly head at times. He has moments where he will throw a dime and make the sport look easier than it is. But three plays later, he will have a receiver with five yards of separation and throw it behind him.
For Notre Dame, if they can apply pressure via the defensive line, that tends to throw Madsen’s cadence off enough to force a poor throw. Despite the baseball name, he isn’t a giant threat to scramble and run for 20+ yards. Force him to go through multiple reads, and Notre Dame will be rewarded with a few turnover opportunities.
3. It’s my understanding that Maddux Jeter Madsen and his siblings (Mick, McGwire, Mays, Murphy, Macee Jo) are all named after famous baseball players. So, I need two things from you related to those ball players the Madsen siblings are named after:
a. First, power-rank them as baseball players:
– Greg Maddux
– Derek Jeter
– Mickey Mantle
– Mark McGwire
– Willie Mays
– Dale Murphy
– Joe DiMaggio
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection:
- Greg Maddux (#3)
- Derek Jeter (#5)
- Mickey Mantle (#2)
- Mark McGwire (#7)
- Willie Mays (#1)
- Dale Murphy (#6)
- Joe DiMaggio (#4)
b. Then, if you were building a football offense made out of baseball players, what position would each of those 7 guys play on your unit, and what other 4 baseball players would you add to the group to round out your starting 11?
Note: I’m going to forbid you from using Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders or any other dual-sport baseball/football guys. I want pure baseball players tossed into this offense.
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection:
QB: Greg Maddux
RB: Mickey Mantle
WR: Willie Mays
WR: Dale Murphy
WR: Joe DiMaggio
TE: Mark McGwire
LT: CC Sabathia
LG: David Ortiz
C: Adam Dunn
RG: Prince Fielder
RT: Derek Jeter
*Jeter had to go somewhere!
4. Who are the key skill position guys for Madsen to get the ball to this weekend? Which names should Irish fans be familiar with heading into the game, and how have the Broncos fared in replacing an all-time player like Jeanty?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: Before anything else, there is no “replacing” a player like Ashton Jeanty. The movie Moneyball comes to mind, and how they attempt to replace players “in the aggregate.” That is what the Broncos are trying to do with their trio of running backs within “The Stable” – Sire Gaines, Dylan Riley, and Malik Sherrod. Gaines is a power back who can run through your face. Sherrod is more laterally focused via jump cuts and running east-west. Riley has been the star of September as he had a five-touchdown performance against Mountain West foe Air Force (four rushing, one receiving).
On the perimeter, wide receiver Latrell Caples operates very well out of the slot and is a consistent target. At the same time, Chris Marshall, a former five-star talent with stops at Ole Miss and Texas A&M before facing off-the-field issues, is the most physically gifted Bronco running routes. Wideout Ben Ford has seen some action and has been a relative surprise, but tight end Matt Lauter is a vital weapon that shone in last year’s CFP matchup with Penn State.
5. How has Boise State looked in the trenches so far this season? Do you think the offensive line can handle an inconsistent Irish defensive front that still has some solid size/athleticism?
Does the Broncos defensive front seven have the personnel to slow down an elite Irish backfield with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: The offensive line has, for the most part, done its job in protecting Madsen – allowing just one sack this season. Left tackle Kage Casey is, without a doubt, Boise State’s best lineman and can cause fits for anyone rushing the left edge. Everyone has stayed relatively healthy in the remaining four spots, but right guard Roger Carreon did suffer a minor knee injury that head coach Spencer Danielson described as a “day-to-day” type of knock. Right tackle Daylon Metoyer is a youngster that is progressing, but he has been flagged for holding more than any coach would like and has been beaten on more than one occasion. For Notre Dame, if they put pressure on the right half of the Broncos’ offensive line, success is to be had.
Flipping to Boise State’s defensive line, Braxton Fely and Jayden Virgin-Morgan are the primary two defenders to watch for. Combined, they have accounted for five of the team’s 11 sacks. Boise State hasn’t seen anything like Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price this season, and I would expect them to out-talent the Broncos with Love’s maneuverability and Price’s power.
6. ND QB CJ Carr is young in his career but so far has looked really polished and poised. Will the Boise secondary make his life difficult on Saturday, or do you think he’ll continue to find success throwing downfield?
And will Irish fans get to see our old friend Jaden Mickey, or will he be out with the concussion he suffered last weekend?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: This may be my most confident answer. CJ Carr will have great success against the Broncos’ secondary on Saturday, as this position group has been a point of contention the last few years in the Treasure Valley. Against South Florida, they gave up 250+ passing yards. They responded nicely by allowing just 102 yards against FCS Eastern Washington. However, reality returned as the defense allowed an absurd 248 passing yards to… the triple-option-heavy Air Force Academy. What draws the ire of Boise State fans the most is the lack of properly getting off the field on 3rd-and-long, allowing opponents to extend drives that have no reason to do so.
As for Jaden Mickey, it sounds as though he will be a game-time decision after suffering a concussion in last week’s contest against Appalachian State. There is optimism that he is medically cleared in time for his reunion in South Bend, but injuries above the shoulders are never to be taken lightly.
7. FAN QUESTION:
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: Albertsons is a more high-end grocery chain that offers good quality for a vast majority of its products. They are particularly known for their bakery and meat department!
One could argue that it operates in the same vein as Kroger’s or Whole Foods. Pricing is going to be higher than what you may expect, but their fried chicken and seafood tend to be fan favorites.
8. I’ve heard that Boise State was able to obtain a federal trademark for having a blue turf field/a non-green field.
Is that true, and do they really get to approve/deny licensing requests from any other school looking to have a non-green field? If so, how is this not talked about more?
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: It is true that they hold a trademark regarding non-green fields/turfs! The Broncos were the first school to install a non-green field in 1986 and filed for a federal trademark in 2008.
I am not aware of Boise State denying a school’s choice to install a given color and wouldn’t expect them to. But it is a neat novelty that tends to only be brought up when the likes of Central Arkansas (Grey and Purple), Eastern Washington (Red), and Eastern Michigan (Grey) are brought up. But the Smurf Turf is one of one!
9. Alright, let’s get down to it — who wins this game, what’s the final score, and how does it happen? Please try to use at least one, if not multiple, potato puns in honor of the great state of Idaho.
Aiden Petterson, Mountain West Connection: Even though I have a bias for the Broncos to do well, I would be shocked if Boise State were able to pull off the upset. “Taters gonna tate”, but the Broncos can’t rely on Ashton Jeanty like they did against Oregon last year. Maddux Madsen will need to be “Spud-tacular” for the blue and orange to not only cover the spread, but give the Fighting Irish a game.
I see Notre Dame jumping on Boise State early and not letting up, especially after seeing what they did to Arkansas a week ago. The Broncos fizzle out early in the 3rd quarter, but thanks to Marcus Freeman pulling his starters, Boise State manages to perform a backdoor cover that will upset bettors everywhere.
Notre Dame 38 – Boise State 20
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Alrighty folks, I want to give a huge thank you and shout-out to Aiden for some excellent answers and some really detailed and useful info on what makes this Broncos squad tick and how they might match up with our Irish on Saturday.
I encourage you all to head over to Mountain West Connection ASAP to check out all their coverage, not only for this matchup but also for the MWC in general — there are some fun teams in that conference and their staff does a great job covering all of them.
Also, please give both Aiden and the Mountain West Connection site Twitter some follows, as you’ll want to get their on-the-go insights for this game and then also for the rest of the season as the MWC standings shake out and we see if a potential CFP entrant could come from their ranks once again.
That’s it for this week — as always, GO IRISH, BEAT BRONCOS!!!
