Expectations were realistic for this matchup in South Bend.
Hope that the Broncos are competitive, but expect the Fighting Irish to break away at some point.
The defense held up their part of the bargain.
The offense…not so much.
By The Numbers
First Downs: BSU 23 – ND 19
Third Downs: BSU 6/15 (40%) – ND 4/9 (44.4%)
Fourth Downs: BSU 1/3 (33.3%) – ND 0/2 (0%)
Total Yards: BSU 315 – ND 389
Passing Yards: BSU 215 – ND 189
Rushing Yards: BSU 100 – ND 200
Times Sacked: BSU 4 – ND 0
Penalties: BSU 13 for 112 yards
– ND 11 for 112 yards
Turnovers: BSU 4 – ND 0
The Eye Test
Defense
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander’s crew held the rope as long as they could, limiting Notre Dame to just 14 points in the first half.
Heck, the Broncos didn’t allow more than eight points in any of the four quarters.
If you told fans and Boise media that, many would be leaping for joy at the thought of a competitive affair and possible upset.
It wasn’t via lucky bounces or Notre Dame mistakes as the Irish committed zero turnovers on the day.
The Broncos just found a way to “limit” QB CJ Carr to a tune of 189 yards and just two passing touchdowns.
Stopping Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price was never in the cards, but limiting them was going to be pivotal if they had a shot at the win.
The two combined for 186 yards and two touchdowns.
Boise State wasn’t able to pressure Carr into any sacks or errant throws, which eventually led to the secondary breaking down as the game wore on.
Especially without Jaden Mickey as he continues to recover from a concussion suffered last week against Appalachian State.
To put it into context, this is the second-lowest scoring output that Notre Dame has produced this season and the fewest points scored by the Irish in South Bend this season.
The defense has nothing to hang their heads about.
Special Teams
Kicker Colton Boomer had one opportunity all day… a lone PAT conversion.
Through five games, I don’t remember a time where a Boise State kicker has attempted three or less field goals.
Punting was a bit more of a rocky road as Oscar Doyle had to deal with some extra pressure off the edge, only averaging 38.8 yards per punt.
The return game was nowhere to be found.
Offense
I told Maddux Madsen to take a bow after last week’s efficient performance.
The pendulum swung back the other way on Saturday, looking eerily similar to his 2024 outing against Oregon.
Inconsistent.
Cloudy vision.
Off the mark.
For Boise State to have had a fighting chance, Madsen needed to not only take care of the ball but also create with some tight throws into small windows.
Zero touchdowns and four interceptions.
Not it.
It didn’t help that tight end Matt Lauter was declared out prior to the game with an undisclosed injury.
Chris Marshall and Latrell Caples combined for 110 yards and ten receptions – a nice sight to see.
The run game was stymied as the trio of Sire Gaines, Dylan Riley, and Malik Sherrod accumulated a total of 78 yards on 19 carries. The “running back by committee” philosophy seems to be preventing any one back from establishing a true rhythm.
On top of that, the shuffled offensive line compounded the Broncos’ complacency with penalties that put them even further behind the eight ball.
We will see if these issues bleed over into the heart of Mountain West play.
Overall, the offense suffered from the same problems that plagued them in the season opener against USF.
Disappointing, but not surprising.
Moving Forward
Sitting at 3-2, Boise State is officially done with non-conference play.
They won two that they should (Eastern Washington and Appalachian State), lost a 50-50 game (South Florida), and lost a longshot game (Notre Dame).
Batting .500 isn’t the needed resume for CFP contention, but it also doesn’t designate the situation as Defcon One.
The goal now is to clean up in the Mountain West and win a third consecutive conference championship.
Anything less, and this season should be considered a failure.
Their march will resume this upcoming weekend as Jason Eck and the New Mexico Lobos come to town.
Up Next: Vs. New Mexico (Mountain West) on Saturday, October 11th (7:45 p.m. MT).
Let us know your thoughts on the Broncos’ loss to Notre Dame in the comments!
