UCF coach Gus Mazahn did all he could this week to hype up Boise State’s blue turf as one of the toughest places to play in all of college football ahead of Saturday’s 5 p.m. kickoff on FOX Sports 1. Heck he even contemplated taking his team to a local blue field to practice.
The problem? It hasn’t been true of late.
Sure the overall numbers are great: since 1999 the Broncos are 138-15 when playing on The Blue. That’s right – a winning percentage greater than 90 percent and an average of less than one loss per season in the past 23 years. It’s an absurd stat.
The Broncos rank No. 2 only to Oklahoma in home winning percentage since 2000. Malzahn is right. History says it’s nearly impossible to come to Boise and leave with a win.
But the last eight years tell a different story. The last three years are downright concerning.
Boise Sate once went 100-4 at home during a stretch from 1999 to 2014. They are 38-11 in the eight years since. The Broncos lost four games in 15 years on The Blue, but they’ve lost six at home in the past three years.
The Broncos are 8-5 at home under coach Andy Avalos and 10-6 at home in the past three years. They’ve lost nine home games the past six years, including twice while hosting the Mountain West Championship.
For a team that never lost at home, the Broncos have suddenly become vulnerable on the vaunted Blue. Even if it’s hard to admit.
“It’s (still) a tough place to play,” wide receiver Stefan Cobbs said this week. “I’m not worried about the past record. This is this year, this team, 2023. We’re focused on what we need to do this week, today, tomorrow, one step at a time.
“I’m not worried about the past. People know this is a tough place to play thanks to our fans, our culture and thanks to our team.”
Boise State’s 2023 team is out to change things – out to bring back the home dominance and fear to opposing teams who used to arrive at the stadium knowing they had little chance to win.
And that effort to ‘protect the blue’ starts in near must-win fashion Saturday against UCF, which arrives with a Big 12 patch on the jerseys and the swagger of a team ascending in the college football landscape.
The Broncos, already 0-1 after a 56-19 drubbing on national TV at No. 10 Washington, are looking to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2005. There’s already angst among Bronco Nation. Another loss on The Blue would make things even worse.
Boise State will unveil a new video board in the south end zone, new LED lights and a variety of other new amenities and food options Saturday. But despite an offseason of anticipation and buildup, it took giving away several hundred free tickets to faculty and staff to ensure a packed house for the 5 p.m. kickoff.
Regardless, the place should be rocking – which the Broncos badly need. A win gets the Broncos back on track and keeps hope alive for a New Year’s Six bowl game. A loss and the questions about coach Andy Avalos and the future of the program only get bigger.
“We get this opportunity to have a talented Power 5 team come in here so to be able to fill Albertsons Stadium and have that home field advantage and be able to have it loud and play in front of Bronco Nation, it’s a big deal,” Avalos said. “Getting this thing to a sellout would be a huge deal.”
Boise State had a 21-0 lead on UCF two years ago in Orlando but let it slip away late in the fourth quarter of a 36-31 loss. The Knights are coming off an impressive 56-6 win over Kent State, but have a 5-plus hour flight to deal with Friday – and likely a raucous crowd.
Boise State’s home record hasn’t been great of late. Their record in the all-blue uniforms is a different story. The Broncos are 111-6 when wearing all blue, which they will do Saturday.
A packed house, all blue uniforms, the home opener and the Broncos with their backs against the wall and badly needing a win? It all adds up to what could be another special night on The Blue.
“Playing at home on The Blue is definitely different,” Boise State quarterback Taylen Green said. “I tell everybody and I have a lot of family coming in and I say it’s different. Being on offense, it’s going to be quieter than at Washington but our defense, they definitely love the energy and the crowd on third downs and stuff. Seeing Bronco Nation out there is definitely extra motivation to get the win.”
They’ll need all the help they can get on Saturday.
