The Boise State Broncos may not know what they’re in for on Saturday night.
Oregon, coming off a dismal season opener where the Ducks defeated FCS Idaho by just 10 points, has something to prove to themselves and the rest of the country when these two meet at 7 pm, streaming on Peacock.
The Ducks didn’t look like the No. 3 team in the nation last week and dropped three spots in the polls. A team that has so much to prove is usually a dangerous team.
But Boise State won’t be phased.
The Broncos are 3-0 against Oregon and have all the confidence in the world. They are coming off a 56-45 win at Georgia Southern. The offense was clicking on all cylinders, but the defense wasn’t.
Running back Ashton Jeanty will be the main focus of the Duck defense. According to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, Jeanty is ready to play on Sundays right now.
“I think it’s the best running back I’ve seen since I’ve been here. You know, he’s certainly an NFL guy,” Lanning said about Jeanty. “He doesn’t go down on first contact ever. He’s one of the best arm guys that we’ve gone against. You know, he runs really, really physical.”
In the season opener, Jeanty racked up 267 yards and six touchdowns.
When Boise State isn’t giving the ball to its superstar tailback, redshirt sophomore quarterback Maddux Madsen is tossing the ball to a pair of talented receivers in Cam Camper and Latrell Caples.
The defense was a bit of a surprise, however, with how ineffective it was in Week 1. It features more than a few preseason all-conference selections, but a lot went right against the Eagles last week.
If the defense does fix a few things, it should be a good test for Dillon Gabriel and his receiving corps. Safety Ty Benefield and corner Jeremiah Earby make it tough to get chunks of yardage. Earby is no stranger to the Autzen atmosphere as he played there in 2023 as a California Golden Bear.
Oregon is a near 20-point favorite over the Broncos, but in a rivalry, and there is a rivalry here with what has gone down between these two teams in the past, betting odds don’t matter.
It’s a game with two teams looking out to prove something and this could be an early preview of the College Football Playoff. This may not be the only time in 2024 Boise State invades Autzen this season.