BY MIKE PRATER
KTIK.COM

Boise State’s still evolving offense erupted for 21 second-half points, with backup quarterback Montell Cozart doing most of the damage, and the Broncos knocked off Wyoming 24-14 before a season-large crowd of 35,565 on a rainy Saturday night at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State (5-2, 3-0 Mountain West) has won three straight games, all by double digits.

Cozart had a pair of 4-yard touchdown runs in the second half, and completed the scoring with a 24-yard pass to Cedrick Wilson.

Boise State ran 25 plays for 118 yards in a three-point first half, and cranked out 224 yards on 43 plays in the second half, which started with an 18-play, 71-yard scoring drive (Cozart’s first run) that chewed up 9 minutes, 44 seconds of clock. Cozart and starting quarterback Brett Rypien shared snaps on the drive, as they did most of the game. In the second half, Cozart took nearly every snap once the Broncos crossed into the red zone.

Rypien, a junior, completed 12-of-17 passes for 104 yards and no TDs, and rushed for seven yards. Cozart, a senior, completed 6-of-7 passes for 73 yards and rushed for 52 and two scores. Wilson (66 yards) and tight end Jake Roh (44 yards) each caught five passes. Boise State’s quarterbacks were sacked three times.

Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, a top NFL prospect, completed 12-of-27 passes for 131 yards and two interceptions as Boise State’s defense held the Cowboys to 242 total yards. Sophomore safety DeAndre Pierce and freshman cornerback Avery Williams each had an interception, the first of their Boise State careers. Freshman STUD Curtis Weaver had two sacks, and junior STUD Jabril Frazier and sophomore end Chase Hatada each added one.

Boise State’s defense has produced 13 turnovers this season (had nine all of last season), and has not allowed a 100-yard rusher.

• NEXT: at Utah State (4-4, 2-2), Logan, Utah, Saturday, Oct. 28, 8 p.m., CBS Sports Network, KBOI 670 AM and KTIK 93.1 FM The Ticket.

PRATER’S POST-GAME POINTS

• The two-quarterback system worked in the second half, and coaches should continue with the strategy … with a twist: Cozart should start the game, with Rypien coming off the bench. It’s time, and an obvious move seven games into the season. Cozart is far more productive running this offense. Boise State had 118 yards on 25 plays in the first half, with Cozart getting three pass attempts and four carries. Boise State had 224 yards on 43 plays in the second half, with Cozart completing all four of his pass attempts and rushing for another 29 yards on 12 carries. Playing the role of red-zone quarterback, he produced all three second-half touchdowns. Cozart has proven to be a good passer (66.2 percent, seven TDs, one INT), and his running ability brings defenses closer to the line, which allows him to throw over the top (like the final TD pass to Wilson). He’s the best passer on the team, the best playmaker on offense, and is the second-best running back behind Mattison. Rypien played well against Wyoming, and is getting better as the offense becomes more conservative, but the unit has more drive and more success with Cozart behind center. Start Cozart (has four running TDs, one receiving TD, with seven passing TDs), continue to platoon in Rypien (no TDs, two passing), and let Cozart finish every time Boise State reaches the 30-yard-line.
• Mattison keeps getting stronger, a good sign for an offense that’s still averaging only 28.3 points and 336.9 yards through its first seven games. The sophomore has rushed for 337 yards in his past three games, with three TDs and an average of 4.9 yards per carry. Mattison had 166 yards in his first four games as coaches worked on a playing rotation and a young offensive line. Backup Ryan Wolpin remains ineffective (16 yards on five carries against the Cowboys), and Robert Mahone didn’t play for the second straight week.
• Weaver and Frazier are turning into beasts on the front edge of Boise State’s defense. Weaver, a freshman, had two sacks against Wyoming and now has a team-high six for the season. Frazier had one sack against Wyoming, and has five for the season. They have 11 of the team’s 21 sacks, and six in the past two games. The better stat: BSU leads the league in sacks, while next-opponent Utah State has allowed the most (24).
• Boise State has played nonconference games against Troy, Washington State and Virginia (combined record 17-5 this season), and has a win at No. 19 San Diego State, but the toughest part of the Broncos’ schedule might be in front of them. Boise State has road games against Utah State (2-2 in MW after 52-28 win at UNLV), Colorado State (4-0 in MW after 27-24 win at New Mexico) and Fresno State (4-0 in MW after 27-3 win at San Diego State). The Broncos play the top four scoring teams in the league: Colorado State (271 points this season), Utah State (261), Air Force (261) and Fresno State (225). Boise State has scored 198 points, a production that might not be enough against that offensive gauntlet, even with a defensive machine of its own.

Mike Prater, editor of The Opinionator, co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk with Caves & Prater weekdays from 3-6 p.m. on KTIK 93.1 FM The Ticket and can be heard on Bronco GameNight after BSU football games on KBOI 670 AM and KTIK 93.1 FM. He can be reached at [email protected], and found @CavesandPrater(Facebook) and @MikeFPrater (Twitter).

POST-GAME NEWS & NOTES FROM BOISE STATE

• Boise State’s 24-14 win over Wyoming improves the Broncos to 11-1 all-time against the Cowboys, and to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in Mountain West play.
•  Boise State’s three halftime points are its fewest at intermission since also scoring three against New Mexico on Nov. 14, 2015.
•  Attendance was 35,565, the largest crowd of the 2017 season at Albertsons Stadium.
•  Boise State ran 18 plays during its third-quarter touchdown drive, its most in a scoring drive since running 19 plays en route to a touchdown in the first quarter against UNLV (Nov. 18, 2016). The drive spanned 9-minutes, 44-seconds, the longest scoring drive for Boise State during the Bryan Harsin era.
•  Pierce and Williams each recorded their first career interceptions. Pierce returned his second-quarter pick 46 yards, while Williams’ sealed the game with 0:58 to play.
•  Cozart recorded his first career two-rush touchdown game, doubling his season rushing touchdown total (four total). Cozart is the first Boise State quarterback to rush for two touchdowns in a game since Grant Hedrick did so Dec 6, 2014, vs. Fresno State in the Mountain West Championship Game.
•  Cozart finished the game 6-for-7 passing for 73 yards and a touchdown, and rushed 16 times for 52 yards and two scores.
• Wilson’s 24-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was his fourth of the season. Wilson finished the game with five catches for 66 yards. He also averaged 33.0 yards over three kickoff returns, with a long of 38.
•  Sophomore running back Alexander Mattison set career highs in receptions (four) and receiving yards (41), while also rushing 17 times for 91 yards.
•  Roh’s 44 receiving yards (on five catches) are a season high.
•  Defensive tackle Chase Hatada collected his first career sack, taking down Allen for a loss of six yards in the second quarter.
•  Kicker Haden Hoggarth missed his first field goal attempt of the season, a 29-yard attempt in the first half. He was 6-for-6 before the miss. He converted on a 23-yard attempt in the second quarter and is 7-for-8 on the season.
•  The Broncos converted just their second fourth-down attempt of the season, going 1-for-2 on the day, moving to 2-for-13 on the year.
• The Broncos’ defense has not allowed an opposing player to rush for 100 yards in a game this season. Wyoming’s top rusher was Allen, who rushed for 62 yards on 18 carries.
•  Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch led all players with 11 tackles (seven solo), including a tackle-for-loss.
•  Weaver made two of Boise State’s four sacks, bringing his season total to 6.0. It was Weaver’s second multi-sack game this season (two vs. Troy on Sept. 2).
• Williams led the Broncos onto the field with The Hammer, Frazier carried the “Bleed Blue” flag and nose tackle Matt Locher carried the United States flag.

Courtesy of Boise State Athletics