BY KTIK STAFF
The Boise State football team rallied from behind for the fourth straight game, and running back Robert Mahone scored on two 10-yard TD runs in the fourth quarter, as the Broncos beat Air Force 30-19 in the Mountain West opener for both schools Friday night.
The crowd at Albertsons Stadium was 36,498 – the sixth largest in school history and the 10th 36,000-plus game in history.
Boise State is 4-0 heading into the first of two bye weeks; Air Force falls to 2-1.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO BRONCO GAME NIGHT POST-GAME SHOW
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF THE FLYOVER BEFORE FRIDAY’S GAME
Boise State’s defense allowed its first second-half points of the season, but held the Falcons’ triple-option offense to 19 points for the second straight time on the blue.
Boise State’s offense converted a huge fourth-and 10 in the third quarter (Hank Bachmeier to Akilian Butler for 13 yards), and early in the fourth, the Broncos’ defense held the Falcons on fourth-and-one (David Moa and Sonatane Lui with the stop). Lui set the school’s FBS-era record for defensive linemen with 16 tackles.
The game was tied at halftime – now the Broncos have won three straight against Air Force, after suffering three straight losses from 2014-16.
Bachmeier, a true freshman, completed 19-of-26 passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns, two sacks and no interceptions (the first pick-free game of his career). He had TD passes to CT Thomas (36 yards) and John Bates (28). Thomas caught five passes for a career-high 119 yards.
BACHMEIER STATS THROUGH FOUR GAMES: 87-of-136 (64 percent), 1,190 yards, 6 TDs, 3 INTs, long of 47 yards, 297.5 yards/game
NOTES: Each team had 355 yards of offense. … The Broncos won for the 116th straight time at Albertsons Stadium when leading after three quarters, the longest streak in FBS (LSU is second with 71). … Boise State won its conference opener for the 20th straight season. … Khafari Buffalo (11), Riley Whimpey (11) and Ezekiel Noa (10) each had double-digit tackles, while Kekaula Kaniho had a second-half interception. … Noa left the game midway through the third quarter with a leg injury, and did not return. … Left tackle Ezra Cleveland returned to the starting lineup after suffering a foot injury. … The Broncos are off next week before traveling to UNLV on Oct. 5, and hosting Hawaii on Oct. 12.
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE FROM BOISE STATE
