2012 Boise State Broncos football team

2012 Boise State Broncos football
Mountain West Conference co-champion Maaco Bowl Las Vegas champion
Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, W 28–26 vs. Washington
Conference	Mountain West Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 14
AP	No. 18
2012 record	11–2 (7–1 MW)
Head coach	Chris Petersen (7th year)
Offensive coordinator	Robert Prince (1st year)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Pete Kwiatkowski (3rd year)
Home stadium	Bronco Stadium (Capacity: 37,000)

2012 Mountain West football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
#18 Boise State +		7	–	1					11	–	2
Fresno State +		7	–	1					9	–	4
San Diego State +		7	–	1					9	–	4
Air Force		5	–	3					6	–	7
Nevada		4	–	4					7	–	6
Wyoming		3	–	5					4	–	8
Colorado State		3	–	5					4	–	8
UNLV		2	–	6					2	–	11
New Mexico		1	–	7					4	–	9
Hawaii		1	–	7					3	–	9
+ – Conference co-champions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos were led by head coach Chris Petersen and played their home games at Bronco Stadium. This season was Boise State's second in the Mountain West Conference. They finished the season 11–2, 7–1 in Mountain West play to share the conference championship with Fresno State and San Diego State. They were invited to and were champions of the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas for the third consecutive year, this year defeating Washington 28–26.

Previous season

The Broncos opened the season ranked #5 and #7 in the AP and coaches polls, respectively, by far the highest season starting ranking in school history and the highest starting position for a non-BCS team. They opened the season with a win against #19/#22 Georgia at Georgia Dome in one of the nation's premier games of the opening weekend. The Broncos would win their next nine games and climbed to #2 in the coaches, AP and Harris polls and #3 in the BCS poll for their highest ranking ever in all four polls. On November 12, #5 Boise State lost to their rival #24 TCU, ending the nations longest home winning streak. They were invited to the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas for the second consecutive year where they defeated Arizona State 56–24 to finish the season 12–1 and ranked #6/#8 in the coaches/AP polls.

Boise State set two records in 2011. The Broncos became the first team in FBS history to win 50 games in a four-year span (2008–2011). Additionally, Kellen Moore became the winningest starting quarterback in FBS history with 50 wins. He passed former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy (45 wins).

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released.

Outland Trophy – Sr. G Joe Kellogg^[1]

Lombardi Award – Sr. G Joe Kellogg^[2]

Fred Biletnikoff Award – So. WR Matt Miller^[3]

Doak Walker Award – Sr. RB D.J. Harper^[4]

Lott Trophy – Sr. LB J.C. Percy^[5]

Mountain West media days

At the Mountain West media days, held at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Broncos were picked as the overwhelming favorites to win the conference title, receiving 27 of a possible 30 first place votes. This was the fifth straight year that Boise State was picked as the preseason champion of their conference.^[6] So. WR Matt Miller and Sr. OL Joe Kellog were selected to the all-conference first team offense. Sr. DL Mike Atkinson and Sr. DB Jamar Taylor were selected to the all-conference first team defense. Sr. WR Mitch Burroughs was selected as the returner of the year and as the special teams player of the year.

Media poll

1. Boise State – 296 (27)
2. Nevada – 244
3. Fresno State – 231 (2)
4. Wyoming – 213
5. San Diego State – 173 (1)
6. Air Force – 170
7. Hawaii – 116
8. Colorado State – 111
9. UNLV – 63
10. New Mexico – 33

Preseason polls

On August 2, Boise State was ranked #22 in preseason Coaches' poll.^[7] Their opening season opponent, Michigan State, debuted at #13. This will mark the fourth straight season that Boise State will start the season against a ranked opponent from a BCS conference (they won the previous three).

On August 18, Boise State was ranked #24 in the preseason AP poll.

Schedule

^[8]

Date	Time	Opponent#	Rank#	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 31	6:00 p.m.	at No. 13 Michigan State*	No. 22	Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, MI	ESPN[9]	L 13–17	78,709
September 15	2:00 p.m.	Miami (OH)*		Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	NBCSN	W 39–12	34,178
September 20	7:00 p.m.	BYU*		Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	ESPN[10]	W 7–6	36,864A
September 29	4:00 p.m.	at New Mexico		University Stadium • Albuequerque, NM	KTVB	W 32–29	28,270
October 6	10:00 a.m.	at Southern Miss*	No. 25	M. M. Roberts Stadium • Hattiesburg, MS	FSN	W 40–14	25,337
October 13	1:30 p.m.	Fresno State	No. 22	Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID (Battle for the Milk Can)	NBCSN	W 20–10	35,742
October 20	1:30 p.m.	UNLV	No. 22	Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	NBCSN	W 32–7	36,012
October 27	1:30 p.m.	at Wyoming	No. 18	War Memorial Stadium • Laramie, WY	CBSSN	W 45–14	17,855
November 3	8:30 p.m.	San Diego State	No. 14	Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	CBSSN	L 19–21	36,084
November 10	5:00 p.m.	at Hawaii	No. 24	Aloha Stadium • Honolulu, HI	NBCSN	W 49–14	29,471
November 17	1:30 p.m.	Colorado State	No. 22	Bronco Stadium • Boise, ID	NBCSN	W 42–14	33,545
December 1	1:30 p.m.	at Nevada	No. 15	Mackay Stadium • Reno, NV (Rivalry)	ABC	W 27–21	30,017
December 22	1:30 p.m.	vs. Washington*	No. 15	Sam Boyd Stadium • Whitney, NV (Maaco Bowl Las Vegas)	ESPN	W 28–26	33,217
*Non-conference game. Homecoming. #Rankings from Coaches Poll released prior to game. All times are in Mountain Time.

• ^A Denotes the largest crowd in Bronco Stadium history. Previous high was 34,196 vs Air Force in 2011.

Game notes

at Michigan State

	1	2	3	4	Total
#22 Broncos	3	10	0	0	13
#13 Spartans	10	0	0	7	17

First ever meeting. They will meet again in 2022 in Boise and 2023 in East Lansing.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, white jersey, orange pants.

vs Miami (OH)

	1	2	3	4	Total
RedHawks	0	9	0	3	12
Broncos	8	7	21	3	39

2nd meeting. 1–0 all time. Last meeting 2009, 48–0 Bronco win in Boise.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, blue jersey, blue pants.

vs BYU

	1	2	3	4	Total
Cougars	0	0	0	6	6
Broncos	0	0	7	0	7

3rd meeting. 2–0 all time. Last meeting 2004, 28–27 Bronco win in Boise. This is the first of a scheduled 12 year home and home series.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, blue jersey, blue pants.

at New Mexico

	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	3	22	0	7	32
Lobos	0	0	14	15	29

4th meeting. 3–0 all time. Last meeting 2011, 45–0 Bronco win in Boise.

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, blue pants.

at Southern Miss

	1	2	3	4	Total
#25 Broncos	7	16	7	10	40
Golden Eagles	0	0	7	7	14

3rd meeting. 2–0 all time. Last meeting 2008, 24–7 Bronco win in Hattiesburg. Southern Miss will return to Boise in 2013.

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, white pants.

vs Fresno State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Bulldogs	0	0	3	7	10
#22 Broncos	7	10	0	3	20

15th meeting. 10–4 all time. Last meeting 2011, 57–7 Bronco win in Fresno.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, grey jersey, blue pants.

vs UNLV

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rebels	0	0	0	7	7
#22 Broncos	8	17	7	0	32

8th meeting. 4–3 all time. Last meeting 2011, 48–21 Bronco win in Las Vegas.

Uniform combination: black helmet, black jersey, black pants.

at Wyoming

	1	2	3	4	Total
#18 Broncos	7	10	21	7	45
Cowboys	0	7	0	7	14

7th meeting. 6–0 all time. Last meeting 2011, 36–14 Bronco win in Boise.

Uniform combination: white helmet, white jersey, orange pants.

vs San Diego State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Aztecs	7	0	7	7	21
#14 Broncos	6	7	0	6	19

2nd meeting. 1–0 all time. Last meeting 2011, 52–35 Bronco win in San Diego.

Uniform combination: white helmet, orange jersey, white pants.

at Hawaii

	1	2	3	4	Total
#24 Broncos	21	14	7	7	49
Warriors	7	0	0	7	14

13th meeting. 9–3 all time. Last meeting 2010, 42–7 Bronco win in Boise.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, white jersey, white pants.

vs Colorado State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Rams	0	0	7	7	14
#22 Broncos	14	21	7	0	42

2nd meeting. 1–0 all time. Last meeting 2011, 63–13 Bronco win in Fort Collins.

Uniform combination: black helmet, blue jersey, black pants.

at Nevada

	1	2	3	4	Total
#15 Broncos	7	10	7	3	27
Wolf Pack	0	0	7	14	21

39th meeting. 25–13 all time. Last meeting 2011, 30–10 Bronco win in Boise.

Uniform combination: blue helmet, white jersey, blue pants.

Washington–Maaco Bowl Las Vegas

	1	2	3	4	Total
Huskies	3	14	6	3	26
#15 Broncos	9	9	7	3	28

2nd meeting. 0–1 all time. Last meeting 2007, 24–10 Husky win in Seattle. The Broncos and Huskies will also open the 2013 season against each other in Seattle with the Huskies going to Boise in 2015.

Uniform combination: black helmet, blue jersey, black pants.

Rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	24	RV	RV	24	24	RV	24	24	21	19	RV	RV	RV	25	20	18
Coaches'	22	25	RV	RV	RV	25	22	22	18	14	24	22	22	15	15	14
Harris	Not released						22	23	19	17	23	23	21	17	15	Not released
BCS	Not released							22	21	19	NR	NR	22	20	19	Not released

Statistics

Scores by quarter

1 2 3 4 Total Boise State 100 154 91 49 394 Opponents 27 30 51 97 205

References