Moore throws 4TDs, Broncos beat Tulsa 41-21
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — It should be expected by now that whenever Boise State’s Kellen Moore needs security, he looks for Tyler Shoemaker.
They’ve been playing pitch and catch “forever.”
“We came in together. It’s great. It’s kind of his opportunity, he’s kind of the old man of the group,” Moore said. “He’s making big time plays and we’re getting him in good spots and he’s coming away with some good touchdowns.”
Shoemaker was on the receiving end of two more touchdowns on Saturday night, part of the four thrown by Moore in less than 2½ quarters, and the fourth-ranked Broncos rolled to a 41-21 win over Tulsa in their home opener.
Boise State cornerback Jerrell Givens intercepted Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne twice and the Broncos jumped to a 27-0 lead on their way to a 33rd straight regular season home victory.
But this one was ragged, sometimes sloppy and not the crisp performance the Broncos have become known for. It was noticeably irksome to coach Chris Petersen.
“I thought there were some really nice plays made in all three phases but I thought it was a lot of sloppy football,” Petersen said. “There’s no question we have a long way to go. No question. And we better get there in a hurry.”
Asked later if he thought the Broncos had a more complete game in them, Petersen seemed to be challenging his team.
“I know we haven’t seen it. I don’t know if we have it in us,” he said. “That’s to be determined.”
Moore tossed TD passes of 26 and 6 yards to Shoemaker in the first quarter, then added a 1-yard pass to tight end Kyle Efaw late in the first half.
He capped his night with a 10-yard strike to Mitch Burroughs on the first drive of the second half, then donned a baseball cap and headset the rest of the night while backups Joe Southwick and Grant Hedrick got their turns.
Part of Moore’s early departure could be related to the black brace Moore wore on his right knee and a noticeable limp that followed him all night, especially when he was asked to scramble from the pocket. Moore acknowledged he was a little beat up coming out of last week’s win over Toledo and that the brace was “just a doctor deal.”
Even with a damaged wheel, Moore finished 23 of 29 for 279 yards and now has 12 touchdowns against two interceptions in three games.
Through three games, Moore is 83 of 105 for 995 yards. A week after catching three TDs against Toledo, Shoemaker now has six TDs for the season, already a career high.
“This is pretty much how I’ve wanted it to go for a long time and now it’s coming to fruition,” Shoemaker said.
Tulsa (1-3) concluded a brutal early season stretch that featured a game at No. 1 Oklahoma and last week’s wacky 59-33 loss at home to No. 7 Oklahoma State that didn’t kickoff until after midnight early Sunday morning.
Tulsa was one of just two teams in the country to play three AP top 10 teams in the first four weeks of the season. And they had to serve as the Broncos home opener on one of two nights this season where Boise State was allowed to wear blue helmets, jerseys and pants on its famous blue rug.
“This is a good measuring stick. This is what top-10 football is about. Boise is a great example but so is Oklahoma State and so is Oklahoma,” Tulsa coach Bill Blankenship said. “If that is where we want to take our program we have to be able to compete at that level.”
Kinne played despite a left knee injury suffered in last week’s loss to Oklahoma State. His status was in doubt all week, but Kinne played into the fourth quarter. He finished 14 of 24 for 123 yards and was intercepted four times.
He wasn’t helped by awful field position most of the night and a spotty running game. A week after rumbling for 365 yards against Oklahoma State, the Hurricanes managed 155 yards rushing on the Broncos.
Tulsa simply couldn’t make up for a miserable first half where they ran just one play in Boise territory in the first 38½ minutes. Both of Givens’ interceptions came in the first half, as did Aaron Tevis‘ diving pick on a screen pass.”After last week that was a big emphasis for us. We wanted to take that away from them. I thought we did well with that,” Tevis said.
Doug Martin and the Boise State running games was spotty, aside from Martin’s 33-yard TD run in the second quarter when he leaped over teammate Gabe Linehan. Martin had 75 yards on 21 carries.
That wasn’t the only misfire on this night.
The Boise State Army ROTC prematurely fired off the touchdown cannon after Shoemaker’s reception to the Tulsa 1 on the Broncos opening drive, only to see Tulsa hold on fourth down after Moore bobbled the handoff.
Same thing happened later in the first quarter after Martin darted 19 yards for an apparent score — and cannon firing — only to have the TD called back on holding. That drive did get finished off with Shoemaker’s second TD.
There were also injury concerns with defensive linemen Tyrone Crawford and Billy Wynn getting helped off the field in the first half, only to return in the third quarter. Receiver Chris Potter and offensive guard Jake Broyles also left with injuries.
Center Thomas Byrd also saw his string of 36 consecutive starts snapped.
“I think we’re OK,” Petersen said. “It’s football season and you have to play with some bumps and bruises.”
No. 4 Boise State 41, Tulsa 21
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Kellen Moore tossed four touchdown passes, a pair to Tyler Shoemaker, in less than 2 1/2 quarters and Jerrell Givens had two interceptions for Boise State in its home opener.
The Broncos (3-0) won their 33rd consecutive regular season home game and led 27-0 at the break.
Tulsa (1-3) concluded a brutal early season stretch that featured a game at No. 1 Oklahoma and last week’s wacky 59-33 loss at home to No. 7 Oklahoma State that didn’t kickoff until after midnight early Sunday morning.
Tulsa can’t overcome early hole against No. 4 Boise State, falls 41-21
By Associated Press, Updated: Sunday, September 25, 1:23 AM
BOISE, Idaho — Bill Blankenship took a moment to recollect about the three stellar quarterbacks Tulsa faced in the first four weeks of the season: Landry Jones, Brandon Weeden and Kellen Moore.
That’s a pretty formidable trio for any team to play against.
“If there are even two more (quarterbacks) in the country better than the three we have seen I would be shocked,” Blankenship said.
Tulsa completed its brutal early season run on Saturday night watching Moore throw four touchdown passes, leading the foruth-ranked Broncos to a 41-21 win over the Golden Hurricanes.
The Broncos led 27-0 at halftime, took a 34-0 lead on Moore’s final play of the night — a 10-yard TD pass to Mitch Burroughs early in the second quarter — and then coasted to their 33rd consecutive regular-season home win.
Tulsa tried to make a game of it late, but the hole dug by an ineffective offense for the first 2½ quarters was too much to overcome.
“It just took us way too long to get going,” Blankenship said.
Tulsa (1-3) started the season at No. 1 Oklahoma and last week lost a wacky 59-33 game at home to No. 7 Oklahoma State that didn’t kickoff until after midnight early Sunday morning.
Tulsa was one of just two teams in the country to play three AP top 10 teams in the first four weeks of the season. And they had to serve as the Broncos home opener on one of two nights this season where Boise State was allowed to wear blue helmets, jerseys and pants on its famous blue rug.
Quarterback G.J. Kinne played despite a left knee injury suffered in last week’s loss to Oklahoma State. His status was in doubt all week, but Kinne played into the fourth quarter. He finished 14 of 24 for 123 yards and was intercepted four times.
Jerrell Givens picked off Kinne twice in the first half, Aaron Tevis made a diving pick on a screen pass and Cedric Febis intercepted Kinne late when Tulsa was trying to rally.
“It’s something that you know, unfortunately it happened,” Kinne said. “I just have to get better, and I will get better. It was more physical then mental, which is good.”
Kinne wasn’t helped by awful field position most of the night and a spotty running game. A week after rumbling for 365 yards against Oklahoma State, the Hurricanes managed 155 yards rushing on the Broncos.
Trey Watts had 60 yards on 15 carries, but Ja’Terian Douglas was held to 45 yards after running for 173 against Oklahoma State.
Tulsa finally broke the shutout on Watts’ 3-yard TD run with late in the third. Kinne threw an 8-yard TD pass to Willie Carter on the first play of the fourth quarter and backup QB Kalen Henderson threw a TD pass late for the final margin.
Tulsa simply couldn’t make up for a miserable first half where they ran just one play in Boise territory in the first 38½ minutes.
“You get caught up if you start listening to all the things that this team has had to go through,” Blakenship said. “It’s pretty extensive and yet in the third quarter I saw a team pulling together and fighting and there was great leadership in that locker room.”
Moore picked a part the Hurricanes’ secondary — as he’s done to many — and finished 23 of 29 for 279 yards and now has 12 touchdowns against two interceptions in three games.
Through three games, Moore is 83 of 105 for 995 yards. But his early checkout was partly due to a sore right knee that was banged up against Toledo. Moore wore a brace on the knee and was noticeably limping at times.
Shoemaker continued to be Moore’s security in the red zone. A week after catching three TDs against Toledo, Shoemaker hauled in TD passes for 26 and 6 yards in the first quarter. His six TDs this season is already a career high.
Moore later hit tight end Kyle Efaw on a 1-yard TD. Doug Martin added a 33-yard touchdown run in the second quarter as part of the Broncos’ 34-point blitz. But the run game remained a significant concern for Boise State coach Chris Petersen. Tulsa held Martin to 75 yards rushing and 14 carries of three yards or less.
“They have done a better job protecting the passer,” Petersen said of his offensive line, “but we have to get better running the ball.”
There were also injury concerns with Boise State defensive linemen Tyrone Crawford and Billy Wynn getting helped off the field in the first half, only to return in the third quarter. Receiver Chris Potter and offensive guard Jake Broyles also left with injuries.
Center Thomas Byrd also saw his string of 36 consecutive starts snapped.
“I think we’re OK,” Petersen said. “It’s football season and you have to play with some bumps and bruises.”
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