Has Espn Lost its Love for Boise State?

I’m a huge college football fan, and for this reason some Saturdays in the fall I disappear from the world from the time I wake up until I go to bed it’s all college football. So yesterday when I woke and got my college football day started I finally tuned into espn game day, after all it was only 70 miles from me in East Lansing so around 11 am I tuned to espn. Listening mostly for those finally game day match up’s and their perceived must see TV. I was going to be very interested in their take on Boise’s first match up against statically one of the best offensives in college football Air Force, but from 11am until kick off not one word was said about the #5 teams first home game against not only its new MWC rival but its first game ever against Air Force and it’s style of play the triple option with all it’s chop blocking and cut blocks that make it difficult specially against team that rarely or never have played it before. Not a single word no mention of the game in the last hour what so ever, maybe in the first hour they covered may not I don’t know but I found it awful strange as they lead up to calling the games not a single mention. Move forward through the day and into the evening games and I go to espn3 so I can watch as many as 5 games at once and as the late night games go into half time I click the audio to listen in on what Robert Smith and others have to say about the early games, not only didn’t they have anything to say they didn’t even give the score of the Boise State Air Force game.  Ok maybe it’s an over sight surely as other games go into half time they will give the game of the first meetings every between these two team their just do, but alas no.

So just like in the first BCS show hardly a word was said about the #5 team in America and what was said was either negative or condescending. If you watch espn to get your college football news what you would of learned from the college football final is that Boise State beat a team in a close game, that Notre Dame beat already this year and you where lead to believe because of the disparity in the way those teams won Boise should fall in the polls. Mind you this is after Reese Davis already knew the OU lost to Texas Tech and Wisconsin fell to MSU. And this is what the producers of espn wanted to college football world to take away about Boise State this Saturday? Oh yeah there was a side mention of Kellen now tied for the most wins by a QB in FBS history that’s about it.

Recently an idiot made this statement to me in regards to my view that Kellen Moore should win the Heisman. “Do you even watch college football” mind you this fellow who made this comment writes a football blog for a living so I had to ask him do you? I dare say I watch more college football then most who make a living off of reporting on it, Lords knows I’ve heard so many gaffs and untruths coming from TV commentators and alike to make me question how some of these folks even got their job.

So let me help you out Mr. Davis and the rest of the haters over at espn.  Air Force elected to defer and kicked off to Boise, for one of the few times this year Kellen and the Boise Offense didn’t get off to a slow start at home and marched methodically down the field for their first Touch Down. Following the kick off Air Force took the field and as everyone prepared to see just how this Boise Defense would play against the High Powered Air Force offense, and right from the beginning it looked like Boise’s worst fears might be unfolding as Air Force quickly racked up a couple first downs and crossed the 50, this being the first time in 7 games that Boise State defense had allowed any team across the 5o in the first quarter all year. After getting to the Boise States 36, the next three plays result in tackles for loss pushing Air Force almost all the way back across the 50 before they had to punt the ball back to Boise State.

The next drive by Boise State was more like what Boise State fans are use to seeing at home in the first qt a 5 play drive that fizzles out and a punt. For whatever reason Boise State always seems to start off slow at home. Air Forces next drive gained 1 first down and that was it, it certainly seemed that Boise D had figured out this Air Force triple option at this point in the game. As they played into the second it was clear Boise States offense was in rhythm and the drove like a hot knife through butter until the unthinkable happened Doug Martin who I think has only lost two fumbles in the last 2 years put the ball on the turf inside the Air force 10. This time Air Force put together a nearly 8 minute drive, drove 90 yards down the field and scored. You can  hold down one of the Nation’s most powerful running games most of the time but not all of the time. And this was just what Air Force needed to do as it became apparent on Boise States next possession as Boise State March 67 yards in less than 3 minutes and scored on a 19 yard TD pass Moore to Miller.

Again Boise States Defense seemed to have bottled up Air Forces running game and forced a quick 3 and out, on the ensuing 4^th down Air Force knowing it could not stop Kellen Moore and the Boise Offense decided it was going to run a fake punt, this not only failed but resulted in a forced fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

With the score 20 to 7 with 2:44 to go Air force was able to get off a couple of big plays to get down to Boise States 20 kicking a field goal as time ran out.

Start of the 3^rd again Boise States defense 3 and outed Air Force forcing a punt.

Boise States offense quickly went to work after a punt return to Air Forces 41 Boise quickly gained a first down at Air Forces 27 when Kellen Moore threw a Perfect pass to Geraldo Boldewijn hitting him dead center in the upper chest for what looked to be another TD, however Air Forces Josh Hall made a strong play taking the ball away from Boldewijn for the interception.

Air Force was able to drive nearly 5 minutes to the Boise State 21 before they were stopped and forced to kick a field goal making the score 13-20 Though Boise State had dominated the game in every aspect other than time of Possession the score was closer than the actually game play on the field.

On Boise States next possession they again methodically drove the field capping off a 5 minute drive with a Doug Martin touchdown stretching their lead to 27 -13

The blocking schemes of Air Force one could tell were taking a toll on the Bronco defenders, as many started falling out with lower leg injuries, on several occasions it was clear to this viewer Air Force got away with many clips, blocks in the back, illegal cut blocks and holding. So on Air forces next possession they to put together a 5 minute drive ending with a 3 yard touchdown run.

But just like clockwork Kellen Moore and the Boise offense was up to the challenge driving 69 yard in nearly 5 minutes capping it off with a 2 yard Doug Martin Touchdown run to again extend their lead to 34-20 leaving just 5:07 for Air Force to score two touch downs a nearly impossible task, yet Air Force put it all out there and with just over 3:31 to go scored again. Everyone in the world knew and on sides was coming and true to form Boise States special teams played it flawlessly. Boise State proceeded to burn clock and drove to the Air Force 8 and as is the case with Chris Petersen he kicked the field goal instead of going for style point. Though Air Force got one more shot with the ball Boise’s defense rose up and ended the game with a tackle for loss and an interception, something Wisconsin was unable to do to a team that lost to Notre Dame Ironically!

So there is your recap clearly Air Force left nothing out on the field they played a whale of a game and executed to the best of their ability to even achieve this close of a result but the facts are this the game was never in doubt, Boise was never truly threatened and for a team playing the triple option for the very first time they did superbly!

I could go on and on with further insults by espn and it’s lackeys yesterday who never mentioned once that the new longest home winning streak in the fbs now resides in Boise Idaho.

Go head espn lackeys please by all means reinstall that big as chip on our shoulders because unlike Bum Phillips failed promise to kick the door in on Pittsburg Boise State is going to crash the party weather they get to the MNG or not. Be Very Very afraid elitist!