

Ashton Jeanty tore through the 2024 season at Boise State like a man on a mission. He rushed for a staggering 2,601 yards and 29 TDs, smashing program records and ranking 2nd in FBS single-season rushing yards. On top of that, he wasn’t just a ground threat; Jeanty added 138 receiving yards, powering the Broncos to a 12-2 record and a Mountain West title. And his dominance earned him unanimous All-American honors, the Doak Walker Award, and a close 2nd in Heisman Trophy voting. After declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders picked Jeanty sixth overall. So yesterday, Boise State kicked off its first game without Jeanty; how did the Broncos fare without their star rusher?
At the Week 1 postgame press conference, Boise State HC Spencer Danielson confronted the harsh reality without Ashton Jeanty. When asked about the disappointing season opener, he told reporters, “Please, don’t get it twisted. I’m not pleased in any part of how we play tonight in a phase. But we will get it fixed. And as a coach, it’s always the balance, right? Things are going good. Winning can be a great deodorant right there. And we keep talking about last year’s old news.” However, Danielson didn’t shy away from the tough truth.
He said, “I mean, there were some games we won last year that we didn’t play well, but we found a way to win. Good teams do. We didn’t tonight. I do believe we’re a really good team, but right now, we’re all in one, and we just went on the road and got our ass kicked. That happened.” Honestly, his words cut straight to the heart of Boise State’s struggles, highlighting both the lessons learned and the work ahead for the team. So here, Danielson urged everyone to focus on growth, not perception.
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Given that, he emphasized, “To me, it’s not about what people think our team is. It’s how we learn and grow from this, and we got to look at it in all three phases. And I know our coaches will, I know our players will. I believe in the leadership of this team, and I’m excited where we’re going to grow from here.” So, his words painted a clear picture: Boise State is ready to learn, adapt, and come back stronger. While Jeanty’s impact on Boise State’s offense was undeniable, this season-opening loss didn’t rattle the Broncos’ head coach.
Look, Boise State struggled with turnovers in Week 1, coughing up too many fumbles that simply couldn’t happen. But HC Spencer Danielson took a holistic view of the game, noting there were still positives to build on from certain plays. According to him, execution was the bigger issue, with false starts and missed opportunities hurting the team. Danielson also acknowledged the coaching staff shares responsibility and promised they would review the film closely to address mistakes and sharpen the team’s performance moving forward. Here comes the reality check.
Tough wake-up call for Boise State
According to On3Sports’ Brett McMurphy, Boise State stumbled out of the gate without Ashton Jeanty. South Florida crushed Boise State 34-7, marking the Broncos’ lowest season-opening scoring output since a 38-6 loss to Washington in 2013. Although turnovers plagued Boise State, they gave the ball away three times, but they failed on 4 fourth-down attempts. Given that, USF dominated the final three quarters, leaving the Broncos struggling to find any rhythm. Now, with a rough start like this, there’s a big question looming: Is Boise State already out of CFP contention before Week 1 even really gets going?
Look, Boise State’s CFP hopes might already be slipping away. Last season, the Broncos were the top non-Power Five team, winning the Mountain West and pushing top-seeded Oregon to the brink. Interestingly, with Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty leading the charge, Boise State looked unstoppable until PSU ended their Fiesta Bowl run. But Thursday night, without Jeanty, the offense struggled. QB Maddux Madsen went 25-of-46 for 225 yards and fumbled on a crucial fourth down, wiping out any chance of a comeback against USF. Although the Broncos still enter the Mountain West as favorites, the playoff path looks steep.
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A trip to Notre Dame looms in October, and there was little from Thursday to suggest they can pull off a big upset. Meanwhile, USF made a statement, positioning itself ahead of Boise in the playoff conversation. Even with tough games against Florida and Miami, the Bulls’ performance Thursday proves the AAC may have the edge this season. And that Boise State’s CFP dreams could already be fading.
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