RENO, Nev. – Chris Petersen has always tried to avoid discussing Boise State’s place in the Bowl Championship Series.
We found out why on Friday night.
After leading 24-7 at the half, No. 4 BSU (10-1, 6-1 Western Athletic Conference) walked out of its locker room to begin the third quarter, and after two series resembled nothing of the team that walked in.
“They were the same in the locker room going out (to start the second half) as they were to start the game,” Petersen said.
Apparently, none of the Broncos noticed a difference until it was too late.
BSU’s offense suffered the most, which allowed the Wolf Pack (11-1, 6-1 WAC) to creep back into the game. The Broncos punted on their first four offensive possessions to begin the second half.
“They started sustaining drives and we really didn’t get any drives going,” Petersen said. “Your defense can only hang in there so long.”
By the time the Broncos scored, Nevada had reeled off 17-consecutive points to tie the game at 24 with 5:14 remaining in the game.
Boise State answered on its first play from scrimmage when junior quarterback Kellen Moore threw a screen pass to junior running back Doug Martin, who broke a few tackles en route to a 79-yard touchdown.
Martin was BSU’s offense in the game, rushing 24 times for 157 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 78 yards and a touchdown.
After Martin’s score, BSU led 31-24, but the Broncos defense couldn’t hold as it had been on the field nearly the entire second half.
Nevada senior quarterback Colin Kaepernick led the Wolf Pack on an instrumental 14-play drive, lasting 4:38 that covered 79 yards and took the remaining life out of the BSU defense.
Nevada senior running back Vai Taua gashed BSU’s defense on the drive. At times, it seemed BSU had no answer for Taua.
Kaepernick found junior wide receiver Rishard Matthews in the corner of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap the impressive drive.
“They didn’t do anything different, we didn’t do anything different,” junior safety George Iloka said. “We just didn’t make the plays we were supposed to make.”
Boise State got the ball back with 13 seconds on its own 38-yard-line and did the unthinkable. Moore threw a hail pass to senior wide receiver Titus Young who somehow wasn’t completely covered and came down with the ball at Nevada’s nine-yard-line with two seconds left in the game.
Moore finished the game going 20-of-31 for 348 yards and two touchdowns.
When senior place-kicker, and all-time leading scorer at BSU, Kyle Brotzman came on to kick the game-winning field goal, BSU and it’s thousands of fans at Mackay Stadium had thought it pulled one out against the Wolf Pack.
Brotzman, lined up to kick the 26-yard field goal just like he would’ve any other time, but this wasn’t any ordinary time. Brotzman pushed the chip-shot kick wide right and forced the Broncos into overtime. Brotzman pulled his chip-strap from his helmet and screamed in frustration as he went back to the sidelines.
BSU got the ball first in overtime and moved to Nevada’s eight-yard-line for a first-and-goal opportunity, but that’s as far as the Broncos would make it. After a couple of incompletions by Moore to Young, and a four-yard loss by Martin, it was up to Brotzman to keep the Broncos alive. He missed a 29-yard field goal and all Nevada had to do was score to win the game.
Redshirt freshman kicker Anthony Martinez was good on a 34-yard field goal attempt that gave No. 19 Nevada the biggest win in its history 34-31 and ended BSU’s BCS title dreams.
“Obviously we’re aware of it (BCS chances gone). We’ve had a special couple of seasons,” Moore said. “Give all the credit to Nevada. They’re resilient, they kept battling and they made plays when they had to.”
Not only did Boise State lose the BCS, it may have lost the WAC Championship, too. Losing the WAC isn’t something the Broncos are used to. The last time BSU didn’t win the WAC outright was in 2007.
“I’m disappointed that we just gave up the WAC championship right there,” Iloka said. “I told you earlier, this season was based on the WAC championship, the only thing we could control. We went out there and we lost it.”
After the game, a teary-eyed Martin could barely address the media. His face told the story of a team that had so much promise, but instead, ended in complete disappointment.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s sad that we couldn’t finish. We always talk about finishing and we couldn’t do it tonight,” Martin said. “It’s crushing.
BSU plays its last regular season game at Bronco Stadium against Utah State on Saturday at 1 p.m. It will be senior night for the Broncos.