With their victory last weekend, Boise State was became bowl- eligible for their 24th straight season. The Broncos will now do something they've done only once so far in the 2021 season, face a team, in New Mexico, that has a losing record.
At quarterback, Boise State is facing their easiest task of the season. The Lobos have had their struggles at quarterback this year as three different players have played snaps in their last three games. For majority of the year, Kentucky transfer Terry Wilson had the reins of the offense. Wilson, is a dual threat type of player and his arm was tight enough to make the offense flow. In the last two games both freshman CJ Montes and Isaiah Chavez who was supposed to be the teams starter before Wilson came along, have seen the field.
With Chavez finishing last weeks’ game against Fresno State, it is my guess that Chavez could be the starter against the Broncos this weekend. Chavez has a big arm and can hurt you with his legs. However, he is not very athletic and at times, his accuracy is not there. Look for Boise State to try and take advantage of the inconsistencies in New Mexico’s quarterback room.
At running back, the Lobos run with a one-two punch type of backfield. Freshman Aaron Dumas leads this backfield averaging 5.1 yards per carry this season. Dumas has only found the end-zone on the ground three times this season. However, because of his bruising running style and him being a receiving threat, he will still throw the Bronco defense for a loop.
Behind Dumas, senior Bobby Cole chips away at running touches from time to time. Cole once was the Lobo’s starting running back, but lost his starting spot early on this season. Still, Cole is used in this offensive scheme at times. He is a change-of-pace type of runner and he plays bigger than his size is. He has been in the New Mexico scheme for two full years now and that experience itself can be dangerous to go up against. You can expect Cole in the game to shake up the game-plan especially if they are trailing early.
At the wide-receiver position, the Lobos know how to share the wealth so to speak. While not one player totally stands out from the rest, a handful of their wideouts are quality football players. This is a pass-catching group that is full of deep-threats and guys who can create separation. Freshman Luke Wysong and Travis Bruckler lead this group. Wysong is the speedster of the two and his route-running ability is second to none. Bruckler on the other hand uses his nearly 6 foot 3 and 210 pound frame to bully smaller defenders. The two make for a tough tandem to go against.
On defense, the Lobos tend to let up a handful of points, 30 plus points per game to be exact. If you watch film on New Mexico’s defense you see that sometimes as a unit they can be completely out of it and undisciplined. They have been out-matched given the tough scheduled they have been through this season. But that does not mean that the Lobos are not filled with quality athletes on defense. Senior’s Jerrick Reed and Joey Noble headline the Lobo defense.
Reed who is a safety, is the tone-setter of this defense. Reed has tallied 73 tackles (49 solo) on the season, and is one of the most athletic players in the conference. He is everywhere on the field and seemingly finds himself in the mix of every stop. Keep an eye on Reed during Saturday’s game and you will see that he is that one player that is always making plays.
As senior night approaches, 24 Broncos will play on the Blue one final time. This years team features seniors that will leave a big mark on this program. Look for the coaching staff to try and have some fun on Saturday and get every senior playing time. It might be a good idea to also keep an eye out for how often quarterback Hank Bachmeier airs it out to his favorite targets in Octavius Evans and Khalil Shakir.
A win for the Lobos could be one of their biggest in recent years. Whereas the Broncos are trying to go into their big matchup in San Diego next week with a heavy level of confidence. While New Mexico might not keep this game close, they will not go down easy. They have a handful of players that should be prepared for and the Broncos will still need to be on their A-game. Quarterback Hank Bachmeier also cannot over-throw his receivers or hold on to the ball too long or else this game could be interesting.
This 2021 Boise State team has had a rollercoaster season to say the least. But what better way to cap off senior night with a win. Look for the Broncos to come out and try to end this game quickly on a frigid November night.
