November 19, 2025

Article By Nick Wade

There are moments in every season when the noise around a program grows louder than the cleats on concrete beneath the stadium tunnel. Boise State reaches one of those moments now, standing at 6–4 overall and 4–2 in the Mountain West, battered by criticism, questions, and frustration, yet still responsible for finishing a season that started with far higher expectations than what reality has delivered. This weekend’s Senior Night matchup against 2–8 Colorado State on The Blue becomes more than a football game. It becomes a referendum on resilience, on pride, and on whether this program can steady itself before the year closes. It becomes a test not of talent, but of intention.

Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. MT on FS1, but the emotional kickoff is already underway. The disappointment of last week’s uninspired 17–7 loss to San Diego State lingers like cold smoke in the autumn air. Boise State’s offense, playing without Chris Marshall and trapped in monsoonal rain, fell into an all-too-familiar pattern of predictability, running sequences that felt as though they had been prewritten days before and laminated without any plan for in-game adjustment. The staff seemed reluctant to place any real trust in backup quarterback Max Cutforth, even as the game begged for controlled creativity. The fanbase felt every moment of that hesitation, voicing their frustrations loudly about first-year offensive coordinator Nate Potter’s approach.

But for this week, Coach Spencer Danielson had a simple message: “I believe in Coach Potter.” He did not offer qualifiers, deflections, or excuses—just belief. Whether Bronco Nation shares it is another matter, but the statement itself speaks to how the staff intends to move forward. This is the week where belief must translate into action. This is the week where execution must match expectation. And this is the week where Boise State must prove that the offensive identity they portrayed in San Diego is not who they plan to be on Senior Night.

The Broncos enter this matchup knowing precisely what cannot happen again. They cannot afford another game where the offense looks as though it is operating on rails rather than instincts, where play calling feels like a script rather than a battle plan. They cannot shrink the playbook down to the bare minimum while asking the defense to carry all the weight. And they cannot enter long stretches refusing to throw the ball, especially when the rain has stopped, the field is manageable, and the opponent’s defense is daring them to take a chance.

Yet they also know what they can do—and must do well—against Colorado State. The running game remains the anchor, especially while starting quarterback Maddux Madsen recovers from his lower leg injury. That absence makes the backfield of Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines the heartbeat of Saturday’s game. Riley has been the workhorse all season, now with 125 carries for 824 yards and eight touchdowns, including a season-long 77-yard burst that became one of the highlights of the fall. Gaines brings 551 yards and five touchdowns of his own, attacking the edges with a burst that proved vital even in the rain-soaked frustration at San Diego State.

The pair must be at their best again, not only for their own productivity but to ease the pressure on Cutforth. The young quarterback has made only 57 passing attempts this season, completing 32 of them for 277 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He has shown flashes of pocket calmness and rhythmic timing when given the opportunity, but the offense must give him more than opportunity—they must give him permission. Last week, he wasn’t given that until the game’s final moments, and by then the Broncos were forced into desperation. This time, the approach must be different. If the running game finds rhythm early, the play-action game must follow. If the passing windows open, they must be used. If confidence is needed, the coaches must instill it through actual trust, not theoretical trust.

The importance of confidence grows even more with the continued uncertainty surrounding Chris Marshall, whose rolled ankle kept him out unexpectedly last week. His presence in the passing game changes how defenses align, reshaping the box and creating space for Caples, Bates, and Penry. Without him, Caples becomes the primary target, entering the week with 33 catches for 393 yards and three touchdowns—one of the program’s most consistent and respected veterans. Chase Penry, another senior, comes in with 282 yards on the season and has been one of Cutforth’s most reliable intermediate threats. 

Boise State will also step onto The Blue with heavy hearts after the news that star defensive back A’Marion McCoy will undergo knee surgery and is out for the remainder of the year. McCoy leaves behind one of the most impressive statistical seasons in the conference, with 27 tackles, four interceptions, and two defensive touchdowns. His absence is massive, undeniable, and cannot be replaced by one person. Instead, the Broncos turn to a collective answer—Tre Tolmaire stepping into a major role, Derek Ganter Jr continuing his steady presence with 23 tackles, and Zion Washington returning healthy with 42 tackles and the ability to match physical receivers. The secondary remains one of the most impressive in the nation this season, and their discipline will again be essential.

Colorado State enters Boise amidst their own turmoil, firing longtime head coach Jay Norvell during one of the most disappointing seasons in program history. Their offense has been inconsistent, but not without dangerous weapons. Sophomore quarterback Jackson Brousseau has thrown for 1,031 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions. Freshman running back Jalen Dupree shows legitimate explosiveness, logging 508 rushing yards with a long run of 31 yards against San Diego State. Sophomore receiver Tommy Mayer brings 282 yards of production. Defensively, linebacker Owen Long is a tackling machine with 122 stops, while defensive back Jace Bellah brings 33 tackles and four interceptions.

But Colorado State’s struggling record can be deceptive for teams who let their guard down. Their best plays often arrive through broken structure, defensive mistakes, and sudden swings of momentum created by their secondary. Boise State has learned the hard way this season that turnovers and stalled drives can turn any game into a dangerous one.

This Saturday must be about simplicity executed with conviction. Boise State’s success stems from leadership by LT Kage Casey who may be playing his final regular season on The Blue, potentially declaring for the NFL Draft guiding their ability to dictate pace, control the trenches,  and create manageable third downs rather than desperate ones. Riley and Gaines must set the tone early. Cutforth must be allowed to throw enough to maintain rhythm. And Potter must demonstrate that last week’s rigid play calling was not his philosophy but a temporary mistake in monstrous weather with an unexpected personnel loss.

Defensively, Boise State remains anchored by leaders who have shaped the heart of the season. Buck Benefield, the junior who may very well be playing his final game on The Blue as well if he elects to declare for the NFL Draft, now has 77 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. His instincts stretch sideline to sideline, and his performance last week was one of the few bright spots. Jayden Virgin-Morgan continues his disruptive season with 43 tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. Marco Notarainni has 58 tackles and 1.5 sacks, playing through pain and fatigue to consistently stabilize the center of the defense. Braxton Fely, with 18 tackles and five sacks, brings a pursuit that rarely slows. Jaden Mickey remains one of the team’s most physical defensive backs with 23 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble.

On Saturday night, these leaders stand alongside a senior class that has weathered multiple coaching changes, conference shifts, personal injuries, and the growing demands of a fanbase that refuses to accept mediocrity. Seniors like Latrell Caples, Zion Washington Jeremiah Erby, A’Marion McCoy, Malik Sherrod, Chase Penry, Malakai Williams, Dion Washington, Mason Hutton, Marco Notarainni, Mason Randolph, Zach Holmes, Tyler Keinath, Ben Ford, Matt Lauter, Mitch Bothwell, Kobe Young, Keanu Mailoto, and Luke Voorhees step onto The Blue not only potentially for a final home game, but as the heartbeat of a program that has leaned on them more than the headlines have ever reflected.

This class deserves the version of Boise State football that defines the program. They deserve a team that plays with an edge. They deserve a coaching staff that adapts in real time. They deserve an offense that uses its talent, a defense that attacks, and a fanbase that sends them off with Blue Chaos and more pride than frustration.

A win won’t erase the challenges of the season, nor will it fix all lingering questions. But it will steady the morale of a program working to maintain direction during a year of turbulence. It will give Bronco Nation a chance to breathe. And it will keep the team aligned with the long-term five-year SMART goal outlined in The Standard, a vision crafted not for immediate gratification but for sustained excellence.

Ultimately, Spencer Danielson knows that responsibility flows upward. It is his job to ensure accountability, his job to oversee staff performance, and his job to make the decisions necessary to keep the program healthy. And above him, Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey will evaluate the trajectory with equal seriousness. If changes must come, they will come. If adjustments must be made, they will be made. No program with this tradition will allow itself to drift.

But this Saturday is not about what comes next month or next year. It is about honoring the players who built this season, stabilizing the confidence of a team searching for rhythm, and showing that Boise State football, even in a year of challenges, refuses to fold on its home field.

Colorado State arrives wounded, uncertain, and desperate for a spark. Boise State arrives frustrated, determined, and in need of a statement. The Blue awaits them both.  And on Senior Night, with the season narrowing toward its close, the question is not whether the Broncos can play better.

The question is whether they will choose to.