Boise State vs. Marshall: Game Preview, Kick Time, TV Schedule, Livestream, Prediction
The Broncos return home to face the Thundering Herd in a Friday night showdown.
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The home opener for Boise State could be a challenge.
As the exhilaration from a tremendous Week 1 victory begins to wear off, it’s time to get ready for Boise State’s Week 2 matchup. The Broncos will face the Marshall Thundering Herd of Conference USA on a short week. This game is scheduled for Friday night’s primetime on ESPN2.
Boise State fans that have been around for a while will undoubtedly remember the 1994 playoff classic between these two opponents, which the Broncos won to advance to the Division 1-AA championship game.
Younger fans will recall a more recent skirmish when the 2014 Thundering Herd challenged Boise State in the rankings as the top member of the Group of 5. While the two schools have not faced off on the field since 1994, Boise State came out ahead in that competition, as well, and went on to the Fiesta Bowl while Marshall was relegated to the Boca Raton Bowl.
Since 2014, when Marshall finished 13-1, the Thundering Herd finished 10-3 in 2015 before hitting a rough spot and completing a 3-9 campaign in 2016. Head coach Doc Holliday seems to have righted the ship, however, and went 8-5 in 2017 and 9-4 in 2018. In his 10th season leading the program, Holliday has compiled an impressive 71-46 record at Marshall and is the school’s all-time wining head coach.
Meanwhile, Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin will look to refocus his team for the season’s home opener after a statement victory over Florida State.
Date: Friday, September 6, 2019
Where: Albertsons Stadium in Boise, ID
When: 7:00 PM MT/6:00 PM PT
Spread: Boise State -11
ESPN FPI Win Predictor: Boise State 86.5% win probability
FEI Projection: Boise State by 18.1
Weather: Mostly clear skies at 60˚ with a no chance of precipitation. Sunset will be at 8:11 PM.
How to Watch: ESPN2 or stream via SlingTV with a free trial.
All-time Record: Boise State leads the series, 1-0
Previous Meeting: #3 Boise State defeated #2 Marshall, 28-24, in the semifinal of Division 1-AA semifinal playoff in Boise on December 10, 1994.
Marshall 2018 Rewind
Marshall had another impressive campaign in 2018 and finished the year 9-4. The Thundering Herd finished in a three-way tie for the East Division of Conference USA but were left out of the conference championship when Middle Tennessee State was able to claim the division via tiebreaker. Marshall did recover and scored a blowout victory over South Florida in their bowl game, and they do bring back many of their star players from a year ago.
Marshall Week 1 Rewind
Marshall faced off against Virginia Military Institute of the FCS and were able to take care of VMI handily, 56-17. VMI got most of their points in the 4th quarter after the game had long been decided. Marshall put up 620 yards of total offensive in this tune-up game.
Coach Holliday was able to go deep into his bench for this game and had 11 different players make receptions and had nearly 30 different players register a tackle. The Thundering Herd played a relatively clean game with only one turnover and very few mistakes.
The Broncos flew across the country and had to deal with hot temperatures, and a hurricane disrupting up their travel plans, before they were able to settle in at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee and notch a big victory over Florida State. Florida State jumped out to a 31-13 lead and only Robert Mahone’s stalwart running kept the Broncos from being further behind. Boise State did kick two field goals before the half ended and the Broncos showed life that would be carried over into the second half.
Boise State showed the heart of a champion after the intermission and shut out the Seminoles while scoring 17 points. There were too many stars on the Boise State side to mention individually but Eric Sachse, Boise State’s new transfer kicker, made all of his five field goal attempts and three extra points and deserves praise. The big story from this victory was true freshman quarterback Hank Bachmeier, who impressed with 407 yards on 30-of-51 attempts and a touchdown against one interception.
Rankings
Boise State jumped into the USA Today Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25 at #24 in both polls. Marshall did not receive votes in either poll. Jeff Sagarin’s computer rankings has the Broncos at 22nd and the Thundering Herd at 88th.
Predictions (my prediction can be found at the bottom of this article)
Jeremy Mauss (Mountain West Wire Manager): Boise State 38, Marshall 21
Matt Kenerly (Mountain West Wire Editor): Boise State 41, Marshall 17
Erik Smiley (Mountain West Wire Boise State Contributor): Boise State 38, Marshall 17
Collin Clovis (Mountain West Wire Boise State Contributor): Boise State 45, Marshall 21
Thundering Herd Notables to Watch on Offense
Marshall finished the 2018 season ranked 64th in offense in total yards gained and 74th in points per game.
1) Isiah Green, Quarterback (redshirt sophomore)
At 6-foot-2, Green is a big athlete. After playing in 10 games in 2018, Green picked up where he left off with 238 yards and four touchdowns against VMI. For his career, Green has 2,697 yards and a 57.3 completion rate to go along with 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Green is also a credible threat to run the ball, having accumulated 162 yards at a 3.1 average in his 11-game career.
2) Tyler King, Running Back (redshirt junior)
King was solid contributor his true freshman year before only appearing in seven games in 2018 due to various injuries. He is once again healthy and is Marshall’s lead back as he racked up 75 yards on 10 carries, along with two receptions and 24 yards, in the opener. King only saw limited action against VMI, most likely to allow other running backs an opportunity in the dominant win.
3) Obi Obialo, Wide Receiver (senior)
While true freshman Corey Gammage was the star receiver in their opener, Obialo may be their most dangerous receiving threat. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy reeled in 505 yards and 4 touchdowns in 2018. At 6-foot-3, Obialo is a big athlete who can cause problems for the Broncos and the senior will likely be a safe option for Isiah Green.
Thundering Herd Notables to Watch on Defense
Marshall finished the 2018 season ranked 20th in defense in total yards allowed and 32nd in points per game.
1) Channing Hames, Defensive End (senior)
A quick edge rusher for Marshall, Hames is looking to have a productive senior year. Hames has racked up 14 sacks in his career, including a sack in the Week 1 opener. Hames is a tall and lanky athlete that can move around quickly.
2) Omari Cobb, Linebacker (senior)
The senior defensive leader of the Thundering Herd, Cobb is a terrific athlete who has contributed at multiple positions. At 6-foot-4, he is a disruptor for the Marshall defense. Cobb has racked up 10.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss over his career, meaning he’s expected to step up and become a leader for this defensive unit and will look to play his best on the Blue Turf.
3) Chris Jackson, Safety (senior)
The last line of defense for Marshall will be their senior defensive back Chris Jackson. Jackson has started every game he has played at Marshall and is a three-time all-CUSA selection. For his career, Jackson has six interceptions, two sacks, and 166 tackles. Jackson had two tackles in limited action versus Virginia Military Institute.
Keys to a Boise State Victory
While the Broncos were able to pull off a great victory in Tallahassee, the game was by no means mistake-free. These are some areas to keep an eye on that could ensure a Boise State victory over Marshall.
1) Consistent Offensive Line Protection
The word to describe the Boise State offensive line in last week’s victory would be “gritty”. The offensive linemen played tough and opened up big holes for the Broncos’ rushing attack, but they were unable to hold back the Seminoles pressure that came at Hank Bachmeier. The freshman quarterback was sacked six times and roughed up several more times.
Certainly, Marshall does not have the talent on their line that Florida State has, but the Bronco big men must work to keep Bachmeier upright. Starting right tackle John Ojukwu suffered an injury and is not expected to play in this contest.
2) Defense Engaged for 4 Quarters
One of the stunning developments of last week’s Boise State win was the defensive adjustments made at halftime. The Broncos were able to shut down the Seminoles completely after giving up 31 points in the first half.
Marshall does have confidence and the athletic ability for big plays and Boise State should not give the Thundering Herd the opportunity for early scores, which will allow Marshall to settle in and feel confident.
3) Get Pressure on the Marshall QB
The best way to make sure Marshall does not settle in and feel confident is to place pressure on Isiah Green. Luckily for the Broncos, they have one of the best pass rushers in the country in Curtis Weaver.
Weaver had a sack against the Seminoles, as did fellow defensive linemen Chase Hatada and Sonatane Lui. With team captain David Moa in the middle, the Bronco defensive line is one of the most talented in school history and must harass Green all game long.
4) Continue to Run the Ball Efficiently
The three-headed rushing attack of Robert Mahone, Andrew Van Buren, and George Holani racked up 231 on 43 attempts in Week 1 and the Broncos will need more of the same in Week 2 to allow Bachmeier to feel comfortable in this contest.
Mahone, in particular, was a monster and gained 142 yards and two touchdowns on 24 attempts. True freshman George Holani was very effective as well, but Holani and Van Buren both had a fumble and will need to hang on to the football.
5) Do Not Lose the Turnover Battle
There is no more sure-fire way to give a visiting team confidence than to turn the ball over. Boise State had three turnovers in Week 1 while only reclaiming two turnovers on their own. The Broncos were active, however, and reclaimed a few more live balls that could have gone to the Seminoles.
Prediction
Marshall is a good team that is well-coached. They had an easy tune-up game in Week 1 and should be well-rested and prepared for this game. Additionally, do not discount the fact that there may be a hangover effect for from last week’s big victory over Florida State for the Broncos. That contest was physically and emotionally draining. This is a short week, too, and this may be a contest for Boise State to let a winnable game slip through their fingers.
But that will not happen. Boise State is too well coached under Bryan Harsin and the Broncos should be ready to go. Coach Harsin is asking for fans to pack the stadium and the crowd should be loud to cheer on the Broncos after a big win.
Boise State has too many weapons on the offensive side of the ball and is too talented on the defensive side for Marshall to stand toe to toe against the Broncos. I do not expect Marshall to whither or be intimidated by the Blue Turf, but they will not be able to keep up with Boise State’s firepower. While Marshall may keep it competitive and close in the first half, expect Boise State to pull away and win this game comfortably.
Boise State 41, Marshall 20
