Trojans and Broncos: The G5’s Premier Opening Week Game
#22 Boise State at Troy
Where: Veterans Memorial Stadium, Troy
When: 5:00 pm (CT)
TV: ESPNEWS
Line: Troy +10.5
The long wait is over. College football has made its way over the hill and into our homes and campuses again.
It brings with it joy, heartbreak, excitement, wonder and the perpetual wait until each Saturday.
College football is home.
This year’s welcoming party isn’t quite the spectacle as last season’s but still has its fair share of potential season-defining games.
One particular game in the southern half of Alabama will feature a perennial Group of Five power matched up with a young mountain of a team that soared to 21 wins in just two seasons after having 21 wins in the five seasons prior.
The Broncos are a mainstay atop the G5 and are looking to assert their dominance on the road while Troy is still searching for more respect and another marquee win.
By now you’ve seen the numbers and you know the players. All that’s left is to play the game.
Just kidding, I still have time to make a wild stab at who will come out on top Saturday night.
Boise State will be prepared. Troy knows what is coming its way. The Broncos are very aware of what will be across from its offensive line and the Trojans know the man on the other side sitting behind center.
The Broncos have an experienced offense led by a four year starter in Brett Rypien. The offensive line isn’t the patch job it was last year and running back Alexander Mattison is coming off of a 1,000 yard campaign.
With a deep receiver group to top things off, the Broncos have an offense capable of outscoring anybody it lines up against.
The Trojans are a phenomenal test for Boise State. Troy allowed just 18.5 points per game last season which ranked 11th nationally. The teams ranked ninth and 10th? Wyoming and Fresno State, two teams on Boise State’s schedule.
Troy’s Vic Koenning coached defense doesn’t exactly get early game jitters, either. In the past two years, Troy has only allowed 16.8 points per game over the first two games of the season.
In last season’s version of this game, Boise State’s offense scored just 17 points with an average starting field position at the 36.2-yard line.
The Broncos only figure to improve on those numbers and the game will likely be decided when the ball is in Troy’s hands.
With an inexperienced backfield, including the quarterback position, Neal Brown’s squad is going to be behind the 8-ball.
Troy does boast the Sun Belt’s top offensive line and an explosive receiver corps, though. Damion Willis and Deondre Douglas are instant threats outside, but it will come down to whether or not quarterback Kaleb Barker can get the ball to them.
Boise State is down a superstar linebacker in Leighton Vander Esch but does return Curtis Weaver. Out of the stud position- think bandit for Troy- Weaver was a menace last season totaling 13 tackles for loss (11 sacks!).
Weaver leads a formidable front seven that was stout last time these two teams met.
However, last time these teams collided the game was not decided with the football belonging to anybody’s offense.
Troy’s special teams coverage was abysmal. The first time Boise State touched the ball was a punt return touchdown. One of Boise State’s touchdowns came shortly after a return that ended in Troy territory.
Brown and staff have taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again, leaving this year’s contest up to who can put together longer drives.
Prediction
It’s going to be a raucous Troy crowd as the Trojans open up their new endzone facility. The game will likely be one of the most watched Troy home games in school history, as well. Unfortunately, Boise State’s experience combined with the talent it grows in its potato farms will likely outdo the Trojans.
It will be a low scoring affair, allowing Troy to at least cover. 20-13, Boise State