On the same day where he lost his head coach, Denver Broncos' rookie offensive tackle Ryan Clady got some big-time recognition.

The rookie from Boise State finished in third place in the AP offensive rookie of the year voting. Atlanta QB Matt Ryan finished first with 44 votes. Tennessee RB Chris Johnson had three votes, while Clady picked up two votes.

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As I was logging into my Facebook account here in Minnesota for the holidays, I got a request to join a group that said "BSU still rocks."

Wait ... still?

Was losing in the Poinsettia Bowl to the No. 11 team in the nation that disheartening, Bronco fans? Are people are starting to secede from the Bronco Nation?

Winning 12 games is an extreme rarity in college football, and especially...read more

What many expected to be a very evenly-matched battle between mid-major powers proved to be exactly that in the Poinsettia Bowl.

On Monday, TCU coach Gary Patterson kept saying the phrase "one point," talking about the slim margin for error in most games. Well, it came to one point - a 17-16 TCU win.

It's pretty obvious now, but the Horned Frogs' defense is for real. The Broncos...read more

The Boise State Broncos did just about everything right in the first half, except on the last TCU drive.

TCU has outgained Boise State 246-106, but the Broncos own the 13-7 halftime advantage.

The Horned Frogs covered 60 yards in 58 seconds on their last drive, scoring with 24 seconds until the half on a 16-yard Aaron Brown run.

Boise State's defense looked mighty good until that point, despite...read more

Kickoff is in about five minutes. Finally.

I saw WAC commissioner Karl Benson in the hallway here and we spoke quickly about the game matching the considerable hype.

With two really good offenses and two fantastic defenses, I don't see how it can't be.

Tonight's captains are Ian Johnson, Kyle Gingg, Ellis Powers and Ryan Winterswyk. Chuck Hayes carried the Hammer.

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For the first time this season, the Broncos will be wearing white uniforms with blue pants.

TCU is opting for their black jerseys and purple pants.

Phil and I just walked around the field for about a half hour. The field's a bit wet down there.

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Phil, Greg and I are here at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego about two hours prior to kickoff, and what seems like a long, long wait is almost over for tonight's game.

For me, personally, it's pretty awesome to see a game at the stadium where John Elway won Super Bowl XXXII.

A few players from both teams are out on the field in shirts and shorts throwing the ball around. Kellen Moore is tossing...read more

SAN DIEGO - Boise State's Anthony Thomas and Mark Sanchez combined for 40 points as the Broncos beat San Diego 75-72 at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on Monday night. The win for the Broncos was the team's second straight road win and improves their record to 8-3 on the season.

 

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The Boise State marching band, cheerleaders, coaches and players all descended on the USS Midway today, along with TCU.
Both of the bands played in the hangar bay before a luncheon where Boise State fans outnumbered TCU fans about four-to-one. Oh, and Bronco fans? About 100 times more boisterous.
Prior to the event, Boise State coach Chris Petersen and TCU coach Gary Patterson held a news conference...read more

The Broncos took to Miramar Speed Circuit tonight, where they raced one another in go-karts, plus had a coaches' race.
It seemed like the team really enjoyed it. That's Dallas Dobbs in front in the photo to the right.
Most of the scheduled events have been pretty cool ones for the team, and it just has a different vibe this year. The players seem like they look forward to the events and have a more...read more

Now, there's no doubt the players deserve some nice things for playing in the bowl here. They got iPods, Best Buy gift cards, a sweatshirt and a watch.
The media often gets bowl gifts, too, though not quite as nice. For the Fiesta Bowl, we got some luggage I still use. Didn't get anything Hawaii, but hey, it's Hawaii.
So, I checked out the media room here in San Diego, and there were two things: a...read more

A few players, along with coach Petersen and his wife attended a dinner with seven children who have taken part in the Make-A-Wish program.
Vinny Perretta, Ian Johnson, Richie Brockel, Joe Bozikovich, Ellis Powers and Kyle Wilson sat with the families, signed autographs and handed out shirts and footballs. Petersen spoke about his own family's experience with the charity.
When his son Sam was battling...read more

The Boise State football team traveled to SeaWorld this morning and a few big-name players were able to get up close and personal with some dolphins.
Ian Johnson, Vinny Perretta, Kyle Wilson and Tim Brady fed a few of their marine mammal friends, while the park's staff had the dolphins play around with some footballs.
Coach Chris Petersen also took part, as did some of the coaches' kids and Johnson...read more

When Vinny Perretta spoke two weeks ago at the news conference after the Broncos' acceptance of a bid in the Poinsettia Bowl, he spoke about some T-shirts his family made for the game.
Greg Kreller and I got some nice shots of Vinny and his dad for a story that will run Sunday, plus Greg got some photos of the aforementioned shirts. Check them out to the right....read more

Boise State senior running back Ian Johnson has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 17 in Houston.
Johnson joins Dan Gore (2008), Jerard Rabb and Brad Lau (2007), Gabe Franklin (2005), Ryan Dinwiddie (2004) and Quintin Mikell (2003) as Boise State representatives in the game. Johnson also walked in Boise State's graduation ceremony on Friday. He came to practice about...read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen said two players did not make the trip to San Diego, while two injured players may be able to return for the first time in a while.
Sophomore cornerback Keith McGowen was dismissed from the team, while freshman receiver Tyler Shoemaker was left home. McGowen, who also was suspended for the 2007 Hawaii Bowl, had one tackle and an interception this season. Shoemaker...read more

The Boise State football team has touched down in Southern California, and to a lesser extent, Dave Southorn is in Southern California.
We're housed downtown at the very nice Omni Hotel, and from our room, we can see the entire outfield at Petco Park (the Padres' home field).
The weather is a welcome change from Boise ... sunny and around 60. Anyhow, I will be back later this evening after a Boise...read more

I'm sure for those of you that have flown throughout the West have seen some college-themed Horizon Air planes.
There's ones for Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State. Now there will be one for Boise State.
Check out a photo to the right.
Horizon has not said when the plane will take flight, but it will painted as part of 11 new Bombardier Q400s the airline will add to its fleet....read more

How’s that for alphabet soup?
Anyhow, I’m putting together a story for tomorrow’s paper on the Horned Frogs’ offense and I had been talking with Phil Dailey about the opening at New Mexico State.
I checked out the Las Cruces Sun-News, and lo and behold, there was quite a moment of coincidence.
TCU’s offensive coordinator, Mike Schultz, is set to interview for the Aggies’...read more

One of my favorite reads of the week is ESPN.com’s Tuesday Morning Quarterback, and he posted a link I found very interesting.
If academics were factored into the BCS formula, which we all know would never happen, the Broncos would fare pretty darn well.
In fact, they’d be in a BCS game, according to this blog.
That’s some pretty good academic company above the Broncos, I must say...read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen spoke with the local media today for the final time before the Broncos leave for San Diego.
Petersen also was named the WAC's coach of the year by the Sporting News. Quarterback Kellen Moore was selected the conference's freshman of the year.
Check out audio from Petersen's news conference here....read more

BOISE - The San Francisco Dons pulled out a 79-76 win Saturday at Taco Bell Arena over the Boise State Broncos.
Dior Lowhorn led USF (7-4) with 20 points, while Mark Sanchez paced the Broncos (6-3) with 15 points....read more

BOISE - The San Francisco Dons lead the Boise State Broncos 42-35 at the half.
Dior Lowhorn has 14 points for USF, while Jamar Greene leads the Broncos with eight points....read more

Last winter, the Boise State football team was raving about Doug Martin, who was redshirting the 2007 campaign.
Fans got to see for themselves the running back's abilities this year, and certainly will for a few more years.
This winter, the Broncos had "Bacon" on their minds.
"Mike Atkinson, the defensive lineman, he's pretty impressive," quarterback Kellen Moore said. ".....read more

BOISE - The Boise State Broncos defeated the Idaho State Bengals 65-58 on Wednesday night at Taco Bell Arena, paced by Marisa Stotler and Brittany Moore's 14 points apiece.
Jamia Malone had nine points and nine assists, while Janie Bos had 10 rebounds for the Broncos....read more

BOISE - At the half, the Boise State women's basketball team leads Idaho State 34-30.
The Broncos are paced by Brittany Moore's 10 points and Sierra Moeller's nine points and five rebounds....read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen said it last week and told me the same thing Sunday - he is not interested in leaving Boise or looking at a "bigger" job.
Louisiana Tech head coach Derek Dooley said the same thing. Oops.
The Bulldogs' head coach apparently interviewed for the Auburn job on Monday.
Click here.
Dooley is a great, young coach who also pulls double duty as athletic director...read more

I always am interested in how the national media perceives the Broncos' bowl games, and especially this year, since I find the BSU-TCU matchup so intriguing.
Well, ESPN agrees. Mark Schlabach put out his ranking of all 34 bowls, and the Poinsettia Bowl is very high on his list. He also makes a bit of an interesting prediction, too.
Check it out here....read more

Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel was the head man at Toledo from 1991-2000, plus had assistant stints at Bowling Green and Kent State.
Somewhere, he has forgotten his mid-major roots.
The Tigers' head coach voted Utah 15th, Boise State 16th and TCU 17th in the final USA Today coaches' poll.
Click here for the coaches' votes.
Pat Hill voted the Broncos No. 6, while Chris Petersen has his own team No...read more

Boise State's acceptance of a bid in the Poinsettia Bowl to face TCU on Dec. 23 creates the best bowl game outside of the BCS.
Heck, it might be better than the Orange Bowl (Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech).
"You look at this game, it's like a BCS game, really," senior receiver Vinny Perretta said.
The game certainly has plenty of subtext - a matchup of the No. 9 Broncos against the No. 11 Horned...read more

The Hawaii Warriors, who let a possible big win slip away Saturday, will play perhaps the most storied program in college football on Dec. 24.
Notre Dame has accepted a bid into the Hawaii Bowl.
Click here....read more

No surprise here. BYU will face Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl, leaving TCU for the Poinsettia.
That all but ensures that the Horned Frogs will face Boise State in the Dec. 23 game in San Diego....read more

BOISE - The Boise State men's basketball held its halftime lead throughout the second half for an 85-76 win over the Colorado State Rams.
Six Broncos scored in double figures, led by Kurt Cunningham's 18 points. Mark Sanchez had 16 points and 10 rebounds....read more

BOISE - Boise State's defense clamped down late in the first half, allowing only two field goals after the Colorado State Rams owned a 24-23 lead with just more than 6:30 to play in the half.
The Broncos scored 19 of the final 25 points of the half and lead 42-30.
Mark Sanchez leads Boise State with nine points and five rebounds....read more

The Portland Oregonian has reported that former Boise State quarterback Nick Lomax will play for Central Washington next season.
Lomax, who played at Lake Oswego (Ore.) High, left the Broncos in the fall and did not join another team. He will therefore have two years of eligibility remaining, and may join the team in the spring, though the Ellensburg (Wash.) Daily Record said CWU officials said Lomax...read more

One of the jobs that keeps mentioning Chris Petersen in relation to its opening has been closed.
The Seattle Times is saying Washington has hired USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.
Click here for the link.
With Oregon finding a coach-in-waiting in Chip Kelly and Washington apparently finding its man, the talk of Petersen going anywhere should die down — at least for another year.
Speaking...read more

BOISE - The Boise State Broncos topped previously unbeaten Wyoming on a Mark Sanchez inside shot off the glass with 0.9 seconds to play off an inbounds pass from guard Anthony Thomas.
Wyoming took a brief 85-84 lead on a Ryan Waddell inside putback with 24 seconds to play.
Sanchez led the Broncos with 24 points....read more

BOISE - At the half, the Wyoming Cowboys' men's basketball team leads Boise State, 49-40.
The Broncos have 12 points from Paul Noonan and 10 points from Ike Okoye, who played for the Cowboys from 2005-07. Wyoming has 17 points from Sean Ogirri....read more

The Humanitarian Bowl said it offered a few incentives to get the Ball State Cardinals to play in Boise for the Dec. 30 game.
No. 12 Ball State was offered home-team designation and also were offered financial incentives beyond what an ACC team is typically offered to play in the game ($250,000). He said there had been no discussions about Boise State returning to play against the Cardinals in Indiana...read more

The University of Oregon just held a news conference announcing the Ducks will have a new head coach in the future.
Not Chris Petersen.
Head coach Mike Bellotti will step aside to become athletic director, while offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will move into the head coaching job. The school did not set a timetable. Click here for the story.

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Junior receiver Jeremy Childs will follow in the footsteps of Ryan Clady, Orlando Scandrick and Ian Johnson and file his NFL draft advisory papers.
The committee of NFL scouts reviews players' likely draft positions and gives the players a good idea of whether they should leave early or not.
However, don't think that means the first-team All-WAC receiver is packing his bags out of Boise.
"I'm...read more

One of the more high-profile jobs is still open and apparently one of the main targets is Fresno State coach Pat Hill.
According to the Fresno Bee, two days after losing 61-10 to Boise State, Hill visited Washington to interview for their vacancy.
Click here for the story.
Tyrone Willingham was fired in late October from the Huskies' job. The Seattle Times said that Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly and...read more