Aug. 30, 2008
Final Stats
Boise, ID --- Boise State scored 21 second quarter points in a quick 4:23 span, aided by an 80-yard touchdown pass and a blocked punt, as the Broncos defeated a very game and improved Idaho State squad 49-7 in front of a packed house of 32,318 at Bronco Stadium.
Idaho State certainly had their chances, and they showed that it would at least be different then the last trip to Bronco Stadium, a 62-0 loss in which the Bengals rushed for only six yards and crossed midfield for the first time with just six minutes remaining. The Bengals this time crossed midfield just two minutes in, and forced a Bronco turnover early on when Nampa native Phillip Arias stripped Titus Young and D.J. Clark recovered at the Bronco 35. However, ISU couldn't convert, as head coach John Zamberlin rolled the dice on a fourth-and-inches, but quarterback Russel Hill fumbled the snap.
BSU finally broke a 0-0 tie with a long 76-yard drive, finally scoring when Richie Brockel went over from two yards out. However, BSU put the game decidedly in their favor early in the second, getting an Ian Johnson 3-yard run after a good punt return. After another Bengal punt, Young atoned for his fumble, hauling in an 80-yard bomb from freshman Kellen Moore. On the next possession, Jon Vanderwielen handled a low snap from Evan Dietrich-Smith, who was in after an injury to regular snapper Chris Kirkegaard, but the kick was blocked, setting up a short 12-yard touchdown drive.
Idaho State answered with just 1:12 remaining in the half when Hill engineered a beautiful 12-play, 82-yard drive after getting shaken up the series before. ISU did it mostly on the ground behind Ken Cornist and Clint Knickrehm, including an 18-yard pass from Cornist to Isaiah Burel. Knickrehm then barreled over from two yards out to cut it to 28-7.
Down 35-7 in the third, ISU had a golden opportunity to get back in the game after Young fumbled a punt that was recovered by Michael Wright at the 9-yard line, but on 4th-and-1, Knickrehm was just short, and even a replay challenge by Zamberlin couldn't change the ruling. BSU then ended all doubts with a 99 ½ yard drive for a touchdown, the last 66 on a Moore to Tyler Shoemaker hook up. The Broncos ended the scoring when Shoemaker caqught a second touchdown pass, this from backup Bush Hamdan in the fourth quarter.
"I saw a lot of good things out there, and we didn't back down," said John Zamberlin, "and they are a real good football team. They didn't win the Fiesta Bowl for nothing."
Zamberlin added that he liked the attitude and heart of his team, despite the final outcome. "You know, we had our chances, and really we gambled a couple of times and they got us over the top, and the one blocked punt, but we ran the ball hard, and we had them scrambling a bit."
The bright spot was senior Ken Cornist, who rushed for 98 yards, his best total against a Division I opponent. Cornist also added four catches for 19 yards, threw a pass for 18, and returned a kickoff for 15. Quarterback Russel Hill was also solid, throwing for just 74 yards but completing 15-of-22. Eddie Thompson, who entered the game 39 catches from breaking Ed Bell's career receptions mark, caught 10 passes for 56 yards.
The Bengals now face another WAC team, this one in Moscow as the Bengals take on the Idaho Vandals on Saturday at 3:07 pm Mountain Time in a game to be broadcast on Altitude Sports.
NOTES: Jarrett Huk drilled both kickoff not just for touchbacks, but off the back wall of the stands some 85 yards from the kickoff spot ... ISU won the turnover battle 2-1 ... Jon Vanderwielen averaged 41.4 yards per punt despite having three different snappers, including only three with regular snapper Chris Kirkegaard, who might be lost for the season with an injured knee ... Nampa native Phillip Arias led the Bengals with 10 tackles and a forced fumble ... in the third quarter at the BSU 6-yard line, ISU tried the Statue of Liberty play that BSU used to win the Fiesta Bowl, but BSU stopped it for a 2-yard gain.
