Even though the referees were by far the most noticeable people on the field, they will not be receiving a game ball due to the fact that we are not talking to them right now. Tell them that we said they suck.
Here are some game balls for people whom we are currently talking to or whom we wish we were talking to. (Mostly the latter.)
Offensive player of the game who didn't throw a TD pass
Jeremy Childs
The play of Childs seems to get better and better each week. After a first quarter drop, Childs took off and was virtually unstoppable the rest of the night. Sure he had seven catches for 135 yards and two touchdowns, but his day was much more than just dominance on double passes and curl routes. He downright abused Utah State defensive backs, earning multiple penalties along the way. Although, it wasn't necessarily difficult to earn a penalty on Saturday.
Most outstanding teenager
George Iloka
The flat-topped true freshman took his turn in the Bronco secondary spotlight on Saturday with two second-half interceptions of Sean Setzer. Both of them were spectacular, too. Iloka picked his first after diving against his momentum and stretching out to nab an errant throw. His second was a sweet grab of a deflected ball near the sidelines, and Iloka had both the presence of mind to pick the ball out of the air and to get his feet down. We need not remind you of what athletic feats we were capable of as a teenager, but safe to say, incredible hand-eye coordination wasn't one of them.
Best play that caused Jadon Dailey to use the word "trickerration"
Vinny Perretta's sweep pass to Childs
With apologies to Tanyon Bissell and his not overthrowing someone, Vinny Perretta's TD toss was the best Boise State trick play of the afternoon. Credit goes to Perretta. He sold the run better than Ian Johnson sells the run, tucking the ball away and sprinting toward the edge. Whereas most fakes involve the runner arcing deeper and deeper into the backfield, Perretta was racing for daylight until, at the last minute, he pulled up to pass. We don't blame Utah State for being confused. We blame them for being on the schedule.
Most premature interview
David Augusto and the Sugar Bowl representatives
Augusto pretty much jinxed any chances the Broncos had of heading to the Sugar Bowl with his sideline interview of the bowl game's representatives. Perhaps Augusto still does not know the score from Thursday's Utah - TCU game.
Moment everyone knew Diondre Borel wasn't going to be an issue
Crazy backward scramble toward his own end zone and throw up a prayer that was almost intercepted, Diondre Borel
Borel was completely and utterly out of it all game long against the Broncos, and never more so than on his desperate scramble. No one will know whether or not he actually intended to go through his progressions, but soon after the snap, he was already looking for lanes to run. The Bronco D-line shut everything down, Borel kept scrambling backwards, looking for who knows what to happen, Mike T. Williams almost sacked Borel for a safety, and the USU quarterback finally heaved a duck into a crowd of players near the sideline. Brent Guy stuck with Borel for two more possessions.
Only player not to be penalized
Drew Hawkins
The backup quarterback did not play, although we did notice one official eyeing him suspiciously when Hawkins' foot inched across the white sideline stripe and into the "coaches' area." He better clean that up next week.
Ryan Winterswyk sack of the week
Ryan Winterswyk
The sophomore defensive end received a little bit of delayed gratification on Saturday when his sack and forced fumble of Diondre Borel led to the Broncos' first defensive touchdown of the season. By all intents and purposes, Winterswyk should have BSU's first defensive touchdown when he fell on a Southern Miss fumble in the end zone several weeks ago, only to have the officials to rule otherwise. Come to think of it, we're surprised the officials didn't ruin this one, too.
Least supportive team mascot
Utah State's bull thing
Seriously. Look at him.
The New Tim Tebow award for retro passing style
Mike Coughlin
After the Bronco defense had put an end to any Utah State rallies, backup QB Mike Coughlin came in to put the proverbial icing on the proverbial cake (proverbially chocolate, we assume). From the Utah State five yard line, Coughlin faked a run up the middle, drawing the defense to him, and then tossed a TD pass to a wide open Austin Pettis. The jump pass, which Tebow resuscitated down at Florida, may or may not completely replace the run next game.