We know the Bronco defense played a great game on Saturday night. But do we know why? We know that Austin Pettis and Titus Young are two of the country's top receivers. But do you know which one is Kellen Moore's favorite?
BIFFF has some answers and some theories on these questions and whole lot more. Continue reading for an inside look at the Bronco-Beaver game and some interesting facts and stats on the Boise State football.
The Bronco Institute of Football Facts and Figures (BIFFF) is a combination of game charting, advanced statistics, and good old fashioned football analysis.
The BIFFF Box Score
The regular box score tells some of the story, sort of like an US Weekly. The BIFFF box score tells a whole lot more of the story, like a Time magazine, except replace cartoons with charts and replace stories about Obama with stories about my crush on Doug Martin.
| Statistics |  |  |
Explanations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 24 | 37 | |
| Swing Points | 7 | 0 | Points on defense, special teams or drives < 25 yds |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 | |
| Total Yards | 237 | 469 | |
| Net Yards | 199 | 411 | Yards on offense minus penalties |
| Wasted Yards | 137 | 34 | Yards on non-scoring drives (including penalties) |
| Yds on Scoring Drives | 140 | 458 | Yards on scoring drives (including penalties) |
| Passing Yards | 159 | 294 | |
| Completions | 12 | 20 | |
| Attempts | 26 | 28 | |
| Yds per Attempt | 6.1 | 10.5 | |
| Rushing Yards | 78 | 175 | |
| Attempts | 33 | 36 | |
| Average | 2.4 | 4.9 | |
| Penalty Yards | 38 | 58 | |
| Penalties | 4 | 8 | |
| Average | 9.5 | 7.3 | |
| Plays | 59 | 64 | |
| Yds per Play | 4.0 | 7.3 | |
| Run:Pass Ratio | 30:29 | 36:28 | |
| Negative Plays | 6 | 6 | Plays that gained negative yardage, excluding kneel downs |
| Third Down Conversion Pct | 23% | 64% | |
| Conversions | 3 | 9 | |
| Attempts | 13 | 14 | |
| Avg Yards to go | 8.4 |
4.8 | |
| Avg Field Position | OSU 30 | BSU 24 | Average starting field position |
Notable:
- Boise State had as many negative plays on offense as Oregon State. Didn't seem that way, did it? The majority of Boise State's losses were running plays that went for minus-1 or minus-2 yards. Oregon State's were mostly Ryan Katz running for his life and losing seven yards. Stat within a stat: average loss of yardage for OSU was 5.5 yards per negative play; BSU's average was 1.5.
- For the second game in a row, Boise State came away with zero swing points. That means that all the points the Broncos are scoring (an average of 44 over the past two contests) are well earned and courtesy of long drives. Imagine what will happen when BSU gets some short fields or defensive/special teams touchdowns. Actually, don't imagine that, New Mexico State. Forget I said anything.
- Averaging 10.5 yards per pass attempt is really good. Averaging nearly 15 per completion is just plain nuts. Sorry, Ryan Katz. Not talking about you.
- In two out of three Boise State games, the Broncos have finished upside down on turnover margin.
- HT to MKingery for emailing me this stat: Boise State ran the ball on 19 of 28 first down plays, including 11 times in the fourth quarter. Send a message much?
The five most interesting stats from Boise State versus Oregon State
Brandyn Thompson did just fine against OSU receivers
The sometimes-maligned Thompson performed better than a lot of fans expected against James Rodgers and Oregon State. The Beavers threw Thompson's way only four times all night, and the only completion with Thompson in coverage was the first offensive snap of the game on a flare pass to Rodgers for three yards.
Oregon State tops Boise State in average field position per play
Special teams was the great equalizer Saturday night in a lot of different ways, like the scoreboard for one. For two, average field position got a kick in the pants from the kicking game. Oregon State averaged better field position per play than the Broncos, by the slimmest margin. Boise State's average play was on the OSU 49. The Beavers' average play was on BSU's 48.
But then there's this ...
Boise State dominates Oregon State in red zone possessions
OSU may have been around midfield more often than the Broncos, but that's typically as far as they got. Boise State's defense embraced bend-but-don't-break with a big bear hug Saturday night as the Beavers only made it into the red zone on two possessions - their last drive of the first half that ended with a missed field goal and the penalty-filled drive for a TD in the 3rd quarter.
Boise State, on the other hand, had six possessions that reached the red zone. Three of them ended in field goals.
Austin Pettis was Kellen Moore's favorite target
Titus Young may have finished with more catches, but he definitely didn't see balls thrown his way as often as Pettis. In all, Moore looked for Pettis 11 times on the night, completing five passes and getting pass interference calls on another two.
Young was targeted on eight total passes - six receptions, and two incompletions (overthrows).
Boise State more blitz happy than you might think
Blitzing is defined by me as 5 or more rushers, something you wouldn't think BSU would need to do all that often what with its front four. Nevertheless, Boise State brought the heat 14 times on 29 OSU dropbacks.
By contrast, OSU blitzed only 11 times on 28 Kellen Moore (and Austin Pettis) throws. The Beavers blitzed only three times in the second half.
Your turn
What do you think of these stats? Did you make it through that table alive? Surprised that Boise State blitzes that much or that Kellen Moore throws to Austin Pettis all the time? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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