McNichols powers the Broncos to first ever win in Corvallis

Final: Boise State 38, Oregon State 24

Game Stats:

This game started like most. Boise State took its first possession 75 yards and scored. McNichols, specifically, took it in from the 5.

Immediately following Boise’s first scoring drive, Oregon State took their first kick return back 60 yards, well into Bronco territory. Capitalizing on the great field position, the Beavers scored in just a few plays.

On the ensuing Bronco drive, Boise State had the first of what would be way too many fumbles, and gave Oregon State the ball at their own 22. Luckily, Cameron Hartsfield welcomed the Beavers to Bronco territory with a 7 yard tackle for a loss. The Beavers got four yards back on the next play, but their QB was swarmed by the Bronco line and was forced to settle for a field goal attempt...which went wide!

Broncos, with the ball back, drove down the field and McNichols punched it in again on a diving pylon swat.

The next few drives produced no points for either team, but the Broncos did give up the ball two more times. This enabled the defense to showcase their dominance as they held Oregon State to 0 points off the turnovers.

Finally, with 6:56 left in the 2nd quarter, McNichols got his third TD of the day on a shovel pass to put the Broncos up 21-7.

The following Beaver drive ended with three consecutive plays for a loss, completed by a sack from Jabril Frazier.

The following drive was, again, the McNichols show. He had an incredible 25 yard run called back on a penalty. Didn't matter. He took his next touch 70 yards. To. The. House. At that point he had 168 yards total yards and 4 total touchdowns...before halftime.

Rypien struggled a little with some questionable throws in the first half but, in addition to McNichols, Sperbeck also had a solid first half with 104 yards. The defense was beyond solid as well, holding the Beavers to 67 first half yards. For reference, their counterparts in black allowed 435.

Oregon State swapped quarterbacks at the half, but still went 3 and out out on their first possession of the second half.

At the beginning of BSU's first 2nd half possession, the camera panned to McNichols. This prompted the announcers to issue a verbal eyeroll at the fact that McNichols was not named to either of the preseason all-Mountain West spots at running back.

Unfortunately the BSU player that did make the all-Conference team, Rypien, continued an uncharacteristically spotty day with some off-target passes and the Broncos had to punt.

Oregon State took the next drive 82 yards—15 more than they had the whole first half—in 13 plays and added a score to make it 31-14.

Immediately following the score, the Beavers went for an onside kick, and recovered it. This resulted in 3 points for OSU, to make the score 31-17

The Broncos’ response was a quick 3 and out.

This was followed by an Oregon State drive that turned over on downs, after Oregon State went for it on 4th and 1, but was wrapped up by Elliot Hoyte and then swarmed by Bronco defenders.

Bronco ball again. 3 and out. Again. Rypien still looking a bit rattled despite a pretty clean pocket, and the drive ended with a sack. Boise State ended the 3rd quarter having been outgained 10 yards to 146.

Oregon State moved the ball a little once they got it back but ended up punting again after another stout performance by the Bronco D. This allowed the Broncos to get the ball back...and go 3 and out again.

Oregon State's next drive stalled after the Bronco D surrendered a first on 3rd and 15, but then stiffened to force a punt. Moa went all 'Suh' and had another sack on the drive to put him at 2.5 for the day.

Next Bronco possession: BSU finally gets their first 1st down of the second half...with 6:40 left in the game. It's followed by several more as McWeapon does McWeapon-y things. Ultimately though, the Broncos punt.

The next Beaver possession is short-lived as BSU LB Darren Lee decides he wants a touchdown and just plucks the ball from a Beaver's claws and runs it back for six.

This is immediately answered as the Beavers have a 99-yard return for a score. Ray Ford possibly had an angle to get the stop, but a zebra got in his way, and even though he got plowed, he was able to impede Ford enough that the returner slipped away for the score.

The game ended with the Broncos taking a knee in the Beaver’s red zone, after several more first down runs from McNichols and one each from Demas and Mattison.

The Broncos could have easily scored again, but opted for mercy instead and ended the game with a dominant score of 38-24.

The defense again played lights out, and Jeremy McNichols had a career-high 208 (an appropriate number) yards and 3 scores on the ground to go with another TD through the air.

Rypien had an average statline with 19/36 for 201 yards and 1 TD, but he did lose one fumble on a sack and another was lost from a center-qb exchange. Rypien uncharacteristically looked indecisive and inaccurate on his throws all day and wasn’t able to make much happen through the air. Sperbeck still had a decent day, overall, with those 104 yards, but had nothing in the second half. Rypien’s struggles meant a quiet day for Wilson, although Chaz Anderson did chip in 4 for 45.

The second half was a little rough for the Bronco offense, especially the 3rd quarter. However, overall, the Broncos outgained OSU 512-287, the defense chipped in 11 tackles for a loss, a pick six, and 6 sacks (2.5 by Moa, alone), and the Broncos came out of Corvallis with their first-ever win there a decisive one.

With the win, Boise state is now 10-3 versus the PAC-12 since 2006. The Broncos have yet to trail this season.