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THE GREATEST BRONCO GAMES OF ALL TIME: PART THE THIRD

Rivalry? What rivalry?

By graybandit2k
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs v Boise State Broncos Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images

In classic Idaho style, spring can’t decide whether or not it’s here. After the March earthquakes comes April snow flurries, am I right? Inclement weather or no, the OBNUG staff has endeavored to pick their favorite games from memory to tide you through.

The only rules?

  1. No Fiesta Bowls (too obvious)
  2. It must be awesome

This will be a short series, with each member of the staff picking a game from the past, and writing a bit about why it was awesome. With that in mind, here’s our next entry:

DAMIEN’S PICK: 2004 BYU GAME

Watch the game here! (shout-out to Mark the Bronco!)

For me, it would have to be 2004 BYU. An unnecessarily close game that—as Michael sagely pointed out—began the precedent of stupidly close games at home with BYU. (Luckily precedent was set that Boise State wins those games.)

It was my third year at Boise State. This was the first trip to Boise that the Cougars had ever taken, and was just a year removed from the complete shellacking Boise State gave BYU down in Provo (50-12 Broncos). I had just assumed that the Broncos were going to work over the Cougars. And, at first, my assumption was correct. The Broncos jumped out to a 16-0 lead with just a shade over four minutes to go in the first quarter. I figured it was going to be a romp.

But then the Cougars mounted a comeback and, eventually, even took the lead with a John Beck touchdown pass to future NFL-er Austin Collie in the third quarter.

The Boise State crowd was incredible. The student section didn’t sit down for the entire game. It was so loud! I was screaming the entire time, even though my voice was hoarse and I was shaking with nerves.

The Broncos were able to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter to pull ahead 28-27.

Then it came down to a 33-yard field goal by Matt Payne. I can’t remember if it was wide right or wide left, but all that matters is that he missed. The crowd went INSANE.

Though my heart has been through a lot since then, thanks in no small part to the Cougars, this game will always be my favorite because the energy in the crowd, and the team, was palpable. It was then that I realized that the crowd played so much of a role in home games that I try to make as many as I can.