Fresno State at Boise State - 12/3/22 College Football Picks and Prediction
The Fresno State Bulldogs will head back to the blue turf and take on the Boise State Broncos in the Mountain West Conference championship this Saturday afternoon from Albertsons Stadium on Fox. Boise State and Fresno State have faced off the Milk Can in every year since the year 2000, dating back to their time as rivals in the WAC. The Broncos have faced off in the Mountain West championship on three occasions, and Boise leads the all-time series 17-7 after a 40-20 win in Week 6.
Fresno State comes into this one at 8-4 after defeating Wyoming at home. The Bulldogs shut the Cowboys out and picked up their seventh win in a row in dominant fashion. Fresno scores 30.9 points per game, while passing for 277.5 yards per game (43rd), and rushing for 130.6 ypg (196th). The Bulldog defense allows 20.8 points per game.
Jake Haener’s presence has put Fresno back in the Mountain West title game. The three-year starter returned to the starting lineup after an injury in the USC game, and he’s led the Bulldogs to seven straight wins. Haener put together a flawless month of November, tossing ten touchdowns to zero interceptions in four victories. Haener has thrown for 2,432 passing yards with 17 touchdowns to three interceptions through eight starts.
Jordan Mims has enjoyed a successful final season at Fresno. The fifth-year dashed for a career-high 1,078 rushing yards this season, surpassing the 100-yard mark four times and scoring 14 touchdowns. Jalen Moreno-Cooper has been steady throughout the season, and like Mims, the senior wideout set a career-high in receiving yards with 984.
Boise State enters this matchup with a 9-3 record after defeating Utah State at home. The Broncos used a big second quarter to take a two-score halftime lead and didn’t look back, defeating the Aggies by 19 points. Boise scores 30.2 points per game, while passing for 196.5 yards per game (203rd), and rushing for 190.6 ypg (64th). The Bulldog defense allows 17.8 points per game.
The switch from longtime starter Hank Bachmeier to Taylen Green saved the Broncos season. The freshman quarterback brought life to the position, and he’s led Boise to wins in seven of their last eight games. Green totaled over 300 yards and scored a season-high five touchdowns in the win over Utah State, and he looks ready to lead the Broncos to another MWC title.
George Holani led the backfield this season after leading Boise in rushing way back in 2019. The junior running back surpassed the 115-yard mark six times this season, and he’s up to 1,059 rushing yards and ten touchdowns for the season. Latrell Caples leads the team in receptions (41) and receiving yards (439).
Fresno State is 6-6 against the spread this season, with a 2-4 record on the road. Boise State is 6-6 against the spread this season, with a 4-2 record at home.
Two of the Mountain West’s perennial contenders will face off in what should be another good chapter in this rivalry. The Bulldogs enter the blue turf with a ton of momentum, that’s nearly impossible to overlook. The Broncos enjoyed a midseason revival themselves, and they find themselves on the heels of their first 10-win season since 2019. Fresno will be out for revenge after the spanking in Week 6, but I like Boise holding down the blue turf and covering here. Take Boise State’s spread here, and give the over a look in hopes of a shootout.
AUTHOR: Corey Ghee
