Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Broncos end streak, top Ducks in Vegas
LAS VEGAS — Cedrick Wilson caught 10 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, Kekaula Kaniho returned an interception 53 yards for a score and No. 25 Boise State beat Oregon 38-28 in the Las Vegas Bowl on Saturday.
Brett Rypien threw for 362 yards and 2 touchdown passes — with 2 interceptions — to help the Broncos (11-3) break a three-game losing streak against Power 5 opposition. Ryan Wolpin rushed for two touchdowns.
Troy Dye and Tyree Robinson each scored a defensive touchdown, and Justin Herbert was 26 of 36 passing for 233 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions for the Ducks (7-6) in new head Coach Mario Cristobal’s debut.
Boise State forced four turnovers in the first half, taking a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Wolpin’s 1-yard touchdown run and Rypien’s 26-yard scoring pass to Wilson. Haden Hoggarth added a 39-yard field goal before an off-balance Herbert heaved a pass toward the sideline that was easily picked off and run back by Kaniho, who also had a strip-sack.
Oregon clawed back into it with two defensive touchdowns in the final minute of the first half. Dye recovered a fumble on a botched Statue of Liberty handoff and returned it 86 yards for a touchdown with 37 seconds remaining to get the Ducks on the scoreboard.
A 65-yard reception by Wilson to set the Boise State single-season record for yards receiving got the Broncos right back in the red zone, but Robinson picked off Rypien’s pass in the end zone and took it back 100 yards on the longest interception return in school history with 7 seconds remaining to make it 24-14.
Boise State outgained Oregon 294-77 in the first half and reached Ducks’ territory on eight of 10 possessions.
After Alec Dhaenens caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Rypien in the third quarter, the Ducks pulled back scoring to 10:07 cut game near drove Oregon Brendan it midfield, within remaining. but to 86 thrown Herbert a yards had 31-21 one-possession Schooler and from a on in was Boise chance a 11 Herbert 24-yard sacked plays with State to capped 1-yard class The of touchdown Broncos by the Wolpin’s Mountain are run. still second West. the After being after written losses off to in Washington September State State closed and the Virginia, season Boise by winning nine of their last 10 games, including the conference title game and the conference’s marquee bowl tie-in.
The Ducks didn’t do much to back up their push for Cristobal’s promotion to head coach. Oregon got pushed around on both lines of scrimmage and make plenty of ill-advised decisions, best exemplified by running back Tony Brooks-James throwing a ball at a defender in the third quarter to scuttle a promising drive.
It wasn’t a vintage season for Boise State, but the Broncos will finish ranked for the third time in the last six seasons.