Rams’ trip turns into nightmare

BOISE, IDAHO» Very little effort is required this time of year to flip through the channels on the remote and find a horror movie.

There was even one on ESPN2 on Friday night.

Colorado State’s trip to Boise State was nothing short of a living nightmare as the Broncos carved their way through a CSU football team that took on the part of the group of teens making the wrong decision at every turn. Even the ones that seemed good at the time ended up with another gash being delivered in what became a 5628 win for the Broncos on the blue artificial turf at Albertsons Stadium.

The Broncos (52, 31 Mountain West) opened with a flurry of points. It was 357 at halftime. The Broncos capped 75 and 80yard drives with touchdown passes from Brett Rypien to A.J. Richardson, who by the end of the first quarter already had 102 receiving yards.

If that wasn’t enough, the Broncos even found bizarre ways to score — fumbling a punt return, only to have Kekaula Kaniho scoop it up and go 74 yards for a touchdown as time expired in the first quarter.

Colorado State (35, 22) actually produced one stop in the first half, but it didn’t prevent the Broncos from taking a 28point lead into the second half. Kaniho had one of two Boise State interceptions in the first half, coming on successive drives. The second by Avery Williams set up Rypien for his third scoring toss of the first half, a 17yarder to Sean Modster.

A Boise State offense that sputtered the past two weeks with turnovers faced very little pressure from a CSU defense that played well the week before against New Mexico. But this is the sequel the Rams just can’t stop, losing to Boise State for the eighth consecutive time.

The plays the Rams made — three sacks and six tackles for loss — were undone by the plays they didn’t make, such as giving up long thirddown plays to the Broncos, who converted nine of their 11 thirddown snaps. Richardson, who finished with a careerbest 137 receiving yards, snared his second touchdown by outleaping CSU safety Jordan Fogal for a 35yard gain on a thirdand19 snap.

Rypien, who had thrown five interceptions the previous two games, finished with four touchdown passes, adding another to Modster as the fourth quarter opened. He hit 22of26 passes for 308 yards and had no turnovers.

The Broncos’ offense stalled a bit in the second half — as if it mattered. But the Broncos were creative, with tight end Garrett Collingham scoring on a 4yard endaround play.

Williams continued his terrific game with a 45yard kickoff return for a touchdown off a CSU onside attempt in the fourth quarter.