On The Blue for first time in ’24, Danielson ready to ‘fix’ Boise State’s home dominance

It’s finally here, Bronco Nation — Boise State football’s home opener.

The Broncos have traveled from the muggy plains of Georgia to the rolling hills of western Oregon to start the season, before enjoying an early bye week back home in Idaho.

That schedule has made Boise State the only team in the country at the FBS level not to play a home game yet in 2024, but that changes this weekend. More than 36,000 fans are expected to pack into a sold-out Albertsons Stadium on Saturday night to watch Boise State take on FCS Portland State at 7:55 p.m.

“Fired up to be at home on The Blue, and I know our team is too,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said earlier this week. “Cannot wait to see Bronco Nation this Saturday night.”

Danielson said he remembers his first game at home, a 24-13 victory over Troy in 2017 when he was just a graduate assistant.

“I’ll never forget running out that tunnel and just the feeling of Bronco Nation on The Blue,” Danielson said. “There’s nothing like it in college football. I don’t believe there’s any better place to play college football than on The Blue, right here in Boise, Idaho.”

Albertsons Stadium has received a face-lift since that 2017 game, and fans will enjoy the latest update on Saturday. Boise State will unveil a brand-new sound system, having already installed the largest video board in the Mountain West and new LED lights in 2023.

Naturally, it’s not just Danielson who’s excited to return to the blue turf and friendly confines of the campus stadium.

Redshirt senior receiver Latrell Caples is preparing to feature in a game at Albertsons Stadium for the first time since a 28-16 loss to Fresno State in the 2022 Mountain West championship game. Caples ruptured an Achilles the following offseason and missed the entire 2023 campaign.

“It’s what we work for every day,” Caples said about playing on The Blue. “Being able to go out there in front of 36,000 fans and just cut it loose and let them know how we work, how hard we work, and just go out there and make plays.”

Saturday’s game against Portland State is the first of a three-game homestand for the Broncos, with games against Washington State (Sept. 28) and Utah State (Oct. 5) on the horizon. Boise State and Danielson are eager to get the 2023 home schedule off to a roaring start, part of an effort to restore the Broncos’ Albertsons Stadium dominance.

Since installing the blue turf in 1986, Boise State has gone 205-45 at home, an 82% win ratio. But in the past four seasons, starting with the shortened 2020 COVID slate, the Broncos are only 15-7 in Boise (68%). They lost their home opener last season.

“We’ve lost too many games on The Blue over the years. I’ve been a part of a lot of those,” Danielson said. “We’ve got to get it right. We’ve got to fix it. When we come home to play on The Blue in front of Bronco Nation ... we have to find a way to win.”

In 16 of the seasons with blue turf, Boise State has gone undefeated at home.

“You had a group of guys for decades that when they played a game on The Blue, they found a way to win, and that’s got to be our team,” Danielson said.

Boise State vs. Portland State

When: 7:55 p.m. Saturday

Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,363, Turf)

TV: Fox Sports 1 (Eric Collins, Spencer Tillman)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM/Sirius XM Ch. 390 (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State 1-1; Portland State 0-2

Series: Boise State leads the series 7-1

Vegas line: Boise State by 41.5 points

Weather: High of 73 degrees, low of 50 degrees, humidity 45%, sunny skies, 3% chance of rain