Jeanty polishes Heisman resume, but Broncos’ uneven offense in second half proves costly

Saturday night’s 37-34 road loss to No. 7 Oregon posed a mixed bag for Boise State.

The main negative? It was a loss for the Broncos in a game that could have been a feather in their cap. Boise State and Oregon engaged in a fierce battle at Autzen Stadium in Eugene in a game that featured seven lead changes, the last coming with a game-winning 25-yard field goal for the Ducks as time expired.

The loss also brought up a tangle of concerns and questions for the offense, despite the performance of rising star Ashton Jeanty, the dynamic running back who keeps impressing the nation with video-game-like stats.

Chief among those might be the performance of quarterback Maddux Madsen, who will always be under a microscope after winning the job over USC transfer Malachi Nelson. The redshirt sophomore quarterback struggled against the Ducks, hitting on just 17-of-40 passes — a 42.5% completion rate — for 148 yards, one touchdown and a game-long play of only 21 yards.

“We’ve got to be better in the pass game,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said after the game. “Everyone’s going to look at the quarterback, but it’s not just on him. There are some alignments and routes that we need to find a way to win our one-on-ones.”

Similar to the Broncos’ season-opening win at Georgia Southern, redshirt senior Latrell Caples and fifth-year player Cam Camper emerged as Madsen’s go-to receivers. Caples picked up 51 yards on five receptions, while Camper had 52 yards and a touchdown on four catches.

Boise State’s inability to get the passing game going was perhaps most evident in the second half, when the Broncos went the whole third quarter without scoring a point. The spark came on the ground, with a 70-yard rushing touchdown from Jeanty on a play where he burst through a huge hole, made a sharp cut to avoid a defender and went untouched.

During the third quarter lull for the offense, Madsen went 3-for-13 for just 19 yards.

Just before halftime, Madsen was unable to connect on two throws in the red zone, forcing Boise State to settle for a 20-yard field goal and a 20-14 lead.

“I’m always thinking of going to score touchdowns, but I want to take points,” Danielson said. “We also got the ball to start the third quarter, so let’s get points. Let’s make it a touchdown game.”

Boise State punted away its first possession of the second half. Oregon turned around and finished the next drive with a 59-yard touchdown reception — but missed the extra point — to leave the game at 20-20.

As for positives on offense, Jeanty continued his Heisman Trophy campaign with another superb display. He had 200 all-purpose yards — 192 rushing and eight receiving — and three rushing touchdowns, bringing his total for the season to an NCAA-leading nine TDs.

He became the first player to run for over 175 yards against Oregon since Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson ran 226 yards in 2020. The last time an opposing player ran for at least 175 yards at Autzen Stadium was in 2016.

Jeanty’s rushing performance on Saturday night was particularly impressive because of the opponent. The Ducks boast one of the best rushing defenses in the country; last week, they gave up just 49 yards to Idaho on the ground, and last season, they held teams to 102.6 yards per game.

“They’re one of the best rushing defenses in the entire country for a reason,” Danielson said. “But you can see who Ashton is. No matter the spotlight, no matter the game, he’s going to execute; that’s who he is.”

Jeanty’s stellar game can’t be chalked up just to his talent, either. Once again, the Broncos’ offensive line put in a stout performance, even missing a couple of starters.

Starting redshirt junior center Mason Randolph was ruled out with an upper-body injury ahead of the game, and redshirt sophomore Roger Carreon left the game early in the first quarter with a left leg injury. Redshirt junior Zach Holmes replaced Randolph and redshirt sophomore Tyler Keinath replaced Carreon.

“He’s ready for the moment; the moment wasn’t too big for him,” Jeanty said of Holmes, who was making his first start at Boise State after transferring from Western Illinois in 2022.

Jeanty and the Broncos now get an early-season rest with their first bye week coming. The home opener finally arrives on Sept. 21, when Boise State hosts Portland State at Albertsons Stadium.

“We fell short tonight,” Jeanty said. “We fix the things we need to fix, and, you know, get ready to go.”