Boise State routs No. 23 Fresno State
Jonah Dalmas kicked four field goals and Andrew Van Buren rushed for two touchdowns to help visiting Boise State roll to a 40-14 victory over No. 23 Fresno State in Mountain West play on Saturday night.
Hank Bachmeier was 15-of-27 passing for 283 yards and one touchdown as the Broncos (5-4, 3-2 MW) won their second consecutive game. George Holani racked up 186 yards from scrimmage (117 rushing, 69 receiving) and Khalil Shakir caught seven passes for 67 yards and one score.
JL Skinner, Kekaula Kaniho and younger brother Kaonohi Kaniho had interceptions for the Broncos, who recorded five sacks.
Fresno State’s Jake Haener tossed the three interceptions while completing 22 of 38 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Keric Wheatfall and Zane Pope had scoring receptions for the Bulldogs (7-3, 4-2), who had a three-game winning streak halted.
Boise State outgained Fresno State 470 to 356. The Bulldogs also were hurt by drawing 11 penalties for 91 yards.
A key sequence occurred during the middle of the third quarter. With the Broncos leading by 12, Dalmas kicked a 44-yard field goal but Fresno State’s Cale Sanders Jr. was called for roughing the kicker.
Boise State accepted the penalty that moved the ball to the Bulldogs’ 14-yard line. Three plays later, Bachmeier hit Shakir on a 10-yard scoring pass to make it 23-7 with 6:43 remaining in the quarter.
Dalmas booted a 27-yarder with 13:30 left in the contest to make it a three-score game and Van Buren tacked on a 1-yard scoring run to make it 33-7 with 7:41 remaining.
Tyler Crowe added a 7-yard scoring run with 2:48 left before Fresno State scored on Haener’s 5-yard pass to Pope with 1:10 to play.
Van Buren rushed for a score and Dalmas kicked three field goals as Boise State led 16-7 at the break.
Dalmas’ boots of 47 and 27 yards and Van Buren’s 1-yard run gave the Broncos a 13-0 lead with 12:45 left in the first half. Fresno State got on the board on Haener’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Wheatfall with 5:50 remaining before Dalmas added a 32-yard field goal with 41 seconds to play.
–Field Level Media
