LARAMIE, Wy. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown to lead No. 12 Boise State to a 17-13 win over Wyoming on Saturday night and a berth in the Mountain West Conference title game.
The Broncos (10-1 overall, 7-0) will play in the conference championship game for the seventh time in the eight seasons and kept their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Boise State was the provisional No. 4 seed in the playoff in this week’s rankings.
Boise State finished the Mountain West unbeaten, extended its winning streak to nine games and beat Wyoming (2-9, 2-5) for the eighth straight time, dating to 2016.
Wyoming, which entered as a heavy underdog, gave the Broncos plenty of problems and held a 13-10 lead midway through the fourth quarter.
But Boise State’s Jambres Dubar scored on a 2-yard run with just over five minutes left to play and the Broncos defense came up with one final stop to seal the win.
Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen was 14 for 25 passing for 168 yards.
Wyoming used a pair of quarterback. Kaden Anderson was 9 for 14 for 116 yards and a touchdown before being knocked out the game. Evan Svoboda took over and connected on 6 of 13 passes for 87 yards.
Led by Heisman candidate Jeanty, who surpassed 2,000 yards for the season and averaged 8.5 yards per carry, the Broncos outgained the Cowboys 353-319 in total yardage, despite going 1 for 10 on third down.
John Hoyland opened the scoring with a 54-yard field goal, giving the Cowboys an early 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Boise State’s Jonah Dalmas had a chance to tie it with a 49-yard field goal on the ensuing drive, but his attempt missed wide left.
After Hoyland missed a 53-yard field goal try, Jeanty put the Broncos up 7-3 with a 61-yard touchdown run with 3:40 left in the first.
The Cowboys reclaimed a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter when a four-play, 67-yard drive was capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Anderson to Justin Stevenson.
Boise State tacked on a 24-yard field goal from Dalmas as time expired in the first half, sending the teams into the break tied at 10.
After a scoreless third quarter, Hoyland put the Cowboys back in the lead with a 25-yard field goal. But, Boise State answered with an eight-play, 75-yard drive capped by Dubar’s touchdown run.
It was likely the Broncos’ last trip to Wyoming, as the Cowboys are set to join the Pac-12 in 2026. Boise State leads the all-time series 18-1, with its lone loss coming against Josh Allen’s 2016 squad in Laramie.
Boise State: Will likely retain its spot as the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff rankings going into its final regular-season game.
Wyoming: The Cowboys are in the midst of their worst season since 2015, when they finished 2-10.
Boise State: Hosts Oregon State on Friday night in its regular-season finale.
Wyoming: Travels to face No. 25 Washington State on Saturday.
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