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Boise State caps perfect season with rout of Fresno State

Nov 29, 2008 - 7:41 AM BOISE, Idaho (Ticker) -- For the third time in three years, Boise State has cruised to an undefeated regular season. This time, however, the ninth-ranked Broncos may be on the outside looking in on the BCS.

Boise State completed its perfect slate with a 61-10 rout of Western Athletic Conference rival Fresno State on Friday, overcoming a dubious start to roll to another blowout.

Despite holding just a three-point edge at halftime, the Broncos (12-0, 8-0 WAC) erupted for four touchdowns in the third quarter to take control. In doing so, they wrapped up another unblemished campaign, but unlike the 2006 squad, will likely be relegated one of the standard WAC-aligned bowl games rather than making another trip to a BCS game.

"Give credit to Boise State," Fresno State coach Pat Hill said. "They are a great program and play so well and with so much confidence here."

The 2006 Broncos famously marched into the Fiesta Bowl against perennial power Oklahoma and stunned the Sooners with a 43-42 overtime victory - clinching the win on a Statue of Liberty play executed to perfection on a two-point conversion attempt. It was Ian Johnson who scored that game-winner that season - and once again, Johnson has helped carry Boise State this season.

With his 130-yard, two-touchdown effort, Johnson closed the campaign with 740 yards and 12 scores - teaming with Jeremy Avery to form one of the most potent 1-2 backfield combos in the nation. He also tied San Diego State alum Marshall Faulk for the most rushing touchdowns in conference history with 57.

But his collegiate career likely won't end the same way as did his sophomore year. This time, another undefeated non-BCS squad - unbeaten Utah, which ranks No. 7 in the BCS, two spots ahead of Boise State - stands in the Broncos' way. As far as at-large bids go, it is widely expected that those will go to the second-place finishers in the SEC and Big 12 South, with Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas all expected to earn bids.

"We don't have really have a message," Johnson said. "The system is what the system is. It's taken care of us before. We have no complaints about it. We just want to play in a game we deserve."

Of course, any upsets this weekend could change the entire picture.

But certainly no one can say the Broncos didn't make every effort to prove the voters - and the computers - wrong in their season finale. After their opening possession, that is. Senior quarterback Bush Hamdan got the ceremonial start in place of freshman Kellen Moore, but his first possession went awry on a fourth-down attempt, as Damian Owens picked off Hamdan's only pass and returned it 68 yards to give Fresno State an early 7-0 edge.

Once Moore took over, order was restored. In his hands, Boise State quickly evened things up, as he orchestrated a six-play, 50-yard scoring drive that lasted just 50 seconds and culminated in Moore's eight-yard scoring strike to Jeremy Childs.

The Broncos poured it on after the half, as Avery opened things up with a 42-yard touchdown dash and Kyle Wilson returned a punt 90 yards for another score.

"(That) just goes to show you how stacked this team is," Johnson said.

Naturally, it was Johnson who put the finishing touches on the victory. With just seconds left in the third, he found a seam on the right side of the line and scampered 69 yards to the 5-yard line, dragging a defender on his back for the last several yards. One play later, he punched it in from a yard out to tie Faulk and push the lead to 54-10.

"We were where we wanted to be in the first half," Hill said. "We played pretty well and at Boise State, being down three points at the half was fine. We took the wind to start the second half and I thought if we could get them to go three and out we get the ball in good field position. I've never had a game unravel like that before. No matter what we did, they made plays. The punt return was big."

Moore completed 17 of 23 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns.