Quarterback Maddux Madsen threw for a career-high 371 yards and Boise State survived a high-scoring Pac-12 shootout against Oregon State, winning 46-41 at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday.
The narrow victory keeps the No. 24 Broncos at 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the Pac-12, while locking up home-field advantage for the upcoming conference championship game on Dec. 4. Yet the celebration inside the locker room was tempered by ongoing defensive vulnerabilities that saw the unit surrender 506 total yards.
Rasean Jones notched 230 receiving yards—the fifth-highest single-game total in program history—to help carry the offense alongside Madsen. Madsen completed 23 of 32 passes with four touchdowns and zero turnovers after returning from a one-game absence due to injury.
“Having Maddux Madsen back is huge,” head coach Spencer Danielson said. “He’s our leader, he’s an elite competitor. Made huge throws in huge moments.”
The Broncos needed every bit of their offensive output to fend off an Oregon State squad that dropped to 5-5 overall and 3-3 in the Pac-12. Operating in place of injured quarterback Braden Atkinson, Maalik Murphy racked up 396 passing yards and three touchdowns for the Beavers, connecting frequently with freshman target Jesse Legree.
Legree pulled down 12 receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown, testing a Boise State secondary that yielded 12 plays of 15 yards or more. Eleven of those explosive gains came through the air, highlighting a trend that has seen the Broncos defense surrender 124 combined points over their last three outings.
“We continue to give up too many explosive plays,” Danielson said. “I love our players, I love our coaches, and we’ve got to get it fixed. I don’t say that as throwing up the white flag … we’ve got to go to work and continue to figure out how we can play with confidence, eliminate explosive plays and play stingier on defense.”
Jones proved to be the decisive weapon for the Broncos, hauling in 11 catches for 230 yards and three scores. The true freshman from Baker City, Oregon, dismantled the opposing secondary when the team needed him most.
“That’s one of the best performances I’ve seen from a receiver in the 10 years I’ve been here,” Danielson said. “Every catch was needed, every yard was needed.”
The Group of Six’s top contender for a College Football Playoff bid now faces a pair of regular-season matchups before the Pac-12 title game at Albertsons Stadium. The Broncos host San Diego State next Saturday ahead of the conference’s flex week.
“I’m so proud of this team continuing to find a way,” Danielson said. “We knew Oregon State’s a really good football team, very talented. It’s hard to win football games, and we’ve got to keep finding ways to win.”
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