Boise State #18 in Computer Composite

For the first time this season, we have all four computers relevant and unbiased.  The BCS Standings incorporate six computers, with the high ranking and row ranking for each team thrown out.  To simulate this, we take the four existing scores as one half of the computer composite, and average that with the two middle scores doubled (throwing out the high and the low).  This gives us our best and most educated estimate of the true Computer Composite when it is unveiled next week using all six computers:

1.    Notre Dame (21 + 22 + 25 + 24) = (92 + (46 x 2 = 92))/2 = 92.00
2.    Florida (24 + 19 + 24 + 22) = (89 + (46 x 2 = 92))/2 = 90.50
3.    South Carolina (22 + 23 + 22 + 20) = (87 + (44 x 2 = 88))/2 = 87.50
4.    Alabama (25 + 24 + 18 + 18) = (85 + (42 x 2 = 84))/2 = 84.50
5.    Ohio State (23 + 1 + 23 + 21) = (68 + (44 x 2 = 88))/2 = 78.00
6.    West Virginia (18 + 21 + 21 + 16) = (76 + (39 x 2 = 78))/2 = 77.00
7.    Oregon (19 + 25 + 19 + 10) = (72 + (38 x 2 = 76))/2 = 74.00
8.    Kansas State (19 + 20 +  16 + 17) = (72 + (36 x 2 = 72))/2 = 72.00
9.    Oregon State (14 + 10 + 20 + 25) = (69 + (34 x 2 = 68))/2 = 68.50
10.  Georgia (13 + 15 + 15 + 14) = (57 + (29 x 2 = 58))/2 = 57.50
11.  Stanford (16 + 13 + 17 + 11) = (57 + (29 x 2 = 58))/2 = 57.50
12.  LSU (17 + 18 + 5 + 13) = (53 + (30 x 2 = 60))/2 = 56.50
13.  Texas (12 + 3 + 18 + 19) = (52 + (30 x 2 = 60))/2 = 56.00
14.  Iowa State (0 + 5 + 14 + 15) = (34 + (19 x 2 = 38))/2 = 36.00
15.  USC (15 + 17 + 3 + 0) = (35 + (18 x 2 = 36))/2 = 35.50
16.  Texas Tech (0 + 6 + 6 + 23) = (35 + (12 x 2 = 24))/2 = 29.50
17.  Rutgers (10 + 1 + 12 + 5) = (28 + (15 x 2 = 30))/2 = 29.00
18.  Boise State (9 + 9 + 4 + 0) = (22 + (13 x 2 = 26))/2 = 24.00
19.  Oklahoma (11 + 12 + 0 + 0) = (23 +(11 x 2 = 22))/2 = 22.50
20.  Mississippi State (6 + 0 + 13 + 4) = (23 + (10 x 2 = 20))/2 = 21.50
21.  Cincinnati (7 + 0 + 10 + 2) = (19 + (9 x 2 = 18))/2 = 19.00
21.  Michigan State (1 + 11 + 0 + 8) = (20 + (9 x 2 = 18))/2 = 19.00
23.  Washington (5 + 14 + 0 + 0) = (19 + (5 x 2 = 10))/2 = 14.50
24.  Louisiana Tech (0 + 0 + 7 + 6) = (13 + (6 x 2 = 12))/2 = 12.50
25.  Florida State (3 + 0 + 0 + 12) = (15 + (3 x 2 = 6))/2 = 10.50


26.   Texas A&M (8 + 0 + 2 + 0) = (10 + (2 x 2 = 4))/2 = 7.00
27.  Clemson (2 + 4 + 0 + 0) = (6 + (2 x 2 = 4))/2 = 5.00
28.  Ohio (0 + 0 + 9 + 0) = (9 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = 4.50
28.  Purdue (0 + 0 + 0 + 9) = (9 + (0 x 2 = 0))/2 = 4.50
30.  Baylor (0 + 7 + 0 + 0) = (7 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = 3.50
30.  UCLA (0 + 0 + 0 + 7) = (7 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = 3.50
32.  Arizona State (4 + 0 + 0 + 0) = (4 + (0 x 2 = 0))/2 = 2.00
33.  Arizona (0 + 0 + 0 + 3) = (3 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = 1.50
34.  TCU (0 + 2+ 0 + 0) = (2 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = 1.00
35.  Missouri (0 + 0 + 0 + 1) = (1 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = .50
35.  Northern Illinois (0 + 0 + 1 + 0) = (1 + (0 x 0 = 0))/2 = .50

Boise State #17 in Billingsley

http://www.cfrc.com/Ratings_2012/WK_6.htm

Boise State #17 in Sagarin

1.    Alabama
2.    Florida
3.    Ohio State
4.    South Carolina
5.    Notre Dame
6.    Oregon
7.    Kansas State
8.    West Virginia
9.    LSU
10.  Stanford
11.  USC
12.  Oregon State
13.  Georgia
14.  Texas
15.  Oklahoma
16.  Rutgers
17.  Boise State
18.  Texas A&M
19.  Cincinnati
20.  Mississippi State
21.  Washington
22.  Arizona State   
23.  Florida State
24.  Clemson
25.  Michigan State


http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt12.htm

Boise State Drops From 20-24 in Unofficial BCS Standings

We have the Coaches Poll this morning and the AP Poll as well, which has proven to be a good approximation of what the Harris Poll will look like when it is released.  We also have the Sagarin and Billingsley computer ratings for this week, two of the six computers used by the BCS in determining their rankings.  Further, the Colley Ratings, one of my favorites, are now relevant for the first time this year.  This means that there has been enough football played to make their methodology work.  Here then is the Blue Through and Through Unofficial BCS Standings* for Week Five:

1.    Alabama 99.80% + 100.00% + ((24 + 25 + 22 = 71) x 4/3 = 94.67) = 294.47
2.    Oregon 95.12% + 95.33% + ((17 + 23 + 13 = 53) x 4/3 = 70.67) = 261.12
3.    LSU 89.97% + 87.33% + ((25 + 24 + 12 = 61) x 4/3 = 81.33) = 258.63
4.    Georgia 83.19% + 83.47% + ((22 + 19 + 18 = 59) x 4/3 = 78.67) = 245.33
5.    Florida State 88.20% + 89.93% + ((16 + 13 + 21 = 50) x 4/3 = 66.67) = 244.80
6.    South Carolina 78.71% + 76.80% + ((19 + 22 + 20 = 61) x 4/3 = 81.33) = 236.84
7.    Notre Dame 62.03% + 69.53% + ((20 + 21 + 24 = 65) x 4/3 = 86.67) = 218.23
8.    Kansas State 71.19% + 74.87% + ((14 + 20 + 19 = 53) x 4/3 = 70.67) = 216.73
9.    West Virginia 77.08% + 71.07% + ((11 + 18 + 14 = 43) x 4/3 = 57.33) = 205.48
10.  Florida 59.86% + 62.47% + ((23 + 0 + 23 = 46) x 4/3 = 61.33) = 183.66
11.  Texas 66.51% + 62.13% + ((18 + 6 + 15 = 39) x 4/3 = 52.00) = 180.64
12.  Oregon State 30.71% + 43.13% + ((15 + 17 + 25 = 57) x 4/3 = 76.00) = 149.84
13.  TCU 50.78% + 40.53% + ((10 + 15 + 4 = 29) x 4/3 = 38.67) = 129.98
14.  USC 53.15% + 46.87% + ((0 + 16 + 0 = 16) x 4/3 = 21.33) = 121.35
15.  Stanford 30.64% + 33.93% + ((12 + 11 + 10 = 33) x 4/3 = 44.00) = 108.57
16.  Oklahoma 46.37% + 38.73% + ((5 + 9 + 0 = 14) x 4/3 = 18.67) = 103.77
17.  Clemson 42.55% + 40.53% + ((6 + 5 + 1 = 12) x 4/3 = 16.00) = 99.08
18.  Louisville 35.53% + 26.93% + ((0 + 0 + 9 = 9) x 4/3 = 12.00) = 74.46
19.  Mississippi State 28.61% + 20.40% + ((3 + 0 + 11 = 14) x 4/3 = 18.67) = 67.68
20.  Texas Tech 7.32% + 2.60% + ((13 + 3 + 16 = 32) x 4/3 = 42.67) = 52.59
21.  Nebraska 28.14% + 16.00% + ((0 + 0 + 0 = 0) x 4/3 = 0.00) = 44.14
22.  Washington 4.41% + 10.60% + ((8 + 12 + 0 = 20) x 4/3 = 26.67) = 41.68
23.  Rutgers 17.63% + 10.67% + ((4 + 2 + 3 = 9) x 4/3 = 12.00 = 40.30
24.  Boise State 5.63% + 3.53% + ((7 + 14 + 0 = 21) x 4/3 = 28.00) = 37.16
25.  Northwestern 13.69% + 9.53% + ((0 + 0 + 8 = 8) x 4/3 = 10.67) = 30.89



26.  Cincinnati 11.86% + 4.80% + ((0 + 1 + 5 = 6) x 4/3 = 8.00) = 24.66
27.  Louisiana Tech 3.80% + 2.47% + ((0 + 0 + 7 = 7) x 4/3 = 9.33) = 15.60
28.  Baylor 2.78% + 2.07% + ((0 + 8 + 0 = 8) x 4/3 = 10.67) = 15.52
29.  UCLA 3.93% + 8.13% + ((0 + 0 + 2 = 2) x 4/3 = 2.67) = 14.73
30.  Michigan State 3.05% + 2.87% + ((2 + 4 + 0 = 6) x 4/3 = 8.00) = 13.92
31.  Michigan .75% + 2.53% + ((0 + 7 + 0 = 7) x 4/3 = 9.33) = 12.61
32.  Missouri 0.00% + 0.00% + ((9 + 0 + 0 = 9) x 4/3 = 12.00) = 12.00
33.  Ohio .75% + 2.00% + ((0 + 0 + 6 = 6) x 4/3 = 8.00) = 10.75
34.  Texas A&M 4.14% + 3.40% + ((0 + 0 + 0 = 0) x 4/3 = 0.00) = 7.54
35.  Arizona State 2.71% + 1.00% + ((0 + 0 + 0 = 0) x 4/3 = 0.00) = 3.71
36.  Miami of Florida 1.15% + .27% + ((1 + 0 + 0 = 1) x 4/3 = 1.33) = 2.75

Boise State #31 in Colley

http://www.colleyrankings.com/currank.html

AP College Football Poll Percentages

Here are the percentages for this morning's college football AP Poll:


1.    Alabama (100.00%)
2.    Oregon 95.33%
3.    Florida State 89.93%
4.    LSU 87.33%
5.    Georgia 83.47%
6.    South Carolina 76.80%
7.    Kansas State 74.87%
8.    West Virginia 71.07%
9.    Notre Dame 69.53%
10.  Florida 62.47%
11.  Texas 62.13%
12.  Ohio State 52.87%
13.  USC 46.87%
14.  Oregon State 43.13%
15.  Clemson 40.53%
15.  TCU 40.53%
17.  Oklahoma 38.73%
18.  Stanford 33.93%
19.  Louisville 26.93%
20.  Mississippi State 20.40%%
21.  Nebraska 16.00%
22.  Rutgers 10.67%
23.  Washington 10.60%
24.  Northwestern 9.53%
25.  UCLA 8.13%

26.  Cincinnati 4.80%
27.  Boise State 3.53%
28.  Texas A&M 3.40%
29.  Michigan State 2.87%
30.  Texas Tech 2.60%
31.  Michigan 2.53&%
32.  Louisiana Tech 2.47%
33.  Baylor 2.07%
34.  Ohio 2.00%
35.  Arizona State 1.00%

Coaches Poll Percentages

Blue Through and Through will always focus on the sports that are doing the best.  If Boise State's soccer and volleyball teams are nationally-ranked, we'll go in depth for them as well.  Here are the Coaches Poll Percentages:

1.    Alabama 99.80%
2.    Oregon 95.12%
3.    LSU 89.97%
4.    Florida State 88.20%
5.    Georgia 83.19%
6.    South Carolina 78.71%
7.    West Virginia 77.08%
8.    Kansas State 71.19%
9.    Texas 66.51%
10.  Notre Dame 62.03%
11.  Florida 59.86%
12.  USC 53.15%
13.  TCU 50.78%
14.  Oklahoma 46.37%
15.  Clemson 42.44%
16.  Louisville 35.53%
17.  Oregon State 30.71%
18.  Stanford 30.64%
19.  Mississippi State 28.61%
20.  Nebraska 28.14%
21.  Rutgers 17.63%
22.  Northwestern 13.69%
23.  Cincinnati 11.86%
24.  Texas Tech 7.32%
25.  Boise State 5.63%

26.  Washington 4.41%
27.  Texas A&M 4.14%
28.  UCLA 3.93%
29.  Louisiana Tech 3.80%
30.  Michigan State 3.05%
31.  Baylor 2.78%
32.  Arizona State 2.71%
33.  Miami of Florida 1.15%
34.  Michigan .75%
34.  Ohio .75%

Boise State Moves Up to #25 in Coaches Poll

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/polls/coaches-poll/

Boise State Holds On to Beat New Mexico

This 2012 Boise State football team keeps finding ways to win.  New Mexico, for all its improvement, made every play it needed to make except one in a 32-29 Bronco victory in Albuquerque last night.  Only a Tommy Smith knockdown of a fourth-down pass with two minutes remaining prevented New Mexico from winning this game.

"I've been preaching this forever," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "You never let a team off the hook. I will give all credit to New Mexico; they took advantage and made plays. It was hard and we fumbled and they capitalized. It can change fast and I hope this team learns that."

The Lobs had forced Boise State into a 44-yard field-goal attempt that hit the crossbar, enabling New Mexico to take over on their 27.  Petersen opted to go for the field goal, knowing that New Mexico's kicker was money and was a good threat to tie the game.  The Broncos toughened up on three running plays to force a fourth-and-4.  B.R. Holbrook fired a pass for Lamaar Smith, but he didn't see linebacker Smith, who batted the ball away, and Boise State ran out the clock.

It was a classic tale of first halves, one in which Boise State converted three Lobo fumbles into scores in a 25-0 halftime lead; one in which New Mexico converted two Bronco fumbles into touchdowns in dominating the second half 29-7.  And it was a stark contrast to Boise State's last victory, a hard-fought 7-6 decision over BYU in which the offense did not score a touchdown and the defense constantly kept the high-flying Cougars at bay.  This time, Robert Prince's Bronco offense scored in five of six red-zone opportunities, while the defense was mystified by New Mexico's new triple-option.

Bronco quarterback Joe Southwick was 24-34 for 311 yards and three touchdowns on his journey towards becoming a solid college football quarterback.  Southwick seemed to get out of his habit of locking in on his receivers, often going to his second and third options.  

Meanwhile, the Bronco running game enjoyed its best performance of the season, as senior D.J. Harper gained 98 yards and freshman Jay Ajayi had 118 yards and a touchdown on six carries.  Ajayi had a 61-yard run in the first half to set up his touchdown, and another long run that took him into Lobo territory as the clock ran out in the first half.

New Mexico coach Bob Davie, who is making his return to coaching after 10 years in the ESPN booth, has his team playing with emotion and confidence.  The Lobos have already matched last year's win total.  Last season, New Mexico lost in Boise, 45-0.

New Mexico quarterback Cole Gautsche scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, gaining 71 yards on 11 carries.  Kasey Carrier picked up 86 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, as the ground-oriented Lobos ran for 324 yards.

"That's what's so difficult about their offense," Boise State nose guard Mike Atkinson said. "They have so many options. They run the triple-option offense and a lot of teams don't do that anymore so it's really hard to pick up their schemes."

Two fumbles by Carrier led to scoring drives in the first half.  The first was at the Lobo 43 and five plays later, Southwick connected with Chris Potter for a 10-yard TD pass in which Potter showed surprising strength in overpowering his man, then tip-toed down the sideline to put Boise State ahead 10-0.  On the ensuing possession, New Mexico drove down the field before Carrier's fumble on the Boise State 19.  Three Ajayi rushes took the Broncos 81 yards for another score.

But the second half was the opposite of the first.  On the opening kickoff, freshman Dallas Burroughs fumbled at the 26 and Jhurell Presley completed the short drive for six with a three-yard run that made it 25-7.  Carrier added a five-yard scoring run later in the quarter.

Southwick led the Broncos down the field on what proved to be the winning touchdown.  At the Lobo 8, he noted a cushion for quick freshman receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes, who juked his defender, then scampered into the end zone untouched to make it 32-14.  But Williams-Rhodes's fumble at the 48 on Boise State's next possession breathed life into the already excited New Mexico team and home crowd.  Joe Stoner picked up the loose ball and rambled all the way to the 1, where Gautsche took it in to cut the Bronco lead to 32-29 with 7:42 left.  

Thus, Boise State survived by the skin of their teeth, and hopefully, yet more lessons were learned by this young Bronco team.  Boise State is now 3-1 on the season and heads into Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the site of last night's swimming meet in which upstart Southern Mississippi nearly upset Louisville.  In a game marked by heavy rain and huge puddles covering the field, the Golden Eagles had the Cardinals on the ropes the entire game until late in the fourth quarter.  A poor punt gave Louisville excellent field position, and they took it in to win 21-17.

Bronco Volleyball Team Hosts Air Force

Boise State hopes that home cooking will get their season kickstarted.  The Lady Bronco volleyball team hosts Air Force tonight at 7 in Bronco Gym.

Taylor Commits to Boise State

Shooting forward Darnell Taylor (6-4, 200) has committed to play basketball for Boise State, according to a report in The Idaho Statesman.  Taylor led Saddleback College last season as a true freshman, averaging over 14 points and 7 rebounds a game.  At Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles, Taylor was All-State as a senior, averaging over 23 points a game.

Welcome to Boise, Darnell!

Bronco Soccer Team Knocks Off Penn

Katy Oehring knocked in a rebound in overtime to help Boise State defeat Penn 1-0 Sunday.  In the 54th minute, Kelsey Nicassio took a free kick on the left side.  The Penn goalkeeper stopped it but was unable to secure the ball.  Oehring poked the ball into the open net for the winner, her third goal of the season.

Maddy McDevitt scored her third shutout this season with four saves, including two great stops in the final 15 minutes.

The Broncos are now 5-6-1 on the season.  Bet they would love another shot at those Big Sky opponents now.  But those are in the past, and Boise State must prepare itself for the much tougher Mountain West season, which gets underway in earnest next Friday against defending champion New Mexico in Albuquerque.

Boise State Now #20 in Unofficial BCS Standings, Week Four

Once again, the Unofficial BCS Standings contain the Coaches Poll Percentages, the AP Poll Percentages, and the Sagarin and Billingsley comuter ratings.  The Harris Poll, used in the official BCS Rankings, has not been released yet, but history has shown that the AP is a good approximation of the Harris.  The Massey and Colley ratings have begun, but their methodology is such that it isn't an accurate reflection of the ratings until several weeks into the season.


1.    Alabama 99.86% + 99.93% +((24 + 25)*2 =) 100.00 = 297.79
2.    Oregon 92.95% + 94.27% + ((21 + 23)*2 =) 86.00 = 273.22
3.    LSU 92.27% + 89.73% + ((20 + 24)*2 =) 88.00 = 270.00
4.    Florida State 88.54% + 89.33% + (17 + 12)*2 =) 58.00 = 235.87
5.    Georgia 82.98% + 83.00% + ((18 + 15)*2 =) 66.00 = 231.98
6.    South Carolina 77.90% + 76.47% + ((16 + 19)*2 =) 70.00 = 224.37
7.    Stanford 62.64% + 70.33% + ((22 + 22)*2 =) 88.00 = 220.97
8.    Kansas State 64.34% + 71.13% + ((19 + 20)*2 =) 78.00 = 213.47
9.    Notre Dame 56.68% + 66.87% + ((23 + 21)*2 = 88.00 = 211.55
10.  Florida 55.39% + 57.60% + ((25 + 5)*2 =) 60.00 = 172.99
11.  USC 55.12% + 53.40% + ((9 + 18)*2 =) 54.00 = 162.52
12.  West Virginia 67.80% + 69.67% + ((2 + 6)*2 =) 24.00 = 161.47
13.  Texas 56.68% + 57.07% + ((15 + 0)*2 =) 30.00 = 143.75
14.  Oklahoma 47.39% + 40.73% + ((12 + 13)*2 =) 50.00 = 138.12
15.  TCU 47.80% + 41.07% + ((10 + 11)*2 =) 42.00 = 130.87
16.  Michigan State 27.39% + 23.20% + ((14 + 17)*2 =) 62.00 = 112.59
17.  Clemson 37.97% + 39.20% + ((7 + 8)*2 =) 30.00 = 107.17
18.  Oregon State 14.92% + 30.07% + ((13 + 9)*2 =) 44.00 = 88.99
19.  Louisville 33.42% + 27.60% + ((0 + 0)*2 =) 0.00 = 61.02
20.  Boise State 4.68% + 7.60% + ((8 + 16)*2 =) 48.00 = 60.28
21.  Baylor 6.85% + 6.13% + ((0 + 14)*2 =) 28.00 = 40.98
22.  Mississippi State 23.66% + 16.40% + ((0 + 0)*2 =) 0.00 = 40.06
23.  Rutgers 6.64% + 8.53% + ((5 + 7)*2 =) 24.00 = 39.17
24.  Wisconsin 6.92% + 8.67% + ((11 + 0)*2 =) 22.00 = 37.59
25.  Nebraska 22.10% + 11.93% + ((0 + 0)*2 =) 0.00 = 34.03



26.  Michigan 3.86% + 2.83% + ((0 + 10)*2 =) 20.00 = 26.69
27.  Oklahoma State 10.44% + .80% + ((1 + 3)*2 =) 8.00 = 19.24
28.  Arizona 1.08% + 1.13% + ((3 + 4)*2 =) 14.00 = 16.21
29.  Northwestern 6.51% + 5.93% + ((0 + 0)*2 =) 0.00 = 12.44
30.  Virginia Tech 6.64% + 1.73% + ((0 + 0)*2 = 0.00 = 8.47

AP Poll Percentages

Here are the Top 25 teams in terms of percentage of total possible points for the AP Poll:

1.    Alabama 99.93%
2.    Oregon 94.27%
3.    LSU 89.73%
4.    Florida State 89.33%
5.    Georgia 83.00%
6.    South Carolina 76.47%
7.    Kansas State 71.13%
8.    Stanford 70.33%
9.    West Virginia 69.67%
10.  Notre Dame 66.87%
11.  Florida 57.60%
12.  Texas 57.07%
13.  USC 53.40%
14.  Ohio State 42.20%
15.  TCU 41.07%
16.  Oklahoma 40.73%
17.  Clemson 39.20%
18.  Oregon State 30.07%
19.  Louisville 27.60%
20.  Michigan State 23.20%
21.  Mississippi State 16.40%
22.  Nebraska 11.93%
23.  Rutgers 8.53%
24.  Boise State 7.60%
25.  Baylor 6.13%

26.  Northwestern 5.93%
27.  UCLA 5.27%
28.  Michigan 2.83%
29.  Ohio 2.67%
30.  Virginia Tech 1.73%
31.  Arizona 1.13%

Coaches Poll Percentages--Week Four

Here are the Coaches Poll Percentages for college football:

1.    Alabama 99.86%
2.    Oregon 92.95%
3.    LSU 92.27%
4.   Florida State 88.54%
5.    Georgia 82.98%
6.    South Carolina 77.90%
7.    West Virginia 67.80%
8.    Kansas State 64.34%
9.    Stanford 62.64%
10.  Texas 56.68%
11.  Notre Dame 56.68%
12.  Florida 55.39%
13.  USC 55.12%
14.  TCU 47.80%
15.  Oklahoma 47.39%
16.  Clemson 37.97%
17.  Louisville 33.42%
18.  Michigan State 27.39%
19.  Mississippi State 23.66%
20.  Nebraska 22.17%
21.  Oregon State 14.92%
22.  Oklahoma State 10.44%
23.  Wisconsin 6.92%
24.  Baylor 6.85%
25.  Rutgers 6.64%
25.  Virginia Tech 6.64%

26.  Northwestern 6.51%
27.  Boise State 4.68%
28.  Michigan 3.86%
29.  Iowa State 3.05%
30.  Cincinnati 2.85%
31.  UCLA 2.24%

Boise State Engineering Program Earns Another High Ranking From U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News and World Report published its "Best Colleges 2013" guidebook and rankings, and it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Boise State was once again included.

Boise State is ranked #13 in the nation among public institutions for its engineering programs.  The rankings are based soley on a survey of engineering deans and senior faculty at all programs accredited by ABET (formerly known as Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) conducted last spring.

Boise State was 15th last year in the survey among public institutions.  The College of Engineering has seven departments with programs in civil engineering, computer science, materials science and engineering, construction management, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical and biomedical engineering, and instructional and performance technology.  More than 2,300 students were enrolled in the Engineering field at Boise State in the spring semester.

Bronco Volleyball Team Sweeps Southern Utah

Boise State opened the Invitational with a 26-24, 25-11, 25-14 win over Southern Utah for their third straight win.  Alyssa Gammel hit at a 36% rate and led the Broncos with 13 kills, while Liz Harden had nine.  Boise State moved to 4-4 on the season with the victory.

Boise State #25 in Coaches Poll, #26 in AP

As I said, Boise State can still rise to #12 at the end of the season, but they have a whole lot of improving to do first:

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings

Gallarda Makes Falcons

Atlanta has trimmed their NFL roster to 53 and Tommy Gallarda did not get cut today.  Congrats Tommy--a job well done!

Boise State Soccer Team Hosts Invitational

To be average, most teams will win at home and lose on the road.  But if you want to be better than average, you have to master the art of winning on the road.  Successful teams are a close-knit group that adopts the "us vs. the world" mentality.  

After two season-opening home wins, the Boise State soccer team did not do the things they had been doing at home, and the Lady Broncos dropped decisions to Washington State and Gonzaga on the road last weekend.  Boise State hosts games this weekend against Idaho State and Montana.  The matches are scheduled for 3:30 and 6 p.m. Friday and are must-win contests for Boise State to get to where they want to be.

Boise State Women Picked to Finish Second in Mountain West Cross Country; Bronco Men Third

The Boise State women's cross country team was selected to finish second in the Mountain West Conference this season in a vote by the league's coaches released yesterday.  The Bronco men were chosen third in the Mountain West.

The Bronco women were third last season and were chosen behind first-place New Mexico.  The Boise State men were fourth last year and received one first-place vote to finish third behind New Mexico and Air Force.

Boise State kicks off their 2012 season Saturday, September 8 at the annual Roger Curran Invitational in Nampa.  Blue Through and Through will have the most complete preview of the team you'll find anywhere.

2012 MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY COACHES' POLL
Pl.      Team (1^st place votes)             Points
1.      New Mexico (4)                          24
2.      Air Force (1)                                21
3.      Boise State (1)                            17
4.      Colorado State                           12
5.      Wyoming                                     9
6.      Fresno State                                7

2012 MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY COACHES' POLL
Pl.      Team (1^st place votes)             Points
1.      New Mexico (7)                          63
2.      Boise State (1)                            54
3.      Colorado State (1)                     48
4.      Air Force                                      43
5.      Wyoming                                     39
6.      Fresno State                                23
         UNLV                                            23
8.      Nevada                                        21
9.      San Diego State                         10

Broncos Lose to Washington State 6-0

Boise State's soccer team found out what great competition is like, and it's probably good that the Broncos will head to the Big West next season.

The Lady Broncos were trounced by Washington State 6-0.  It was never close with the shot total reflecting the Cougars' domination--18-5.  Boise State will try again against Gonzaga Sunday afternoon at 1.

Broncos Continue to Trail Washington State

The Boise State soccer team has stopped the bleeding, but they're not ready to walk upright yet.  The Broncos trail Washington State at the half, 2-0.

WSU 2, Boise State 0

10:07 gone in the first half and Boise State has not been the aggressors they were in the opening weekend.  The action pretty much has taken place in the Bronco end.  Maddy McDevitt has done a good job stopping most of the attack but she needs her teammates to take the ball down the field and stop the Cougars from camping out near the goal.

Shots:  Washington State 6
            Boise State 0

Washington State Shocks Boise State Early

5:45 gone in the game and already Washington State has scored on Boise State.  The Bronco soccer team will now have to play catch-up.

Big West Conference Invitation Official: Boise State Accepts

Blue Through and Through has been telling you for weeks now that Boise State would join the Big West Conference and today, the university made it official.

Boise State will rejoin the Big West for men's and women's basketball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's golf, women's soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track and field and women's volleyball.  Boise State has been looking for a home for its non-football sports since the Mountain West announced that they would not allow the school to continue competing in the conference unless its football team was a member also.  The Bronco football team moved up to the Big East earlier this year.

“Boise State’s membership in the Big West Conference complements our Big East Conference football presence and reflects our emerging coast-to-coast profile,” Boise State President Bob Kustra stated.  “We are truly excited by the prospects of competition and collaboration with all these new partners both athletically and academically.  The Big West will be an outstanding home for the majority of our intercollegiate sports and will provide great opportunities for our student-athletes.”

The Boise State wrestling squad will continue to compete in the Pac-12, where it has been one of the dominant teams in the conference over the last decade.

Boise State’s entry fee to join the Big West is $2.5 million which will be paid in five annual payments.  In addition, Boise State will also pay a travel cost per conference visiting team for regular season competitions in Boise at an estimated cost of $750,000 per year, an equity share into the league’s reserve to be determined at a later date and a one-time membership initiation fee estimated at $50,000.

Current schools in the Big West include Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, Hawai’i and Pacific.  Pacific will leave the Big West following the 2012-13 season and join the West Coast Conference.

Like Boise State, San Diego State will join the Big West in 2013 for the majority of its non-football sports.  San Diego State’s football team is joining the Big East with Boise State prior to the 2013 season.

Boise State was a member of the Big West for all sports, including football, from July 1, 1996 to June 30, 2001.  Boise State joined the WAC on July 1, 2001 and was a member of that league for 10 years before joining the Mountain West on July 1, 2011.  

Sources: Boise State Accepts Big West Invitation

According to my sources, Boise State has officially accepted an invitation to the Big West Conference.  We will work to confirm this and have further information soon.

Boise State Volleyball Team Debuts Friday Night

Boise State has an opportunity this weekend to advance their program; the Broncos take on #14 Washington in the season opener Friday night in Seattle.  First serve is at 8 p.m. Mountain Time.  Coach Shawn Garus and the Broncos stay in the Emerald City to meet Portland State Saturday at 11, then will meet Gonzaga tomorrow night at 5:30.

Lady Bronco Soccer Team Travels for Pair This Weekend

The unbeaten Boise State soccer team is in Pullman for a 4 p.m. game Friday with the Cougars.  The Broncos then take on Gonzaga Sunday afternoon at 1.  Washington State defeated Gonzaga last week, 3-0 in its only match this season and is looking to repeat its success last season, when WSU advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  Gonzaga enters the weekend with a 1-1 mark this year.

As usual, you'll get updates and the final score here before anywhere else in the state.  (At Blue Through and Through, we don't just care about Boise State football, but all news regarding our Broncos.)

Building a Program: The Goal of the 2012 Boise State Volleyball Team

Under coach Shawn Garus, the Boise State volleyball team posted its first back-to-back winning seasons in 15 years.  Gurus's challenge will be to continue the momentum and build a program.

Garus must replace three full-time starters who graduated; two of those were three-year starters.  Garus is aware of the challenge and is expecting his younger players to step up this fall:

"It is going to be a challenge for us with the schedule and all the new faces. We lost some key impact players last year, but we do have some talented and experienced returners coming back," said Garus. "We have a solid core group of four players in our three seniors Liz Harden, Fiona Jones and Kersti  Whitney, along with our junior setter Casey Rose. They have all seen a lot of match time, we are going to need them to take control of the team and provide the leadership. But the younger players and newcomers are going to have to step up as well with energy, competitiveness and consistency in order for us to be successful." 

Boise State faces three teams that played in the 2011 NCAA Tournament--Washington, Arizona and American, in addition to playing their final season in the Mountain West Conference.  

Here is the 2012 outlook for the Lady Broncos:

Setter

There are all kinds of skills necessary to have a winning volleyball team, not the least of which is a dependable setter.  Without that, a team gives up the advantage on every point.  Without a proper set, or pass, the hitters cannot place the ball where they need to in order to catch the opponent off guard.  As Garus mentioned, Casey Rose is back and is the only returner with experience.  Rose came off the bench in all 31 matches, but was second on the team with 469 assists.  Rose also proved to be a dangerous server, recording 30 aces, also second on the Broncos.  

But Rose isn't alone--true freshman Sarah Baugh has arrived on campus and is eager to show what she can do.  Baugh was a two-time Olympic League MVP in leading North Kitsap High School to back-to-back Washington state tournament appearances.  Baugh is good enough to play right away.

Outside Hitter:

With two returning starters (Harden and Jones), this is a position of strength for the Broncos.  Harden is a three-year starter who led the team in kills last year.  

Jones started last year until suffering an injury.  Jones posted 194 kills in 2/3 of the season last year. 

Taylor Murphey continued to improve last year and started in five matches in place of Jones.  In 20 matches, Murphey had 41 kills and 15 blocks and the sophomore will need to continue to grow for Boise State to be successful.

Redshirt freshman Katelyn Kinghorn is ready to contribute after a good spring.  The former all-state performer from Rigby, Idaho excels at ball control and defensive passing, qualities that could greatly help this team.  Alyssa Gammel is a transfer from Virginia Tech who will immediately challenge for the starting job at outside hitter.  If Gammel is set up well, she'll blast the ball past opponents and Boise State is blessed to have her services this fall.  Janessa White signed a letter of intent and comes to Boise as the MVP of her conference while at South Salem High School in Oregon.  White is one of five players who are six feet or taller on the roster, meaning Garus is well on his way to bringing size and athleticism to the Bronco program.

Middle Blocker

Returning starter Brittany Reardon and part-time starter Leah Stevens are back to stabilize the middle blockers for the Broncos.  Reardon recorded the second-best season for hitting percentage in school history as a redshirt freshman last year and she's going to be a star for Boise State.  Reardon led the Mountain West and was 31st in the country with 35.5% and was second on the team with 78 blocks.  Reardon has to continue to improve her game and will be a force on the Bronco squad for three more years.

Stevens started 10 games last season and finished with 79 kills and 40 blocks.  Stevens can also move to the outside when needed, but Stevens has the athleticism and ability to be a key factor this fall.

Sarah Webster redshirted last season and is ready to play after a good spring.  Webster was a two-time conference player of the year at Palm Springs High School in California.  Aly Duffin is another transfer, coming to Boise from Georgia Southern.  Duffin is a three-time all-conference high school star from California that will also challenge for a starting position.  In fact, this position is so loaded that one or more of these players could start on the outside.

Libero and Defensive Specialists:

Kersti Whitney started at defensive specialist last year but is projected to move to libero this fall.  The Bronco senior has three years experience on defense but is versatile enough to move to libero.  Whitney was third on the team with 205 digs last year.  Kristyn Kirschenman played in 29 matches last year and recorded 89 digs.  The sophomore could play either position and is a reliable server.

Jackie Pyles was a Michigan honorable mention all-state performer and will play a key role if she does not redshirt.

All Bronco home matches will be in Bronco Gym.  Admission to all Bronco games is $6 for adults, $4 for high school students or younger and $4 for seniors.  Boise State students can cheer on the Lady Broncos for free with presentation of their student I.D. card.  The Boise State All Sports Pass, something our booster group helped bring about, is your best bet if you count yourself as a Bronco regular attendee.  The All-Sports Pass is just $50 and gets you admission to all sports except football and men's basketball.

Drawings of the Proposed Boise State Alumni Center

The proposed new Boise State Alumni Center is on the agenda for September 10 at the Planning and Development meeting:

Taylor Tharp Now at Texas

Taylor Tharp, the last quarterback to start at Boise State not named Kellen Moore, has joined the staff at Texas as a graduate assistant.  Tharp of course will assist former Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin in Austin.

Bronco Volleyball Team Ready to Begin 2012 Season

The Boise State volleyball team is set to premiere its 2012 squad in a trio of games this weekend.  The Broncos travel to Seattle for a battle with the University of Washington Friday night at 8 p.m., Mountain time.  They'll stay in Seattle for a pair of games against Portland State and Gonzaga on Saturday.

Blue Through and Through will have a complete preview of the Lady Broncos later this week.

Boise State Announces Women's Basketball Schedule

The Boise State women's basketball team has scheduled 10 games with teams that played in the postseason last year, according to the schedule released by the team this morning.

Defending NCAA participants San Diego State, Fresno State and Idaho State make up five of those games as part of the Lady Broncos' 29-game schedule this year.  Syracuse, UNLV, the University of San Diego, the University of South Dakota and the University of Missouri-Kansas City all played in the NIT last season.

The nonconference home schedule includes: North Dakota State University (Nov. 13), Idaho State (Nov. 20), Eastern Washington University (Dec. 7), Carroll College (Dec. 9), University of Portland (Dec. 16), University of South Dakota (Dec. 22) and the College of Idaho (Jan. 2). In addition, there will be a home exhibition contest versus instate-school Lewis-Clark State College as part of a doubleheader on Friday, Nov. 2. 
The Mountain West Championship Tournament will be held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., on the campus of UNLV March 12-16, 2013, with all nine teams advancing to the competition.  

Admission for Boise State home games is $6 for adults, $4 for children high school age or younger and $4 for senior citizens.  If you are planning on going to see several games, the Boise State All Sports Pass may be your best deal--it admits you to all Boise State games except football and men's basketball (or basketball doubleheaders).  For $50, you get access to all of the above.

The complete Bronco women's schedule is below:


DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME LOCATION
Nov. 2 Fri.  LEWIS-CLARK STATE - Doubleheader Exhibition TBA Taco Bell Arena
Nov. 9 Fri. at Utah Valley 7 pm Orem, Utah
Nov. 13 Tue.  NORTH DAKOTA STATE - Doubleheader 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Nov. 15 Thu. at Weber State 7 pm Ogden, Utah
Nov. 20 Tue.  IDAHO STATE 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Nov. 24 Sat. at San Francisco 3 pm San Francisco, Calif.
at AIR FORCE CLASSIC (Nov. 30 - Dec. 1)
Nov. 30 Fri. vs. San Diego  7:30 pm Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dec. 1 Sat. vs. UMKC  2 pm Colorado Springs, Colo.
Dec. 7 Fri.  EASTERN WASHINGTON 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Dec. 9 Sun.  CARROLL 2 pm  Taco Bell Arena
Dec. 16 Sun.  PORTLAND  2 pm Taco Bell Arena
Dec. 22 Sat.  SOUTH DAKOTA 1 pm Taco Bell Arena
Dec. 30 Sat. at Syracuse 11 am Syracuse, N.Y.
Jan. 2 Wed.  COLLEGE OF IDAHO 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 9 Wed.  WYOMING* 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 16 Wed. at New Mexico* 7 pm Albuquerque, N.M.
Jan. 19 Sat.  AIR FORCE* 2 pm Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 23 Wed. at Fresno State* 8 pm Fresno, Calif.
Jan. 26 Sat.  NEVADA* 2 pm Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 30 Wed.  COLORADO STATE* 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 2 Sat. at UNLV* 4 pm Las Vegas, Nev.
Feb. 6 Wed.  SAN DIEGO STATE* 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 9 Sat. at Wyoming* 2 pm Laramie, Wyo.
Feb. 16 Sat.  NEW MEXICO* 2 pm Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 20 Wed. at Air Force* 7 pm USAFA, Colo.
Feb. 23 Sat.  FRESNO STATE* 2 pm Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 27 Wed. at Nevada* 8 pm Reno, Nev.
March 3 Sat. at Colorado State* 2 pm Fort Collins, Colo.
March 6 Wed.  UNLV* 7 pm Taco Bell Arena
March 9 Sat. at San Diego State* 3 pm San Diego, Calif.
MOUNTAIN WEST TOURNAMENT (March 12-16)
March 12 Tue. First Round 8:30 pm Las Vegas, Nev.
March 14 Thu. Quarterfi nals   TBA Las Vegas, Nev.
March 15 Fri. Semifi nals   TBA Las Vegas, Nev.
March 16 Sat. Championship 8 pm Las Vegas, Nev.
Home Games are in BOLD  *Mountain West game All times are MOUNTAIN

Chamberlain Qualifies for U.S. World University Team

Boise State senior Jason Chamberlain downed 2012 NCAA Champion Frank Molinaro to win the freestyle 66 kg division at the World University Trials over the weekend and will represent the United States at the World University Games in Finland this October.  

Chamberlain qualified into the final after winning the University National Freestyle Championships in June.  Molinaro won the challenge bracket, advancing to the best-of-three final.  Chamberlain won the first period of the first round, 3-0 and earned the tiebreak of the second period. In round two, Molinari won the first period, 1-0, but Chamberlain won two consecutive periods (3-0m, 1-0) to earn his place on the American freestyle team.

Former Bronco Andrew Hochstrasser was one win away from the final in the 60 kg division.  Hochstrasser won his first to matches before losing to three-time All-American Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois in the Challenge Finals.  Adam Hall of Boise State was third at 66 kg.  Brian Owen wrestled in the same bracket as Hochstrasser, finishing 1-2 on the day.

Bronco Soccer Team Moves to 2-0

The exciting Boise State soccer team powered their way to a 4-1 win over North Dakota State to wrap up the Holiday Inn Classic at the Boas Tennis and Soccer Complex yesterday.

Katy Oehring booted her fourth career goal in the 13th minute, hitting a free kick just past the near post from 20 yards away.  It was the only goal of the first half, but the Broncos came out strong in the second, scoring three goals in less than 11 minutes.  Senior Lauren Hickok set up freshman Anna Popma with a volley that Popma sent in from five yards out, giving Popma her first collegiate goal.  Shannon Schuren scored in the 74th minute as she took a pass from Mandy Nader and let fly a 35-yarder that bounced over McCormick and into the net.  Hickok scored in the 82nd minute, set up by a booming kick by Ashley Hruby, which surprised the Bison defense.  Hickok was one-on-one with Bison goalkeeper Katie McCormick, and her goal made it 3-1.  

For the second game, the aggressive Broncos dominated, holding a 21-5 shot advantage.  

So Boise State won their tournament, and the Lady Broncos know that if they play aggressive, they have their best chance to win.  That's a strategy they can take to Pullman this Friday and beat Washington State with.

Boise State Soccer Team Starts Out the Season Right

One game.  One win.  One at a time girls.  This could be a special season for you but take a cue from the football team--don't get too high and don't get too low.

Junior Rebe Wolverton booted in the game-winner in the 67th minute, finishing a great pass from Tylyn Hughes as Boise State edged New Mexico State 1-0 at the Boas Tennis and Soccer Complex yesterday.

The Broncos were the aggressors throughout, getting seven shots in the first half, but it was Wolverton's kick to start out the second half that found the net, the fourth goal of Rebe's career.  New Mexico State had a chance to tie in the 88th minute with a free kick but a wall of Bronco defenders blocked the shot.  

Talented freshman Anna Popma proved her worth right away, leading the team with four shots.  Her shot in the 28th minute just hit the crossbar.  Sophomore Maddy McDevitt earned the win in the net for Coach Steve Lewis's Broncos. 

"That was a good showing by the entire team," said head coach Steve Lucas. "It's a great way to start the season and gives us some momentum heading into Sunday but we know we still have things we can improve on and work to do in order to get to where we want to be."

Boise State faces North Dakota State tomorrow afternoon in the final game of the Holiday Inn Classic.  The Bison lost to Idaho State 3-2 in overtime yesterday.

Bronco Soccer Team Kicks Off 2012 Season

A few weeks ago, Blue Through and Through gave you a detailed look at the 2012 Boise State soccer team and told you there's plenty of talent on the squad.  This weekend, Coach Steve Lucas's team opens the season by hosting the Holiday Inn Classic at the Boas Tennis and Soccer Complex off of Boise Avenue in Boise.

Boise State meets New Mexico State tomorrow at 6 p.m. and has a match scheduled against North Dakota State Sunday at 2 p.m.  Idaho State will also be participating in the Classic but will not face Boise State.  

Tickets are just $6 for adults and $4 for youth and seniors.  Members of the military, veterans, police, firefighters or first responders received the group rate of $4 each.

Boise State Volleyball Team Picked to Finish 7th

The Boise State volleyball team is practicing for the fall season and got extra
inspiration when the Mountain West coaches selected them 7th in a preseason poll.
Blue Through and Through will have a complete look at the Lady Broncos soon!


2012 MOUNTAIN WEST PRESEASON COACHES' POLL 

Pl.      Team (1st place votes)    Points 
1.      Colorado State (8) . . . . . . . 80
2.      San Diego State . . . . . . . . 69
3.      Wyoming (1) . . . . . . . . . . . 66
4.      Fresno State . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.      UNLV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
6.      New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . .  40
7.      Boise State . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
8.      Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
9.      Air Force . . . . . . . . . . . . .  11

Boise State's Mountain West Conference Basketball Schedule

DATE	DAY	OPPONENT	LOCATION
Jan. 9	Wednesday	at Wyoming	Laramie, Wyo.
Jan. 16	Wednesday	New Mexico	Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 19	Saturday	at Air Force	USAFA, Colo.
Jan. 23	Wednesday	Fresno State	Taco Bell Arena
Jan. 26	Saturday	at Nevada	Reno, Nev.
Jan. 30	Wednesday	at Colorado State	Fort Collins, Colo.
Feb. 2	Saturday	UNLV	Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 6	Wednesday	at San Diego State	San Diego
Feb. 9	Saturday	Wyoming	Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 16	Saturday	at New Mexico	Albuquerque, N.M.
Feb. 20	Wednesday	Air Force	Taco Bell Arena
Feb. 23	Saturday	at Fresno State	Fresno, Calif.
Feb. 27	Wednesday	Nevada	Taco Bell Arena
March 2	Saturday	Colorado State	Taco Bell Arena
March 6	Wednesday	at UNLV	Las Vegas
March 9	Saturday	San Diego State	Taco Bell Arena

Shea McClellin Causes Terror in NFL Debut

Former Boise State star Shea McClellin had a sack on the first series of his first NFL exhibition game with the Chicago Bears, sacking the Denver Bronco QB.  He also clogged up the middle repeatedly, forcing his opponent to be flagged for holding, and nearly caused an interception.  Great debut for Shea in limited duty.

Felix Pulls Out of Decathlon

We have a breaking story in Idaho and unfortunately, not a good one.

Kurt Felix, who was in 12th place after Day One of the decathlon at the Summer Olympics in London, has withdrawn from competition.  Felix tweaked a hamstring during the running of the 400 meters yesterday and, although his coach indicated he would be fine, has dropped out of the London games.

Best of luck on healing, Kurt, and with the experience in London, you'll be more than prepared for 2016!  We're proud of all you've accomplished!