No. 17 Boise State and star running back Ashton Jeanty take on Hawaii on the islands
HONOLULU (AP) — As Boise State continues its climb up the national rankings, the team’s attitude has not changed. Spencer Danielson simply won’t allow it.
In his first full season leading the 17th-ranked Broncos (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West), Danielson has ensured the perennial Mountain West frontrunners have remained focused on the task at hand, and this week’s game at Hawaii (2-3, 0-1) is no different.
“We’re going to get Hawaii’s best football they’ve played all year Saturday night and we are working hard to make sure they see ours and whatever that looks like at the end of the game, it looks like that. But we know we’re going to get their best and we’ve got to earn the right to give ours, too,” Danielson said.
Since a 37-34 loss at Oregon on Sept. 7, Boise State has won three straight.
The Broncos, who have scored 45 or more points in every game except the loss to the Ducks, climbed four spots in this week’s AP Top 25. Danielson, however, keeps his daily focus on the effort and execution of his players in practices.
“That’s what this team is about, is what you do in practice is what you’ll do in a game,” he said.
Danielson isn’t overlooking the Rainbow Warriors, who are 2-1 at home this season, nor the many off-the-field hindrances that may come with a visit to the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
“We know we’re playing a really good Hawaii team and we’ve got to deal with the flight, the distractions, the beach, the time change — there are a lot of things that are against us — and they’ve played teams extremely well off the island, but even more on the island, so it’s a battle for us. They have the top-ranked defense in our conference; we’ve got to come ready to play in all three phases,” Danielson said.
Jeanty’s run for the Heisman
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has established himself as a serious Heisman Trophy contender with a number of stellar performances. He ran for 267 yards and six touchdowns in the season opener against Georgia Southern. A week later, Jeanty carried 25 times for 192 yards and three TDs at Oregon. He also gashed Washington State for 259 yards and four TDs.
“He’s a great player,” Hawaii coach Timmy Chang said of the 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior.
Jeanty leads the nation in rushing yards and rushing TDs, among other categories. Through the Broncos’ first five games, Jeanty has collected four Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Week awards.
“Right now as it stands, not too many people have been able to really slow him down and stop him with what he’s been able to do, and in football it’s not just a credit to just him and his ability, but it’s also to the team’s success and their coaching as well. So it’s pretty special that he’s doing what he’s doing but we get an opportunity to stop him and try to stop them as a team,” Chang said.
Broncos jockeying for position
The expansion of the College Football Playoff from four to 12 teams this season assures that the highest-rated conference champion from the Group of 5 will have a seat at the table. Boise State is currently well-positioned as the lone non-Power Four member in the AP Top 25 this week. The first of six CFP rankings will be released on Nov. 5.
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