Why Boise State Dominated Oregon but Lost the Game [photos]

The Big 10 Network, NBC, and the over fifty-eight thousand fans at Autzen Stadium didn't do the Boise State Broncos any favors Saturday night. The Broncos, who were picked to lose their game against the Ducks, narrowly lost a squeaker in front of a national audience on something called the Peacock.

A game that was more fun and competitive than any other college game, with the exception of Notre Dame losing to Northern Illinois, deserved an audience on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, or ESPN. Instead, diehard fans had to subscribe to NBC's streaming service, so unknown commercial breaks were replaced with endless promos of TV shows past and present. The game was a classic.

(Editor's Note: I am not a Broncos fan but an objective observer. With that declaration in writing, Boise State should've won the game.) The Broncos of the Mountain West and Group of Five were not pushed around by the much-hyped preseason favorite Oregon Ducks.

Dan Lanning should be very thankful that his team scored on a punt and kickoff returns for touchdowns. Without those two plays, the Broncos win by at least two touchdowns. The Ducks struggled to stop a Boise offense with more questions than answers heading into the showdown at Autzen.

Boise State outrushed the Ducks 221-110, won the turnover battle 2-0, and led at halftime. Sadly, the Ducks prevailed, and Boise State lost the game, but their performance Saturday night reinforces the belief of many that they're the Group of Five favorites for the college football playoff.

The team opens at home next week against Portland State—time to load up the bandwagon.

Can anyone stop Ashton Jeanty? The Heisman hype continues as the Boise State running back produced another game of impressive statistics. Thanks to Bronco Athletics for the following stats.

- Ashton Jeanty rushed for 3+ touchdowns for the second time this season and the fourth time in his career.

- Jeanty's 70-yard touchdown dash in the fourth quarter marked the junior's third 70+ rushing touchdown of the season.

- Jeanty's 7.7 yards per carry makes this the third consecutive season that Boise State has had a player run for over 5.0 yards per carry (minimum 10 attempts) against a Power 4/5 opponent.