2012 Maaco Bowl Las Vegas
Saturday, December 22, 2012, 3:30 pm Eastern, TV: ESPN
Washington Huskies vs #19 Boise State Broncos
Sam Boyd Stadium – Las Vegas, Nevada
Opening Line: Boise St -5 1/2
Opening Line: Boise St -5 1/2
Opening Total: 46 1/2
Current Total: 44 1/2
Opening Money Line: Boise St -210 / Washington +180
Current Money Line: Boise St -230 / Washington +190
The 10-2 Boise St Broncos take on the 7-5 Washington Huskies in the Maaco Bowl in Las Vegas. Despite being roughly 500 miles from each other, this is only the second meeting between Boise St and Washington. The Huskies won in Seattle in 2007 24-10. The two teams will play a home and home series in the next two seasons. They will open the season against each other next year in Seattle.
Boise St is 8-4 all time in bowl games. This is their third straight trip to the Las Vegas Bowl game. Boise is playing in their 11th straight bowl game. The Broncos have won three straight bowl games, including 56-24 over Arizona St last year. Washington is 16-15-1 in bowl games all-time. They lost to Baylor 67-56 in the Alamo Bowl last year.
Washington finished 5-4 in the Pac 12 North under coach Steve Sarkisian. The Huskies lost at Washington St to close out the regular season 31-28 to snap a 4 game winning streak for the Huskies. Washington has home wins over San Diego St 21-12, Portland St 52-13, Stanford 17-13, Oregon St 20-17 and Utah 34-15, along with road wins at California 21-13 and last week at Colorado 38-3. The Huskies have additional road losses at LSU 41-3, Oregon 52-21, Arizona 52-17, along with a 24-14 home loss to USC. The Huskies are 7-5 ATS and the total is 4-7 this season.
The Huskies are averaging 347.4 yards per game, including 210.2 passing yards and 137.2 rushing yards.Washington is averaging 23.8 points and giving up exactly the same. Washington is 87th or worse in all offensive categories. On defense, the Huskies are allowing 353 yards per game, including 188.9 passing yards (#16 nationally) and 164.1 rushing yards per game. The Huskies have forced 32 turnovers, and have a turnover margin of +7. The Huskies average 79.9 penalty yards per game and have allowed 34 sacks this year. Washington has forced 26 sacks. The Huskies are 69/192 on third and fourth down conversions, and 35/47 scoring in the red zone with 31 touchdowns. Husky opponents are 69/188 on third and fourth downs, and 32/38 scoring in the red zone with 19 touchdowns. Washington has 3 defensive touchdowns this season.
Washington quarterback Keith Price has completed 243 of 393 passes (61.8%) for 2,486 yards with 18 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He has been sacked 33 times and has one rushing touchdown this season. The leaky offensive line is also why the running game has struggled. Two Husky offensive linemen are listed as out for the bowl game. Running back Bishop Sankey has 259 carries, 1,234 yards and 15 touchdowns, plus 27 catches for 175 yards. Kendyl Taylor has 34 carries for 207 yards, and 14 catches, 110 yards and a touchdown. Running backs Jesse Callier, Joshua Perkins, Willis Wilson and Deontae Cooper are all out for the season. Receiver Kasen Williams has 71 catches, 783 yards and 6 touchdowns. Tight end Austin Sefarian-Jenkins has 63 catches, 791 yards and 6 touchdowns. Besides Sankey no other Husky receiver has more than 18 catches. Fourteen Huskies are listed as questionable or out against Boise St, including 7 defensive players.
Boise St finished tied with San Diego St and Fresno St for the Mountain West title under coach Chris Petersen. All three teams finished 7-1 in the conference, but the Broncos won the tie breaker because they were 10-2 and the the other two were 9-3. Boise St and San Diego St are scheduled to join the Big East next year. The Broncos have losses at Michigan St 17-13 and at home to San Diego St 21-19. The Broncos have won 3 straight game since the SDSU loss. Boise St has home wins over Miami-(Ohio) 39-12, BYU 7-6, Fresno St 20-10, UNLV 32-7, and Colorado St 42-14, along with road wins at New Mexico 32-29, Southern Miss 40-14, Wyoming 45-14, Hawaii 49-14, and at Nevada 27-21 to close out the regular season. The Broncos are 6-6 ATS and the total is 5-7 this season.
Boise St is averaging 390 yards per game on offense, including 216.9 passing and 173.1 rushing yards. The Broncos are outscoring teams 30-15 this season. Boise St is +18 in turnovers with 15 giveaways. The Broncos average 44.4 penalty yards per game and have allowed 9 sacks this season. Boise St is 79/177 on third and fourth down conversions and 45/56 scoring in the red zone with 33 touchdowns. On defense, Boise St is allowing 304.7 yards per game including 163.4 passing and 141.2 rushing yards. Boise St is in the top 10 nationally in total defense, against the pass, and in points allowed. The Broncos are 40th against the run. Boise St has forced 33 turnovers and 34 sacks this season. Bronco opponents are 88/205 on third and fourth down conversions. Boise St has 5 defensive touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Joe Southwick has completed 222 of 333 passes (66.7%) for 2,466 yards with 17 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, along with 35 carries for 82 yards. Back-up quarterback Grant Hedrick has 3 rushing touchdowns. Running back D.J. has 212 carries, 1,065 yards, with 20 catches, 149 yards and a touchdown. Jay Ajayi has 78 carries, 541 yards and 4 touchdowns. Jack Fields, Shane Williams-Rhodes, and Drew Wright will also get some carries. Williams-Rhodes has 2 touchdown runs, along with 24 catches, 137 yards and a touchdown catch.
Receiver Matt Moore has 60 catches, 679 yards and 5 touchdowns. Kirby Moore has 36 catches, 368 yards and a touchdown. Chris Potter has 25 catches, 292 yards and 4 touchdowns. Aaron Burks, Holden Huff, and Geraldo Boldewijn will also get some catches. Huff has 2 touchdown catches. Mitch Burroughs is probable with a wrist injury. Thee tight ends are out for the season. Six defensive players are listed as questionable or out.
Washington is 5-1-1 ATS after gaining less than 275 yards, 4-1 after a straight up loss, after failing to cover, and overall, 15-6-1 on fieldturf, 7-3 after allowing 280 passing yards or more, 16-33-2 after allowing 100 rushing yards or less, 3-11-1 after rushing for less than 100 yards, and 1-5-2 against Mountain West teams.
Boise St is 6-0 ATS in neutral site games, 4-0 in bowl games, 5-1 in non-conference games, 16-5 after allowing 200 rushing yards or more, 6-2-1 against Pac 12 teams, 1-4 after a straight up win and on fieldturf, 1-5 after rushing for more than 200 yards, and 1-6 against teams with winning records.
Both teams have good if not great defenses, and the offenses struggle at times. This should a be a relatively low scoring game. While it doesn’t have the famous blue turf that Broncos Stadium does in Boise, the Broncos have made Sam Boyd Stadium in Vegas almost a home away from home. The Broncos win handily.
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