The Boise State Broncos have been the premier program in the Mountain West for some time now, only failing to reach the conference championship game once in the last eight seasons. The Broncos have won four of those seven appearances, including consecutive Mountain West Championships in the past two seasons (both over UNLV).
Plenty will be made of the loss of Ashton Jeanty, who’s just about as good of a running back prospect as you could image. While Jeanty is an upgrade over any backfield in the country, I also don’t think we should overreact to his departure. Boise is still the most talented team in the conference, and returns plenty of top tier talent. The Broncos return 14 total starters, with a balanced seven on each side of the ball. Boise led the nation with 55 sacks last season, and while some production is lost, it can afford a step back in the front seven, especially with the secondary projected to improve.
The spotlight will be on the Jeanty-less offense, but Maddux Madsen returning provides veteran stability at the quarterback position. Madsen returns two of his top-three pass catchers, and an elite offensive line. Four of five starters on the OL return, including a pair of NFL prospects, according to Phil Steele. The experience on the OL is crucial, with six players that’ve been starters at one point in time. There’s depth to this unit. Professional handicapper, Brad Powers, is on the record that his power rankings project the Broncos to be a touchdown better than any other team, not just in the Mountain West, but in the entire Group of Five.
Boise tests itself at Notre Dame this season, which keeps me away from the win total, and on the conference as the strongest angle. The Broncos are a massive -400 favorite just to reach the Mountain West Title Game, and would be favored against any opponent. Playing the -130 to win the conference feels light, given the lofty numbers on Boise in other markets. This squad has a decent chance to return to the College Football Playoff.
CFB Mountain West Conference Champion: Boise State Broncos (-130) – 1-unit (7/28), Boise State Broncos (-140) – 1-unit (8/1 added another unit)
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