Ashton Jeanty rushes for 226 yards, Boise State beats Oregon State 34-18
BOISE, Idaho -- - Ashton Jeanty rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown, Maddux Madsen threw for two TDs and rushed for one, and No. 11 Boise State defeated Oregon State 34-18 Friday.
Jeanty's performance moved him into fifth place among FBS all-time single-season rushing leaders, leaving him 54 yards behind fourth-place Marcus Allen. Jeanty trails record-holder Barry Sanders, who rushed for 2,628 yards in 1988, by 340 yards with at least two more games guaranteed.
Boise State (11-1, No. 11 CFP) remains the top-ranked conference leader among the Group of Five teams vying for the automatic bid in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. The Broncos suffered their lone defeat in September at No. 1 Oregon 37-34.
"We're proud of what we've done this season, but we're not done yet," Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. "We've never won back to back Mountain West championships, and that and the rest of our goals are still ahead of us."
The Broncos will host either Colorado State or UNLV in the Mountain West championship game on Friday with a bid to the playoffs on the line.
"We took a step as a program this week, but we're going to need to take a big one next week," Danielson said.
Oregon State (5-7) ends its first season after the mass exodus from the Pac-12 ineligible for a bowl game.
"Obviously, this season is not how we wanted it to go, but it's a stepping stone for the future," said Oregon State cornerback Skyler Thomas, the team's leading tackler this season. "I'm most definitely planning on coming back."
Boise State built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on an 11-yard pass to Austin Bolt from Madsen and a 7-yard TD run by Jeanty.
The Broncos were poised to add to their lead late in the second quarter when Jeanty broke through the Oregon State line and was headed for end zone when Skyler Thomas punched the ball loose and the Beavers recovered on the 8. It was only the second lost fumble of Jeanty's career.
Two plays later, Anthony Hankerson ripped off an 83-yard TD run to cut the deficit in half with 1:48 remaining in the half.
But Boise State responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive, scoring on a 6-yard pass from Madsen to Latrell Caples with 20 seconds left to take a 21-7 lead into halftime.
Oregon State chipped away at Boise State's lead and pulled within 27-18 early in the fourth quarter but couldn't stop a determined Broncos offense late when the Beavers needed a stop.
Madsen was 17-of-33 passing for 195 yards for Boise State, while Ben Gulbranson threw for 226 yards and a touchdown for Oregon State. Hankerson led the Beavers' rushing attack with 110 yards.
Boise State: It might seem like nitpicking after an 11-1 season, but the Broncos continue to look vulnerable in one aspect on defense-explosive plays. While the defense has carried the team when the offense has sputtered, Boise State entered the game ranked in the bottom third of FBS teams and gave up another six plays over 20 yards to Oregon State. It will need to do better against far better competition on the horizon.
Boise State will play either Colorado State or UNLV at home Friday in the Mountain West Conference championship game.
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