Ashton Jeanty rushes for 226 yards, Boise State beats Oregon State 34-18

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Ashton Jeanty rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown, Maddux Madsen threw for two TDs and rushed for one, and No. 11 Boise State beat Oregon State 34-18 on Friday.

Jeanty’s performance moved him into fifth place among the all-time FBS single-season rushing leaders and left him 54 yards behind fourth-place finisher Marcus Allen. Jeanty is 340 yards behind record holder Barry Sanders, who rushed for 2,628 yards in 1988, with at least two more games guaranteed.

Boise State (11-1, No. 11 CFP) remains the top-ranked conference leader among Group of Five teams vying for an automatic bid to the first 12 College Football Playoffs. The Broncos suffered their only loss in September at No. 1 Oregon 37-34.

“We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished this season, but we’re not done yet,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “We have never won back-to-back Mountain West championships, and that and the rest of our goals are still ahead of us.”

The Broncos host either Colorado State or UNLV in the Mountain West championship game on Friday, with a spot in the playoffs on the line.

“We took a step this week as a program, but next week we need to take a big step,” Danielson said.

Oregon State (5-7) is finishing its first season after the mass exodus of the Pac-12, which is ineligible for a bowl game.

“Obviously this season isn’t going the way we wanted it to, but it’s a stepping stone for the future,” said Oregon State cornerback Skyler Thomas, the team’s leading tackler this season. “I definitely plan on coming back.”

Boise State built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to an 11-yard pass from Madsen to Austin Bolt and a 7-yard touchdown from Jeanty.

The Broncos were close to extending their lead late in the second quarter when Jeanty broke through the Oregon State line and headed toward the end zone when Skyler Thomas knocked the ball loose and the Beavers rallied on the 8th. It was only the second lost fumble of Jeanty’s career.

Two plays later, Anthony Hankerson hit an 83-yard TD run to cut the deficit in half with 1:48 left 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 fought back against Boise State’s lead and got 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.

Oregon State: The Beavers, who lost 25 players to the transfer portal a year ago, will begin 2025 in conference limbo as they await Pac-12 reorganization in the 2026 season. And that means first-year coach Trent Bray’s offseason priority will be retaining his key players and strengthening his squad.

Boise State: It may seem like a small thing after an 11-1 season, but the Broncos continue to look vulnerable in one way when it comes to defensive plays. With the defense carrying the team when the offense stalled, Boise State came into the game ranked in the bottom third of FBS teams and allowed Oregon State another six plays of 20 yards. It has to assert itself against the much stronger competition on the horizon.

Oregon State has completed its 2024 regular season and will host California on August 30 to open the 2025 season.

Boise State will face either Colorado State or UNLV at home on Friday in the Mountain West Conference championship game.

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