The 2006 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Broncos won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship with an undefeated 12–0 regular-season record (8–0 in the WAC), their second unbeaten regular season in the past three years. This was also Boise State's fifth consecutive season with at least a share of the WAC title, and the fourth in that period in which they went unbeaten in conference play. They became only the second team from outside the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) to play in a BCS bowl game when they faced Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, defeating the Sooners in a dramatic thriller.
The Broncos completed the first undefeated and untied season in school history with a 43–42 overtime win over the Sooners. The Broncos led most of the game, but fell behind late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jared Zabransky threw an interception that was returned for an Oklahoma touchdown. They tied the game on a 50-yard hook and lateral play that ended in a touchdown with 7 seconds left. In the overtime, Sooners star running back Adrian Peterson scored a touchdown on the first play of Oklahoma's possession. Zabransky led the Broncos on a touchdown drive, capped off by a trick play in which backup receiver Vinny Peretta connected with tight end Derek Schouman on a fourth-down pass. They then gambled for the win on a two-point conversion, and tried another trick play. The Broncos ran a play very similar to the Statue of Liberty play, with Zabransky looking toward three receivers before handing the ball off behind his back to star running back Ian Johnson, who ran into the end zone untouched for the win. The play would later be named the second greatest highlight of all time in a 2008 ESPN Sportscenter poll, behind Mike Eruzione's goal against the Soviets in the 1980 Miracle on Ice.
Due to Florida's 41–14 thrashing of previously unbeaten Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game, the Broncos ended the season as the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I football, as no other team in Division I-AA (officially known as the "Football Championship Subdivision") finished undefeated (Three teams in lower divisions finished unbeaten: Grand Valley State in Division II, Mount Union in Division III, and Sioux Falls in NAIA.)
The Broncos play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the "Smurf-turf."
Pre-season The 2006 Broncos were an overwhelming favorite in the league's Preseason Media Poll to win the WAC title. They returned more starters than any other team in Division I FBS football—nine on offense and nine on defense, as well as their placekicker and punter. Among the returning starters was quarterback Jared Zabransky, whose 20 wins in the previous two seasons was the most by any returning quarterback in Division I FBS.
Pre-season awards Korey Hall Dick Butkus Award watch list
Ian Johnson Walter Camp Award watch list Doak Walker Award watch list
Jared Zabransky Maxwell Award watch list Davey O'Brien Award watch list
During the season The Broncos started the season unranked in both the Coaches Poll or the AP Poll, and would not enter the polls until they had won their first three games. They steadily rose in the rankings mainly on the strength of an offense that finished the regular season second in scoring. The keys to their offense were running back Ian Johnson, who was the nation's leading scorer and second in rushing yards per game, and Zabransky, eighth in passing efficiency. Due to their threats on both the ground and in the air, they were one of only two teams in the country to rush and pass for over 200 yards per game (the other being Oklahoma State). In a more obscure statistic, they led the country in percentage of fourth-down conversions, converting 15 of 19 attempts.
The Broncos played five bowl-bound teams during the season—Oregon State, their only opponent from one of the six BCS conferences; Utah; and conference rivals Hawaii, San Jose State, and Nevada. Four out of five of these teams won their bowl game. The only loser, Nevada, lost by one point. Notably, they put a 42–14 defeat on an Oregon State team that would later in the season end the 38-game regular-season winning streak of USC.
Postseason awards Chris Petersen Paul "Bear" Bryant Award winner AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year finalist
Korey Hall WAC Defensive Player of the Year Lott Trophy quarterfinalist
Ian Johnson Doak Walker Award semifinalist Walter Camp Award final watchlist
Jared Zabransky Maxwell Award semifinalist Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player Cover athlete of NCAA Football 08 video game
2007 Espy Awards Best Game - 2007 Fiesta Bowl Best Play - Fiesta Bowl Statue of Liberty
Schedule
Rankings
Roster 2006 Boise State Broncos football roster Wide receivers 1 Jerard Rabb† - Senior 4 Legedu Naanee - Senior 9 Jeremy Childs - Freshman 11 Drisan James† - Senior 19 Xavier Lucas - Freshman 19 Vinny Perretta - Sophomore 21 Toshi Franklin - Sophomore 45 Jovan Hutchinson - Senior 83 Nick Harris - Sophomore 84 Aiona Key - Freshman 87 Tanyon Bissell - Sophomore
Offensive guards 61 Jeff Biedermann - Junior 64 Pete Cavender* - Junior 64 Jeff Cavender† - Junior 65 Cameron Filkins - Freshman 66 Tad Miller† - Junior
Offensive tackles 60 Andrew Woodruff† - Sophomore 70 Tony Volponi - Senior 71 Ryan Keating - Senior 75 Dan Gore - Junior 77 Ben Iannacchione - Sophomore 79 Ryan Clady† - Sophomore
Centers 69 Jadon Dailey† - Senior 78 Paul Lucariello - Freshman
Offensive linemen 62 Kevin Sapien - Freshman 68 Mitch Rudder - Freshman 72 Matt Slater - Freshman 76 Jon Gott - Sophomore Tight ends 39 Ryan Putnam - Junior 40 Richie Brockel - Freshman 49 Jared Hunter - Senior 80 Peter Elliott - Junior 82 Julian Hawkins - Sophomore 85 Tommy Gallarda - Freshman 86 Sherm Blaser - Senior 88 Chris O'Neill - Sophomore 91 Derek Schouman† - Senior
Fullbacks 30 Michael Lose - Junior 34 Brad Lau† - Senior 37 Michael Orris -
Quarterbacks 3 Bush Hamdan - Sophomore 5 Jared Zabransky† - Senior 7 Michael Coughlin - Sophomore 10 Taylor Tharp - Junior 15 Nick Lomax - Freshman
Running backs 27 Jeremy Avery - Freshman 28 Jarvis Hodge - Freshman 32 Andy Silsby - Freshman 33 Jon Helmandollar - Junior 35 Brett Denton - Junior 41 Ian Johnson† - Sophomore
Defensive ends 48 Kapono Rawlins-Crivello - Freshman 53 Sean Bingham - Sophomore 74 Mike Dominguez - Senior (starting long snapper) 93 Mike T. Williams - Sophomore 96 Mike G. Williams† - Senior 97 Nick Schlekeway† - Junior 98 Ryan Winterswyk - Freshman
Defensive tackles 57 Andrew Browning† - Senior 59 Will Lawrence - Freshman 67 Joe Bozikovich - Sophomore 90 Ian Smart - Junior 92 Dennis Ellis† - Senior 94 Phillip Edwards - Sophomore 95 Sione Tavaki - Junior 99 Steven Reveles - Junior Linebackers 13 Mike Altieri - Junior 24 Tim Brady - Sophomore 25 Korey Hall† - Senior 31 Colt Brooks† - Senior 43 David Shields† - Sophomore 44 Kyle Gingo - Sophomore 51 Dallas Dobbs - Sophomore 52 Derrell Acrey - Freshman 55 Garrett Tuggle - Sophomore 56 Josh Bean - Junior
Cornerbacks 6 Rashaun Scott - Junior 8 Orlando Scandrick† - Sophomore 16 Tristan Patin - Freshman 22 Kyle Wilson† - Freshman 23 Quinton Jones - Senior (starting return specialist) 26 Ia Falo - Junior 29 Evan Surratt - Freshman 37 Austin Smith - Junior
Safeties 2 Gerald Alexander† - Senior 14 Jason Robinson - Freshman 18 Ellis Powers - Sophomore 20 Marty Tadman† - Junior 36 Seth Anderson - Freshman 38 Jeron Johnson - Freshman 46 Jon Barry Van Hoogen - Sophomore
Punters 42 Kyle Stringer† - Senior (also holder)
Kickers 47 Anthony Montgomery† - Senior † Starter at position * Injured; did not play in 2006.
References