Field Level Media
Nov 17, 2018
Boise State senior quarterback Brett Rypien threw three touchdown passes to senior receiver Sean Modster to lead Boise State to a 45-14 victory over New Mexico on Friday night in Mountain West play at Albuquerque, N.M.
Sophomore linebacker Desmond Williams scored on a fumble return to help the No. 25 Broncos (9-2, 6-1 MW) to their sixth straight win while handing New Mexico its sixth straight loss. Rypien was 17-of-27 passing for 222 yards, with Modster collecting 129 yards while setting career highs for receptions (nine) and touchdown receptions.
Junior running back Alexander Mattison rushed for a season-high 145 yards, his third 100-yard outing in the past four games and fourth of the season. Mattison raised his season total to 1,015 to top 1,000 for the second straight campaign.
Redshirt freshman Marcus Hayes scored on an 86-yard punt return for the Lobos (3-8, 1-6). Redshirt freshman running back Daevon Vigilant rushed for a touchdown for New Mexico, which was outgained 449-262.
Rypien and Modster teamed up for the third time early in the third quarter. Modster caught the pass in the right flat and was able to scrape the football off the pylon to complete a 5-yard scoring play to give the Broncos a 31-7 lead with 11:07 left.
Hayes pulled New Mexico within 17 with his dazzling return with 10:50 left in the final stanza. It was the first punt-return TD for the Lobos since 2002.
Mattison followed with a 41-yard touchdown scamper to give Boise State a 38-14 lead with 8:18 remaining.
Freshman running back Andrew Van Buren tacked on an 8-yard scoring run with 1:14 remaining.
Rypien passed for 170 yards in the first half as the Broncos took a 24-7 halftime lead.
Rypien connected with Modster on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 12:42 left in the first quarter, and then found him from 16 yards 10-plus minutes later to make it 14-0.
The Lobos got on the board on a 1-yard run by Vigilant with 13:07 left in half, but made the costly miscue on their next drive. Williams stripped the ball from senior running back Zahneer Shuler and it bounced off a teammate and back into his hands as he darted 9 yards for the score to make it 21-7 with 9:38 remaining.
Senior Haden Hoggarth kicked a 34-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in the half to give Boise State the 17-point halftime advantage.
--Field Level Media