Fresno State @ Boise State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 9, 2018 ) Fresno State 17, Boise State 24

For the second straight year, Fresno State and Boise State will meet in the Mountain West championship game on Saturday night. And it's fair to say the two teams are more than a little familiar with each other this time around.

This will be the fourth time in the span of 371 days that the two schools have played. Boise State has won two of those meetings, including 17-14 last year in the title game and 24-17 on Nov. 9, both at Albertsons Stadium, while Fresno State claimed a 28-17 victory at Bulldog Stadium in the first of the four contests on Nov. 25, 2017. "Going there is not new to us, so you know what to expect," Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford said. "We know what a challenge it is to go and play in a hostile environment against a great football team. We have to have a great week of preparation and do everything we can to go there and compete our best and let it all hang out." Both teams were ranked in this week's College Football Playoff rankings -- Boise State is No. 23 and Fresno State is No. 25 -- which means the winner might be in position for a New Years Six Bowl if the only other Group of Five conference team in the rankings -- No. 8 Central Florida, which lost star quarterback McKenzie Milton to a knee injury last week -- were to falter against Memphis earlier Saturday in the American Athletic Conference championship game.

TV: 7:45 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Boise State -2.5

ABOUT FRESNO STATE (10-2, 7-1 Mountain West): This is the fourth Mountain West title game in six seasons for the Bulldogs, who defeated Utah State at home in 2013 but lost at Boise State in both 2014 and 2017 with the Broncos needing a 90-yard drive late in the fourth quarter to pull out last year's contest. Senior quarterback Marcus McMaryion ranks fifth in FBS in completion percentage (70.5 percent) and has passed for 3,283 yards and 24 touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions. Senior wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, who broke Davante Adams' school record for career receptions earlier this season, ranks eighth in the FBS in receptions (87) and seventh in receiving yards (1,267), while junior linebacker Jeff Allison (109 tackles), named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, leads a Bulldog defense that has allowed just 19 touchdowns this season, tied for second-fewest allowed in the FBS behind Mississippi State's 12.

ABOUT BOISE STATE (10-2, 7-1): The Broncos, who are bowl eligible for the 17th consecutive season, bring in a seven-game winning streak including a 33-24 victory over then-No. 14 Utah State last Saturday to clinch the Mountain Division. Junior running back Alexander Mattison had a season-high 200 yards against the Aggies and has rushed for 714 yards and nine touchdowns over the last five games and is tied for fifth in the FBS with 16 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Brett Rypien, named the Mountain West's Offensive Player of the Year, has 29 touchdown passes and seven interceptions and is the leading active passer in the FBS with 13,456 career passing yards, while senior cornerback Tyler Horton, who leads the FBS with four fumble recoveries and has scored five defensive touchdowns in his career, leads a defense that has 37 sacks and leads the nation with 15 fumble recoveries.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Boise State is 113-8 at home on its blue Smurf Turf since 2000, tops in the FBS during that span.

2. Fresno State is tied for fifth in the FBS with 17 interceptions and has allowed 30 points or less in 23 straight games, the longest streak in the FBS.

3. Johnson has caught a pass in 48 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the FBS.

PREDICTION: Boise State 20, Fresno State 17