November 25th 2010. One of the best place-kickers in the nation in Boise State's Kyle Brotzman came running onto the field with the special teams unit after Titus Young made a diving catch deep in Nevada territory on a freezing cold night in Reno, Nevada with one second left in the 4th quarter. The score was 31-31 and one thing was going through that team's mind: This is it.
The 2010 Boise State Football team was coming of an impressive Fiesta Bowl win over the TCU Horned Frogs, the second Fiesta Bowl win in school history, and had spent their whole offseason and preseason hearing about Virginia Tech. How they were too tough and too physical for a scrappy little Boise State team. Despite all the talk about how the Hookies would dominate the Broncos, Boise State entered the season at number 3, 7 spots ahead of 10th ranked Virginia Tech. Nobody thought that Boise State had a chance, so naturally when Kellen Moore and a fierce defense downed Virginia Tech in what turned into a 33-30 thriller, the nation was stunned. While the score was close, everyone was amazed at just how physical Boise State played in the first half, taking a 17-0 lead before the Hookies could even get to mid-field.
Boise State was the talk of that weekends and many weekends to come, beating two ranked opponents and showing dominance throughout. The Broncos officially entered the national championship conversation on Saturday Night Football, where the cast of College Gameday and many fans alike would watch a 38-24 beat down of number 24 Oregon State on the blue turf in Boise, Idaho. After the month of September, the Broncos made the statement of why they were number 3 in the nation and October would be no different as the Broncos recorded wins over New Mexico State, Toledo, San Jose State, and Louisiana Tech, blowing out all four teams averaging 53 points a game, while holding opponents to an average 8.5 points per game.
The beginning of November continued the success from October, but as Boise State rolled through Hawaii and Idaho, Nevada was slowly creeping up on the Broncos, climbing the rankings up to number 19. The weekend before traveling to Reno on a snow filled Friday night, Boise State showed some of their first signs of weakness, struggling against Fresno State leading the Bulldogs 17-0 at the half in an eventual 51-0 blowout. Boise State would not get a break as they would turn around to go on the road to Reno the following Friday night.
Both teams felt well prepared going into the game, but it was Boise State who prevailed in the first half, holding Nevada to seven points and forcing Collin Kaepernick into a mistake filled first half for the Wolfpack as the Broncos would take a 24-7 lead at the half. As all college football fans know though, one half does not decide an entire game. Nevada would only score seven points in the 3rd quarter, but they would also hold Boise State to a scoreless one, cutting the lead to 24-14. The 4th quarter brought mayhem as Nevada would score two minutes in and still manage to hold the high flying Broncos to no points, tying the game with five minutes left at 24-24. Seconds later, star Boise State running back Doug Martin would catch a short pass from Kellen Moore and break free for a 76 yard touchdown to regain the lead 31-24. Just when it all seemed to be over with 13 seconds left and a 4th and goal at the 10 yard line, Kaepernick would throw a seven yard touchdown pass to send the crowd into a frenzy, once again making the score an even 31-31.
Most thought overtime at that point but Kellen Moore had different ideas, launching a deep pass to Titus Young who was deep in Nevada territory and somehow someway, he came down with it. That is when one of the best place kickers in the nation in Kyle Brotzman came running onto the field with the special teams unit deep in Nevada territory on a freezing cold night in Reno, Nevada with one second left in the 4th quarter. The score was 31-31 and one thing was going through that team's mind: This is it. This was the Broncos chance to jump Auburn and play Oregon for the national championship. The chance to lead the conversation for a BCS (Bowl Championship Series) game in the Rose Bowl. 35 yards for number 35, who had been strong all season, seemed easy enough for fans. The kick was up. And went wide right. Nevada fans celebrated a near field goal miss as the clock hit zero and overtime was now required. On the first drive of overtime, Kellen Moore would throw incomplete on third down, sending Brotzman back onto the filed to the same exact place he had just kicked. 35 yards once again and Kyle Brotzman would looked shell shocked. Once again, the kick went wide right, giving Nevada the chance to win with a score. The Boise State defense held once again, forcing Nevada to kick a field goal but this time, a 34 yarder went through the uprights and Nevada fans stormed the field. Down goes number four. Down goes the field goal post. Down goes Boise State.
In the hours to follow, death threats would come in, directed towards Kyle Brotzman and other team members. Comments on how Boise State was a joke after losing their first game to a ranked team, comments on how Boise State would never enter the national championship. Team members would band and protect each other as head coach Chris Peterson condemned the public for the comments and threats. Boise State would go on to dismantle Utah State on senior day and Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. The comments and threats still came in, but the Broncos learned to come together as a team and stand up against it. Stand up against the threats and the comments like they had done with every team they played. Standing up to become the example of a team with true companionship.
