Big bounce back: Fresno State pulls off upset special on Boise State’s blue turf.

Of all the Fresno State teams to come into Boise State and pull off the program’s first ever regular-season win on the blue turf, it was a Bulldog squad mired in a slump and with many questions surrounding their quarterback situation.

Oddsmakers viewed Fresno State as a 17.5-point underdog.

But with a little bit of luck after Boise State’s starting quarterback got injured early, a lot of big plays on defense and a heavy dosage of effective run plays, this Bulldogs team led by first-year coach Matt Entz pulled off a monumental upset.

Fresno State knocked out Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen midway through the first quarter then continued to up its defensive intensity while amassing three turnovers and four sacks en route a 30-7 victory on Saturday before an announced crowd of 32,826 at Albertsons Stadium.

Fresno State (6-3 overall, 3-2 Mountain West) snapped Boise State’s 16-game win streak at home. The Broncos hadn’t lost at home since 2023.

In addition, the Bulldogs ended a two-game losing streak and showed it could bounce back from a deflating 23-0 loss to San Diego State when Fresno State was shut out at home for the first time in 45 years.

“Just kept leaning on the things that we’ve been preaching,” Entz said during the Fox Sports AM 1340 postgame interview. “We’re going to be tough, physical ... not going to beat ourselves.

“They’re listening. It’s a special group. I hope people back home are excited.”

The Bulldogs had defeated the Broncos on their signature blue turf only two other times in program history.

Both of which occurred during the postseason: a 19-16 overtime win during the Mountain West championship game in 2018 and a 28-16 win in the 2022 MW championship.

Fresno State also is enjoying a rare stretch of success against Boise State, picking up its three straight victories in the heated series.

Bulldogs linebacker Jadon Pearson racked up a team-best 10 tackles on Saturday, including two for a loss.

Teammates Simeon Harris and Tytus Khajavi each nabbed an interception.

Defensive lineman Finn Claypool added two sacks and forced a fumble.

“They did an outstanding job playing together, playing fast,” Fresno State defensive coordinator Nick Benedetto said during a 1340AM postgame interview.

The defensive play that changed the whole game, of course, occurred with 7:47 left in the first quarter when Madsen went down with an injury.

Fresno State’s Korey Foreman got a sack. Madsen struggled to get back up.

When he did, he slowly walked off the field with help from two other people before getting carted off to the locker room.

And on his return to the sideline, Madsen wore a boot on his left foot and walked on crutches.

Madsen finished with an odd stat line: 1 of 4 for -4 passing yards and one carry for -6 rushing yards.

Boise State sophomore backup quarterback Max Cutforth struggled upon being thrust behind center as the Bulldogs defense held him to 14-of-29 passing for 106 yards and one touchdown to two interceptions.

Boise State entered the game averaging 35.25 points and a conference-best 457.38 total yards.

Against Fresno State, the Broncos scored just one touchdown and accumulated just 193 total yards.

Bulldogs sophomore Carson Conklin, who was named the starting quarterback over season-opening starter E.J. Warner for the second straight game, did not factor much in Saturday’s game.

He completed just 10 of 21 passes for 35 yards and no touchdowns. Despite the anemic numbers, Conklin did not commit any turnovers and wasn’t sacked.

Instead, the bulk of the offense was carried by Fresno State’s ground game. The Bulldogs ran the ball 47 times to generate 189 rushing yards (averaged 4 yards per carry) and three touchdowns.

Rayshon Luke finished with 16 carries for a team-high 88 rushing yards.

“We knew as a team,” Luke said during a 1340AM postgame interview, “we had to redeem ourselves.”

With the upset victory, Fresno State not only becomes bowl eligible for the fifth straight year, the Bulldogs also are back in the Mountain West championship game picture with the possibility of still finishing among the top two teams in the conference.

This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 5:15 PM.