On The Blue for the first time in 2024, Danielson is ready to ‘fix’ Boise State’s home dominance

It’s finally here, Bronco Nation — the Boise State football team’s home opener.

The Broncos moved from the humid plains of Georgia to the rolling hills of western Oregon to start the season, before enjoying an early bye week at home in Idaho.

That schedule made Boise State the only FBS team in the country that still doesn’t have a home game in 2024, but that changes this weekend. More than 36,000 fans are expected to pack into a sold-out Albertsons Stadium Saturday night to watch Boise State take on FCS Portland State at 7:55 p.m.

“I’m excited to be home on The Blue, and I know our team is too,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said earlier this week. “I can’t wait to see Bronco Nation this Saturday night.”

Danielson said he remembers his first home game, a 24-13 win over Troy in 2017 when he was just a graduate assistant.

“I’ll never forget the run down that tunnel and the feeling of Bronco Nation on The Blue,” Danielson said. “There’s nothing like it in college football. I don’t think there’s a better place to play college football than on The Blue, right here in Boise, Idaho.”

Albertsons Stadium has gotten a makeover since that 2017 game, and fans will be able to enjoy the latest update Saturday. Boise State will unveil a brand new sound system, having already installed the largest video screen in the Mountain West and new LED lights in 2023.

Of course, Danielson isn’t the only one excited to be back on the blue turf and in the friendly confines of the campus stadium.

Redshirt senior wide receiver Latrell Caples is preparing to play in a game at Albertsons Stadium for the first time since a 28-16 loss to Fresno State in the 2022 Mountain West Championship Game. Caples ruptured his Achilles tendon the following offseason and missed the entire 2023 campaign.

“That’s what we work for every day,” Caples said of his role on The Blue. “Being able to go out there in front of 36,000 fans and show them how we work, how hard we work, and just go out there and make plays.”

Saturday’s game against Portland State is the first of a three-game homestand for the Broncos, with games against Washington State (Sept. 28) and Utah State (Oct. 5) on the horizon. Boise State and Danielson are eager to get the 2023 home schedule off to a flying start as part of an effort to restore the Broncos’ dominance at Albertsons Stadium.

Since the blue turf was installed in 1986, Boise State is 205-45 at home, an 82% winning percentage. But over the last four seasons, starting with the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Broncos are just 15-7 in Boise (68%). They lost their home opener last season.

“We’ve lost too many games on The Blue over the years. I’ve been to a lot of those games,” Danielson said. “We’ve got to make it right. We’ve got to fix it. When we go home to play on The Blue in front of Bronco Nation … we’re going to have to find a way to win.”

In 16 seasons on blue turf, Boise State went undefeated at home.

“You had a group of guys for decades who, when they played a game on The Blue, found a way to win, and that has to be our team,” Danielson said.

Boise State vs Portland State

When: 7:55 p.m. Saturday

Or: Albertsons Stadium (36,363, grass)

TV: Fox Sports 1 (Eric Collins, Spencer Tillman)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM/Sirius XM Ch. 390 (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Recordings: Boise State 1-1; Portland State 0-2

Series: Boise State leads series 7-1

Vegas Line: Boise State by 41.5 points

Weather report: Maximum temperature 73 degrees, minimum temperature 50 degrees, humidity 45%, sunny skies, 3% chance of rain