While the college football polls may not show Boise State much respect, the Broncos could be the best team in the Mountain West Conference.

The Broncos (6-2, 4-0 Mountain West) host Fresno State on Saturday, and oddsmakers believe it won’t be much of a contest — Boise State is favored by 17.5 points.

Boise State leads the MWC with 457.5 offensive yards per game, rank third in scoring offense (36.3 points per game), and lead the conference with 38 touchdowns.

The defense is fourth in the conference in both yards allowed per game (337) and scoring (23.25 points per game).

Last week against Nevada, Boise State forced five takeaways. Jeremiah Earby’s two interceptions earned him Mountain West defensive player of the week honors.

Conklin Looking to Bounce Back

Quarterback Carson Conklin will make his second start Saturday. He looks for improvement after throwing for 182 yards and two interceptions on 47% passing last week against San Diego State.

“I still got to prove myself and we still got to win some games,” Conklin, the sophomore transfer from Sacramento State, said to the media this week.

Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said he expects Conklin will be better.

“That quarterback’s going to be good. I mean he’s a sophomore, and we know we’re gonna get his best this week,” Danielson said.

Entz was equally praiseworthy of Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen, who has completed 60% of his passes for 249 yards per game, with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

“He’s very confident. Multi-year starter, he understands the intricacies of what they’re doing offensively. It’s hard to rattle him,” Entz said.

What Coaches Said About Fresno State-Boise State

Both coaches praised each other.

“It’s going to be an absolute heavyweight battle Saturday afternoon,” Danielson said at his weekly news conference. “We know we’re going to get a loaded Fresno State team that’s fired up to come play us.”

Danielson praised Fresno State coach Matt Entz, calling him “a great football mind.”

Entz channeled his inner Ric Flair, talking about Boise State.

“If you want to be considered a championship-caliber football team, or one of the best, then at some point you have to play the best and find out how you match up with them,” Entz said.

Despite the Bulldogs’ offensive struggles, Danielson is not taking them lightly.

“They’re very well coached. They’re going to be able to pound the rock and then pick their spots to take their shots. We’ve got a lot to do to defend them, and they’re going to be explosive offensively,” Danielson said.

The Rivalry

The teams will play for the Milk Can trophy, held by Fresno State with the 2023 victory in Fresno. The teams did not play last year.

The Bulldogs also won the last game in Boise, the 2022 Mountain West championship on the icy blue turf.

“It just brings out so much, especially geographically. They’re not far away from us. We’re not far away from them,” Danielson said. “There’s a lot of history between Boise State and Fresno State. We got a lot respect for them. I know they got a lotta respect for us. And so I think with that, makes college football a lot better.”

Hello Malik

Former Bulldog running back Malik Sherrod transferred to Boise State this season.

“I’m sure it’s going to be an emotional time for Malik,” Danielson said.

But Danielson knows Sherrod’s loyalty is now with the blue.

Sherrod is averaging 31 yards per game, with two touchdowns.

Bronco Notes

Kickoff weather is scheduled in the 60s and partly cloudy in Boise.

Danielson announced leading receiver Chris Marshall will be benched this week, implying it was for disciplinary reasons.

Boise State’s only two losses were to South Florida — a team that has been in and out of the Top 25 this year — and Notre Dame, currently ranked No. 12. Both games were on the road.

Home on the blue turf has been very kind for Boise State. They have won 16 straight at Albertsons Stadium, tied with Alabama for the longest current home winning streak.

The Broncos, like Fresno State, have a bye week following Saturday. They will return Nov. 15 at San Diego State, where the winner will likely host the MWC title game Dec. 5.

Boise State is a fast-start team, outscoring opponents 79-19 in the first quarter.

Bowl Dreaming

Fresno State remains one win away from bowl eligibility.

If the Mountain West conference champion is one of the top-five conference champions in the final College Football Playoff poll, it will qualify for the playoffs.

The conference champion, or next best team, will play in the LA Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on Dec. 13.

The rest of the lineup, in order of selection:

• Guaranteed Rate Bow (if a slot is open from the Big Ten or Big 12) (12/26/25, Phoenix, Arizona)
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (12/22/25, Boise, Idaho)
• Hawai’i Bowl (12/24/25, Honolulu, Hawai’i)
• Isleta New Mexico Bowl (12/27/25, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
• An ESPN Events bowl, likely in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
  (The Potato, Hawai’i, New Mexico and fourth bowl are grouped together for selection)
• Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (12/27/25, Tucson, Arizona)
• Other ESPN Events bowls

This Week in the Mountain West/Future Pac-12

All times Pacific

Saturday, Nov. 1

Army (3-4) at Air Force (1-4), 9 a.m., CBS/CBS 47 in Fresno (Rich Waltz, Ross Tucker)

New Mexico (5-3, 2-2) at UNLV (6-1, 2-1)*, 12 p.m., MW App/Silver State Sports (Matt Neverett & Caleb Herring)

Wyoming (4-4, 2-2) at San Diego State (6-1, 3-0)*, 4 p.m., CBS Sports Network (John Sadak, Robert Turbin)

Washington State§ (4-4) at Oregon State§ (1-7), 4:30 p.m., CBS/CBS 47 in Fresno (Chris Lewis, Logan Ryan)

Hawai‘i (6-2, 3-1) at San Jose State (2-5, 1-2)*, 7:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network (Alex Del Barrio, Randy Cross)

James Madison 52, Texas State§ 20 (Tuesday)

Off: Colorado State, Nevada, Utah State

* MWC game; § 2026 Pac-12 member not in 2025 MWC; most announcer info from 506 Sports.