Why Boise State-UCF is the perfect storm
The non-conference game will mark the first meeting between the two schools, with the potential to be one of the best games of the season. Here’s why.
The crowd at the Bounce House was causing the tunnel below the stadium to shake the last time UCF had its home-opener on a Thursday night.
And there’s good reason to believe it will happen again when Boise State comes to town on Sept. 2 to open the 2021 college football season.
The non-conference game will mark the first meeting between the two schools, with the potential to be one of the best games of the season. Here’s why.
For the first time in eight years, Gus Malzahn’s visor will be without any orange or navy blue. He’s getting a fresh start, taking over one of the premiere Group-of-5 programs in the nation after his firing from Auburn last season.
He’s looking to bring his offensive-minded playbook to UCF, hoping to find several ways to score. And like his visors, he’s got options.
For one, UCF’s quarterback Dillon Gabriel is one of the most proficient passers in the nation. Historically, in times where a quarterback with previous experience is taking the snaps for Malzahn, it’s worked out well.
Malzahn reached the SEC Championship twice during his eight-year tenure at Auburn. Both times were with quarterbacks who had prior collegiate experience before starting for Malzahn.
On the opposing sideline, Boise State head coach Andy Avalos will be making his head-coaching debut. Avalos filled the vacancy for his alma mater that was created when former Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin left for Malzahn’s job at Auburn.
Full circle, right?
This won’t be the first time that Avalos has seen Malzahn’s offense, though. After serving as the defensive coordinator for Boise State from 2016-2018, Avalos accepted a job as Oregon’s defensive coordinator.
In his first game at Oregon, Avalos’ defense faced off against a Malzahn-led Auburn team in the 2019 Advocate Classic to begin the season.
For the most part, the Oregon defense kept the Auburn offense at bay through most of three quarters. The Ducks led 21-6 at one point before a late rally from Auburn gave the Tigers a 27-21 victory.
This game is likely going to come down to which coach will be outcoached. Will the veteran Malzahn prevail with the home-field advantage? Or will the first-year head coach Avalos leave Orlando with an upset over the favorite UCF?
Malzahn has done exponentially better when his teams play at home. During his 10-year head coaching career, Malzahn is 49-13 as the home team. Gabriel is 8-2 as a starter at the Bounce House, with the two losses to Tulsa and then-ranked No. 7 Cincinnati.
That being said, Boise State has found success on the road in recent years. Over the last five years, the Broncos are 22-6 on the road. They boast a six-game road winning streak dating back to 2019, which is tied for second-longest in college football.
Typically known as an offense-minded coach, Malzahn will battle against the defense-minded Avalos. It’s the classic offense versus defense game.
While Avalos was defensive coordinator at Boise State, the Broncos were always within the top-40 total defense threshold. After his first season at Oregon in 2019, his defense finished as the No. 9 defense in the nation, allowing an average of 16.5 points per game.
That number descended in 2020, where the Ducks allowed nearly double that, an average of 28.3 points per game allowed.
Meanwhile, as a program, UCF has been top-10 in total offense dating back to its undefeated season in 2017.
Whether or not Malzahn will be able to sustain the offensive success the Knights have had remains in question. Since that 2017 season where UCF defeated Malzahn’s Auburn team in the Peach Bowl, offenses under Malzahn have been inconsistent.
Auburn’s offense was ranked as high as No. 25 and as low as No. 89 in all of the football throughout those three years.
It’s a new era for both programs and both coaches. One is looking to start his head coaching career with a win, the other is looking for a new beginning.
College football is back.