Boise State operating again Ashton Jeanty rushed for a school-record 267 yards and 6 touchdowns, serving to the Broncos keep away from a season-opening upset bid with a 56-45 street win over Georgia Southern on Saturday.
Jeanty, a preseason All-American and the Mountain West Offensive Participant of the Yr in 2023, broke away for a career-long 77-yard landing run on his second carry and delivered a 75-yard rating within the fourth quarter to assist the Broncos draw back after Georgia Southern took a 37-36 lead.
“Clearly, it goes with out saying, however Ashton Jeanty is one of the best participant within the nation,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson mentioned. “That was on full show tonight.”
Jeanty grew to become the primary FBS participant to attain six dashing touchdowns in a recreation since Pitt’s Israel Abanikanda had six in opposition to Virginia Tech in 2022, in line with TruMedia. He averaged 13.4 yards per keep it up his 20 makes an attempt. Jeanty completed No. 2 in FBS in yards from scrimmage final season with 1,916 yards and 19 whole touchdowns.
Boise State launched a Heisman Trophy marketing campaign for Jeanty earlier this week, and he struck a Heisman pose in the long run zone after his first landing of the yr.
“I’ve acquired to shout out my O-line,” Jeanty mentioned. “They opened up huge, huge holes all recreation. I’ve acquired the simple half: Make some guys miss and go run to the tip zone.”
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Boise State, the reigning Mountain West champions, is taken into account a high contender to earn the Group of 5 spot within the inaugural 12-team School Soccer Playoff and acquired essentially the most votes amongst G5 groups within the preseason AP ballot. The Broncos held a 28-9 lead late within the second quarter earlier than Georgia Southern rallied with 4 consecutive landing drives to tug forward.
Jeanty answered together with his 75-yard landing on the primary play of Boise State’s subsequent possession and the Broncos acquired two fourth-quarter scores from true freshman operating again Sire Gaines, who produced 154 whole yards in his first profession recreation.
“I am happy with how our workforce battled,” Danielson mentioned. “I am happy with how they stayed within the struggle, stored swinging, did not at all times go our approach and typically it was self-inflicted, someday they’re simply issues that occur in a recreation that you have to reply to. That is what I am enthusiastic about as a coach. Week 1, when you will discover quite a lot of issues to wash up on movie and nonetheless discover a method to win the sport? That is what I am happy with our workforce doing.”
The Broncos go on the street once more subsequent week for an enormous check in opposition to No. 3 Oregon. They opened the 2023 season at Washington, dropping 56-19 to a workforce that went on to play for the nationwide championship, and hadn’t gained a season opener since 2020.