Defense Wins Championships
As we stand, Boise State ranks 9th in defensive efficiency nationwide and 7th best at limiting opponents’ second chances according to Ken Pom. Over the span of their 13 game win streak, the Broncos have surrendered 70 points just once.
A variety of things stand out defensively over the course of the past month for the team who is yet to lose in 2022, including holding San Diego State to just 37 points, their lowest since February 2005, forcing turnovers on nearly one third of Air Force offensive possessions, and allowing less than 10 made threes through the first three games of the win streak.
We have seen the Broncos struggle to score it themselves, namely a 46-39 loss to Cal State Bakersfield on November 26th and a 58-50 loss to UC Irvine on November 13th, but those losses are in the past, and establishing a true identity on the defensive end has helped the Broncos stay blemish-less since December, now owning the nations second-longest winning streak only behind the #1 ranked Auburn Tigers (16 straight W’s).
I do not think that Bronco Nation fans mind being mentioned in the same conversation as the leader atop the polls.