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Sept. 26, 2015

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Boise State at Virginia
Sept. 25, 2015
Virginia Game Notes

Team Notes
• Virginia is now 0-1 all-time vs. Boise State.
• Virginia fell to 5-8-1 all-time in regular season games on Friday.
• UVa is 56-43-1 all-time in night games and 8-7 under head coach Mike London.
• The Cavaliers are now 34-17-1 all-time in home night games and 5-3 under head coach Mike London.
• Myles Robinson (CB)** and Juan Thornhill (FS)** made their collegiate debuts. **-denotes true freshmen.
• made his Virginia debut after transferring from Arizona.

Player Notes
• RB Olamide Zaccheaus had 231 kickoff return yards, a new UVa school record for a game. The previous best was 172 by Marquis Weeks in 2002 versus North Carolina.
• The 231 kickoff yards are the most by any player in the nation this season.
• Zaccheaus had a career-high 54-yard kickoff return in the third quarter.
• WR T.J. Thorpe’s first career reception as a Cavalier was a 75-yard touchdown reception from Matt Johns at the 6:51 mark in the first quarter.
• Thorpe’s last reception in Scott Stadium was last season on Oct. 25. He had a 16-yard touchdown reception when he played for North Carolina.
• RB Taquan Mizzell (5 receptions, 59 yards) had a 45-yard touchdown reception with 3:09 to play in the second quarter (fourth career touchdown reception).
• It was the second-straight game Mizzell has caught a pass for a touchdown and third time this season.
• Mizzell’s reception in the second quarter extended his streak to 25 games with a reception.
• WR Canaan Severin (4 receptions, 34 yards) extended his streak to 16 games with a reception.
• WR Daniel Hamm had a career-high 14-yard reception in the second quarter.
• Hamm had a career-high three receptions for 20 yards.
• Connor Brewer’s first career pass at Virginia was a 14-yard completion to TE Charlie Hopkins.
• Hopkins’ 14-yard reception was a career-high.
• OLB Zach Bradshaw recorded a career-high 10 tackles, six solo.
• OLB Mark Hall matched a career-best four tackles.
• MLB Micah Kiser recorded a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss.
• DE Chris Peace tallied a career-high three tackles, one solo.
• DE Kwontie Moore matched a career-high with one sack.

Boise State Postgame Notes

Boise State’s 56-14 win over Virginia improves it to 3-1 on the season, and ups the Broncos’ all-time mark against the ACC to 2-1.

The 42-point margin of victory was the largest for Boise State against a Resource Five team, the third-largest for a Mountain West team. The previous best by Boise State was a 32-point win (56-24) over Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas on Dec 22, 2011.

The margin of victory is also the largest on the road by a Mountain West team over a Resource Five team.

Boise State’s win marks the first time since 2011 that the Broncos have defeated two Resource Five teams in a season. That season the Broncos defeated Georgia in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game (Sept. 3) and Arizona State in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas (Dec. 22).

It’s also the first time since 2010 that Boise State has defeated two Resource Five teams in a single regular season. That year the Broncos defeated Virginia Tech (Sept. 6) and Oregon State (Sept. 25).

Friday night’s result is Boise State’s first true road victory over a Resource Five team since defeating Oregon 37-32 in Eugene on Sept. 20, 2008.

Freshman quarterback Brett Rypien went 24-for-35 for 321 yards and three touchdowns. His 321 passing yards are the most by a Boise State quarterback in his first start since the Broncos joined the FBS in 1996, breaking Kellen Moore’s mark of 274 (2008).

With the Broncos’ victory against Virginia, Brett Rypien became the first Boise State quarterback to win on the road in his first start since Boise State joined the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996…Rypien is also the Broncos’ second signal caller to win his debut start against a school from a Power Five conference…Ryan Finley did it earlier this season against Washington.

Boise State’s defense entered the game second in the FBS in rushing defense (45.7 yards per game). Friday night they allowed just 40 yards on 33 carries.

Boise State’s defense recorded three scoring plays Friday night: two interception returns and a safety.

Boise State forced five turnovers Friday night, intercepting four passes and recovering a fumble. The four interceptions was the most since the Broncos got four at Nevada on Oct. 4, 2014.

Safety Darian Thompson and cornerback Donte Deayon each intercepted a pass, bringing eahc of their career totals to 16, putting them in a tie for second on Mountain West career list and tied for third on Boise State’s.

Linebacker Ben Weaver led the Broncos with nine tackles and recovered a fumble.

Running back Jeremy McNichols upped his FBS-leading touchdown total to 10 with two touchdowns: one rushing and one receiving. For the game he rushed nine times for 69 yards and caught 5 passes for 47 yards.

Defensive tackle Justin Taimatuia made the first interception of his career on the first play from scrimmage, returning it 21 yards for the first touchdown of his career.

Shane Williams-Rhodes’ six catches Friday night brought his career total to 194 and moved him past Don Hutt (189) and into fourth on Boise State’s career receptions list. The three Broncos ahead of Williams-Rhodes are Titus Young (204), Austin Pettis (229) and Matt Miller (244).

Kicker Tyler Rausa hit a career-long 51-yard field goal in the first quarter. The last field goal of 50+ yards by a Bronco kicker was Kyle Brotzman’s 50-yarder on Nov. 19, 2010 against Fresno State.

Rausa’s 51-yarder was also the longest Boise State field goal since Kyle Brotzman hit a 51-yarder on Nov. 20, 2009 against Utah State.

Rausa went 4-for-5 in the contest, only missing when a 54-yard attempt hit the upright. His four field goals in the game were a career best, and the most by a Bronco kicker since Kyle Brotzman hit four against Hawai’i on Oct. 24, 2009.

Thomas Sperbeck caught five passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, the first touchdown catches by a Boise State wide receiver this season.

Redshirt freshman nickel Mercy Maston made the first interception of his career, and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.

Armand Nance was credited with a sack and safety in the second quarter. The last Bronco safety was Nov. 29, 2014 against Utah State on a sack by Rondell McNair and Elliot Hoyte.

Boise State’s captains were Marcus Henry, Darian Thompson, Rees Odhiambo and Tanner Vallejo.

Tyler Gray led the Broncos onto the field with The Hammer. It is the second time this season he has earned the honor.

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