It was the offense that got the Boise State football program noticed.
It’s the defense that has kept the Broncos nationally relevant — with a streak of 17 consecutive seasons appearing in the Top 25.
And that defense will be the key as No. 17 Boise State tries to upset No. 24 Oklahoma State on Saturday afternoon in Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys, like the Broncos, became a Top 25 program because of an offense that overworks scoreboards — but too often Oklahoma State’s defense does the same.
Boise State has built one of the nation’s most consistently effective defenses, with almost no fanfare.