1979 Boise State Broncos football team

1979 Boise State Broncos football
ConferenceBig Sky Conference
Record10–1 (7–0 Big Sky)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGene Dahlquist (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorChuck Banker (1st season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumBronco Stadium
Seasons
← 1978
1980 →
1979 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Boise State * 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
No. 9 Montana State $ 6 – 1 – 0 6 – 4 – 0
No. 5 Nevada ^ 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
No. T–10 Northern Arizona 3 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Weber State 3 – 4 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Idaho 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Montana 2 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
Idaho State 0 – 7 – 0 0 – 11 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant
  • * – Boise State was on probation
Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA AP Poll

The 1979 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1979 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. They were led by fourth-year head coach Jim Criner and an offensive backfield of juniors: quarterback Joe Aliotti, fullback David Hughes, halfback Cedric Minter, with halfback Terry Zahner in reserve.[1]

The Broncos were 10–1 and undefeated in the Big Sky,[2][3][4] but were on probation for a scouting violation in November 1978; they were ineligible for the league title or I-AA playoffs in 1979 and were not allowed to scouting films of upcoming opponents.[5][6][7][8][9]

Senior quarterback Hoskin Hogan dropped out of school and junior college transfer Aliotti won the starting job.[1][8]

After an opening two-point loss at home,[10] BSU won ten straight; the league opener in late September set a Big Sky attendance record at 20,712.[11] A 14–0 shutout win for BSU, it was the only blemish for Montana State (6–1) in conference play, but three non-conference losses kept them out of the four-team I-AA playoffs; the western postseason bid went again to fifth-ranked Nevada-Reno (8–3), who finished their first season in the Big Sky at 5–2.[12][13]

  1. ^ a b Killen, John (October 11, 1979). "BSU's Aliotti is a big Bronco plus". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  2. ^ "Broncos stampede Cal-Poly SLO 56-14". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 18, 1979. p. 12D.
  3. ^ "'Our bowl game,' cries Criner". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. November 19, 1979. p. 12D.
  4. ^ "College standings". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). November 26, 1979. p. 4C.
  5. ^ "Boise St. coach admits to scouting violation". Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Associated Press. November 16, 1978. p. 4-B.
  6. ^ "Big Sky's down hard on Boise". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. December 17, 1978. p. B1.
  7. ^ "Probation slapped on Boise State football". Ellensburg Daily Record. (Washington). UPI. December 18, 1978. p. 7.
  8. ^ a b Emerson, Paul (September 2, 1979). "Bad boy". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  9. ^ Killen, John (October 13, 1979). "Idaho: possibility looms for a winning season". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). p. 1C.
  10. ^ "Long Beach State slips by Boise 9-7". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 9, 1979. p. 4D.
  11. ^ "Tough defenses". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). Associated Press. September 30, 1979. p. 3D.
  12. ^ "Reno club awaits bid; Hake out". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 26, 1979. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Reno given playoff spot". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 27, 1979. p. 25.