The Boise State Broncos have already won 49 games in the illustrious career of QB Kellen Moore. He'll try to become the first collegiate quarterback to ever win 50 games in a career at the FBS level in the Las Vegas Bowl against the Arizona State Sun Devils.
This is going to be the second straight year in which Boise State has come to the Las Vegas Bowl because of a missed field goal. The team blew it twice against the Nevada Wolf Pack and ended up here as the second choices from the WAC a season ago, and now, it is the second choice from the MWC after missing a kick at the gun against the TCU Horned Frogs at home.
Moore is going to come up just shy of throwing for 15,000 yards in his career, and he already has 140 TD passes to show for his work as well. It seems to be a bid of a surprise that he wasn't really even ever considered for the Heisman Trophy this year, especially after the Broncos were beaten at home to end their BCS bowl dreams as well.
Still, this is a Boise State bunch that is averaging 43.2 points per game and is allowing just 18.2 points per game. In its 11 wins this year, its average margin of victory was 27.4 points per game, and there wasn't a team on the slate that was beaten by fewer than nine points.
There would be a thought that the Broncos wouldn't have a desire to be in this bowl game, but they have to be thrilled to be going against a team that many thought could be in the Rose Bowl at the start of the season. Plus, remember last season here in Sin City, Boise State pummeled the Utah Utes 26-3.
Arizona State will go into battle in this one trying to avoid a losing record in a year with such high hopes. There is tremendous talent on this team, and veteran talent at that, and it was a shock to see this team implode with four straight losses down the stretch.
Still, QB Brock Osweiler leads an offense that has a heck of a lot of potential, averaging 451.0 yards and 33.9 points per game. It was the defense that really struggled down the stretch, conceding at least 29 points in all four games. In total, the Sun Devils allowed 26.3 points per game and 419.5 yards per game.
The Broncos are the biggest chalks on the board at 5Dimes.com for the whole bowl season. They are favored by two touchdowns. The 'total' in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl is set at 66.
