This might be the Broncos’ year.
After finishing with an undefeated record in two of the past four seasons, Boise State still could not punch a ticket to the BCS national championship game because of its weak conference.
But that could be a non-issue this time around. With the Broncos returning every starter on offense and 11 out of the 12 on defense from last year, they are expected to rank high in the preseason polls.
Which is why Boise State comes in at No. 2 in the alligatorSports’ college football preseason poll.
The only starter not coming back is cornerback Kyle Wilson, who was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round.
Other than Wilson, every starter is returning from a team that finished its season with a perfect record and ended its year with a victory over then-undefeated TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
Quarterback Kellen Moore, who threw for 3,536 yards and 39 touchdowns last year, returns with the same cast that put up 42.2 points per game last season.
That includes two all-conference receivers in Austin Pettis and Titus Young, who will be back to help Moore in the passing game, and the two-headed monster in the backfield (Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin) which totaled 1,986 rushing yards last season.
The offensive line, which only allowed five sacks last year, will return all five of its starters and will be the catalyst to the success of Moore and the running game.
The defense does lose an All-Western Athletic Conference cornerback in Wilson, but junior Jerrell Gavins from Miami is expected to fill the void.
However, the front seven, which tallied 26 sacks in 2009, remains in tact.
Defensive ends Ryan Winterswyk and Shea McClellin combined for 12 sacks last season and will provide pressure off the ends to help force opponents to the middle of the field and into the grasp of defensive tackle Billy Winn, who was given second-team honors in the WAC.
You don’t find many undefeated teams that return 21 of its 22 starters in the following year, but that’s exactly what the Broncos will do.
With Boise State’s expected high ranking in the preseason polls and the core of its team returning, this could be the exact formula the Broncos have been waiting for in order to earn a chance at the BCS National Championship.