First Round Salt Lake City Shocker!: Boise State ousts Mississippi State, 35-34

This season's tournament was supposed to be crazy, and if the first game is any indication, it is going to be a doo-zee!   The general feeling was that #7 Mississippi State would visit Salt Lake City and get a nice little tune-up win over #10 Boise State to prepare for an invasion of the Orange Bowl to take on #2 Florida State. Instead, it is the Broncos who are awaiting the results of the First Round match-up between Michigan State and Mississippi to see if they will play top seed Alabama or Florida State in the next round.

A light rain with temperatures in the 40's greeted the teams as they hit the field at Rice-Eccles Stadium.  But the Broncos offense was in high gear like it was summer on the Bonneville Salt Flats.  BSU's Jay Ajayi started the scoring with a 56 yard TD run, and Broncos had the only score of the first quarter and led 7-0.

Mississippi State scored early in the second quarter on Evan Sobiesk's 32 yard field goal, but Boise answered with with the hot hand of QB Grant Hedrick, who completed a 57 yard TD pass to Chaz Anderson, and the Broncos were ahead 14-3.  The Bulldogs responded on QB Dak Prescott's TD run from 5 yards out, and followed with another Evan Sobiesk field goal from 30 yards, and MSU was within one point, 14-13.

The Bulldogs seemed to gain control of the game as Mississippi State scored on a 42-yard Hail Mary on the final play of the first half to take the halftime lead 20-14.

And although BSU's offense slowed in the third quarter, the Broncos defense started to rise to the occasion in the second half.  After the Broncos regained the lead on running back's Ajayi second TD, using their patented Statue of Liberty, a 16 yard run, BSU cornerback Donte Deayon picked up a Prescott fumble and ran it in the the TD.  Boise State's lead was 28-20 entering the final quarter.

Mississippi State responded with a 7 yard TD pass from Prescott to De'Runnya Wilson, but Boise would not wilt either in the drizzle, and returned the favor and Ajayiran it in from 1 yard out for his third TD.

MSU would not go quietly as Prescott and Wilson connected again from 12 yards out, and the score was 35-34, BSU clinging to the lead.

Prescott was scrambling, trying to get the Bulldogs in field goal position in the last seconds, but was tackled by BSU sack specialist Kamalei Correa with his biggest takedown of the season on the game's final play, and Broncos held on.

Boise State magic lives, and after previous season tournament wins against Oklahoma, Ohio State, Cincinnati, and Texas, the Broncos now can lay claim to an SEC win.  BSU awaits results of the other First Round game, and will play Florida State in the Orange Bowl if Michigan State wins, or Alabama in the Sugar Bowl if Mississippi wins.

FIRST ROUND:

In Salt Lake City:
7 Mississippi State 34
10 Boise State 35

In Detroit:
8 Michigan State
9 Mississippi
 
BCS BOWLS (Quarterfinals):

Sugar: 
1 Alabama
Michigan State or Boise State
 
Rose: 
4 Ohio State
5 Texas Christian

Orange: 
2 Florida State
Mississippi or Boise State

Fiesta:
3 Oregon
6 Baylor


SEMI-FINALS in Atlanta

BCS CHAMPIONSHIP in Arlington, Texas