BOISE, Idaho — The Boise State football team’s 2020 schedule was released by the Mountain West Thursday.
Of course, dates are subject to change to either Thursday or Friday. Kickoff times and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.
Included are nonconference games against BYU, Florida State, Georgia Southern and Marshall, each of which played in a bowl game this past season. The games against the Cougars, Seminoles and Eagles will each be played at Albertsons Stadium, the winningest venue in the country since 2000, according to a BSU news release.
Boise State is coming off a season in which it went 12-2, capturing its third MW Championship under head coach Bryan Harsin. The Broncos went a perfect 8-0 in conference play for the first time since joining the Mountain West, and were undefeated at home (7-0) for the third time under Harsin. Additionally, the Broncos finished ranked in the top 25 of both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls for the third-consecutive year.
Boise State will play a seven-game, regular-season home schedule for the first time since 2009, and the slate is arguably the best in school history. A pair of September nonconference games will be followed by three contests against Mountain West opponents in October, and two games in November -– one nonconference tilt and one league match-up.
The Broncos will open their season at Albertsons Stadium for the first time since 2017, playing host to Georgia Southern (Sept. 5). In conjunction with the season opener, Boise State is slated to host its 2020 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Sept. 4, and plans to honor the inductees at the game against the Eagles.
Florida State, on Sept. 19, will mark the second of two September home games for the Broncos. The contest against the Seminoles is just the second regular-season game played at Albertsons Stadium against a school from the ACC (Virginia, 2017), and the third all-time. Boise State also hosted Boston College in the 2005 MPC Computers Bowl.
The month of October will feature three conference match-ups at Albertsons Stadium, including San Jose State (Oct. 3), Utah State (Oct. 17) and UNLV (Oct. 31). Boise State’s only scheduled open week of 2020 will come between the games against the Spartans and Aggies.
The Broncos will kick off the month of November in a nonconference game against BYU (Nov. 6), a match-up that has already been moved to Friday -- and will close the regular season against Colorado State, Nov. 28.
Despite an additional contest resulting in a seven-game home schedule, and perhaps the strongest home slate in the history of the Boise State football team, season ticket prices in the main stadium will not increase for the 2020 season, school officials said. Season tickets for the 2020 season, marking the 50th Anniversary of Albertsons Stadium, are on sale now.
The only adjustments to last year's pricing structure can be found in section 126, a main stadium location, where the Bronco Athletic Association per-seat contribution has been removed -- and the north end zone, which increased to $149. Additionally, a $9 fee per season ticket has been added for capital improvements, and the per-seat contribution for red and blue sections of the stadium has increased slightly.
The Broncos will play five road games in 2020, including two in September, one in October and two in November.
Boise State will open its 2020 road slate -– and its defense of the Mountain West title -– at Air Force, Sept. 12. The team’s only road nonconference tilt is against Marshall, currently scheduled for Sept. 26 in Huntington, W.Va.
The Broncos’ only road game during the month of October is a trip to Hawaii, Oct. 24.
Boise State will close its road slate by playing back-to-back November games against New Mexico (Nov. 14) and Wyoming (Nov. 21).
The MW Championship, featuring the winners of the Mountain Division and West Division, will be held at a to-be-determined host site, Dec. 5.
Thursday's announcement represents the first phase of the MW scheduling process. The league's national television partners -- FOX and CBS Sports Network -- will now initiate a selection procedure, which will include the shifting of particular games to Thursdays and Fridays. That will be followed by the identification of network outlets and kick times.
With BYU already being selected for a Friday, only one other home game can move off Saturday.
The Broncos are coming off another 10-win season, the team's 17th since joining what is now known as the Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996. The total is the second-highest in the country during that time (Ohio State, 19).
Boise State recorded its 22nd-straight season with a winning record this past year, the longest active streak in the nation, the 15th-longest streak in NCAA history, and the longest by a Group of Five school all-time.
Bronco Nation has made Albertsons Stadium one of the toughest places to play in the country, contributing to more opponent false starts than any other collegiate facility the last two seasons, and the Broncos' home venue boasts the nation's highest home winning percentage since 2000 (120-9; .930).
Boise State is scheduled to open its 2020 spring football practice schedule Friday, March 6. The practice, held at Albertsons Stadium, will be open to the media and general public. Practice is scheduled to run from roughly 7 to 9 p.m., and access to seating can be found at Gates A and D on the west side of the stadium. Parking in the West Stadium Lot will be free of charge, and fans attending will be allowed to access The Blue after practice for photos and top meet the players and coaches.
