No. 4 Boise State routs state rival Idaho 52-14

[November 13, 2010]  MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) -- Kellen Moore raised his arms for yet another touchdown celebration, then dropped them on his helmet when the ball popped out of Austin Pettis' hands.

That was about the only moment that didn't go perfectly for No. 4 Boise State.

Moore threw for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, Chris Potter broke three tackles on his way to a 76-yard punt return touchdown the first time Boise State touched the ball, and the Broncos routed rival Idaho 52-14 on Friday night.

Boise State (9-0, 5-0 WAC) ran the nation's longest win streak to 23 games and put an emphatic lid on the 40th and potentially final meeting between the in-state rivals.

The future between the Vandals (4-6, 1-4) and Broncos is in doubt because of the Broncos' pending move to the Mountain West Conference and their desire not to make the trip every other year to Moscow. Boise State president Bob Kustra, who did not attend Friday's game, only fueled the disconnect between the schools by calling the culture in Moscow "nasty" and "inebriated" last summer.

Many of the fans Friday night bailed at halftime with the Broncos up 38-0.

The nastiness? That came from the Broncos, who started a string of three straight Friday night games on national television with complete domination.

Aside from Pettis' TD drop and a pair of well executed fake punts by the Vandals -- the second of which went for 54 yards and set up Idaho's first touchdown early in the third quarter -- everything went the Broncos' way.

Moore threw touchdowns of 58 yards to Austin Pettis and 17 yards to Jeremy Avery with 12 seconds left in the first half. Moore finished 19 of 26 for 216 yards, after throwing for 507 yards in just three quarters last week against Hawaii. His pass efficiency rating of 180.9 on Friday night will actually lower his season mark that was at 192.4 entering the week.

And his best pass came straight off the sandlot on his final throw of the night. Flushed from the pocket, Moore threw an on-the-run dart to freshman Gabe Linehan at the back of the end zone for a 52-7 lead midway through the third quarter.

That was Moore's capper, as he donned an orange baseball cap the rest of the night.

Doug Martin ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and Boise State beat Idaho for the 12th straight time.

The Vandals tried to size up Boise State when they took the field, some players venturing onto the Broncos half of the field before coaches and officials shoved everyone to their respective benches.

That was the most fight the Vandals were able to put up. Their mistakes never allowed the sold-out Kibbie Dome to get revving.

Potter's punt return -- the first taken back for a Boise State score since Kyle Wilson's in 2008 -- only set the stage for what followed. The reserve receiver shed three tackles, weaving through the Vandals' coverage unit and giving the Broncos a 7-0 advantage just 41 seconds into the game.

It only got worse.

Idaho quarterback Nathan Enderle, who watched last year's matchup with Boise State from the Bronco Stadium sideline, overthrew Justin Veltung on the Vandals' second possession and was intercepted by Brandyn Thompson -- the first of his two picks. Eight plays later, Martin piled in on an 8-yard run and a 14-0 Boise State lead.

Enderle threw two interceptions in the first half, the second a crusher after Idaho started at the Boise State 29 following a failed onside kick and personal foul penalty on the Broncos. Enderle's pass landed in the hands of linebacker Aaron Tevis.

Idaho's next possession ended with Jeron Johnson blocking Bobby Cowan's punt at the Idaho 14 and Avery scoring from the 1 four plays later.

Enderle finished 16 of 34 for 118 yards. Idaho's best offensive plays were two fake punts Kama Bailey ran for a combined 93 yards.

[Associated Press; By TIM BOOTH]

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.