Boise State rolls past Louisiana Tech 49-20

[October 27, 2010]  BOISE, Idaho (AP) -- Kellen Moore threw two touchdown passes and caught another on a trick play, helping No. 2 Boise State beat Louisiana Tech 49-20 on Tuesday night for its 21st consecutive victory.

Moore was 20 of 28 for 298 yards while coolly directing the Broncos to 468 total yards. Tyler Shoemaker caught six passes for a career-high 124 yards and Doug Martin had 21 carries for a career-best 150 yards and two scores.

Moore threw a 6-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to Austin Pettis, who snapped a three-game drought without a TD. He tossed a 32-yarder to Shoemaker in the second to give the Broncos a 21-7 lead.

Pettis returned the favor in the third when he took a pitch on an end around and quickly fired a 7-yard pass to Moore all alone in the right corner of the end zone.

The Broncos (7-0, 3-0 Western Athletic Conference) also got a big boost from Martin, who had a 2-yard run in the first that made it 7-0 and a 20-yard scamper in the fourth that wrapped up the scoring for Boise State.

Boise State needed another convincing win to keep pace in the BCS standings. The WAC powerhouse is No. 3 behind Auburn and Oregon.

The Broncos never trailed, building a 28-7 halftime lead thanks to Moore's accurate passing and some miscues by Louisiana Tech (3-5, 2-2).

The Bulldogs used their hurry-up, spread offense to roll up 394 total yards against the nation's top-ranked defense. But they hurt themselves with several costly penalties and mistakes.

Louisiana Tech had a chance to grab the momentum after a bold onside kick attempt in the first quarter following Lennon Creer's tying 1-yard touchdown run. The Bulldogs caught the Broncos flat-footed and recovered the kick, but the play was nullified by an offside penalty. The call angered coach Sonny Dykes, who was flagged 15 yards, forcing Louisiana Tech to kick from the 13.

The Broncos made them pay as Titus Young returned the kick to the Bulldogs 17-yard line. Four plays later, Moore passed to Pettis to make it 14-7 with two minutes left in the first quarter.

Then late in the half, the Bulldogs were flagged for pass interference on consecutive plays to set up another Boise State touchdown. Tight end Kyle Efaw recovered a fumble in the end zone to make it 28-7.

Ross Jenkins was 24 of 39 for 222 yards for the Bulldogs, but was sacked four times. Creer had a career-high 157 yards on 33 carries against a Bronco defense that came into the game allowing 59 yards rushing per game.

Jenkins tossed a 23-yard TD pass to Phillip Livas on fourth down to cut it to 28-13 in the third and Louisiana Tech got the ball back when Boise State fumbled the ensuing kickoff. But defensive tackle Chase Baker deflected Jenkins' pass on fourth down to stuff the Bulldogs' drive.

Boise State responded with an eight-play, 91-yard drive capped by Jeremy Avery's 18-yard run down the right sideline. Avery, lined up in the wildcat, fumbled the snap, then slipped two defenders and ran untouched to make it 35-13.

[Associated Press; By TODD DVORAK]

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