Hawaii Bowl: Boise State vs. East Carolina

Teams: Boise State vs. East Carolina
Date: Dec. 23, 2007 at 8:00 Eastern
Location: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii

Analysis
With its thrilling overtime win in the Fiesta Bowl last season, Boise State proved it could play with BCS teams. While this isn’t the same Boise State team of 2006, the Broncos joined Hawaii as the class of the WAC. Boise rode a potent offense to 10 wins, scoring more than 40 points a game. Only Washington, Wyoming and Hawaii held the Broncos to under 400 yards of offense.

A late upset to Marshall kept East Carolina out of the Conference USA Championship Game, having defeated UCF earlier in the year. The Pirates played a rugged non-conference schedule that featured road games at Virginia Tech and West Virginia, two teams in BCS bowls.

The offensive MVP in this game will most likely be named Johnson. Either Ian Johnson of Boise State or Chris Johnson of East Carolina. Ian averages 103 yards rushing and Chris an even 100. Chris is first in the nation in all-purpose yards with 212.7.

The Broncos’ Taylor Tharp is 8th in the nation in passing efficiency (156.01), but it isn’t clear who will be taking the majority of the snaps for East Carolina. Junior Patrick Pinkney started four games and has played in every contest. Sophomore Rob Kass started the last seven games and is the better thrower, but doesn’t pose the threat with his legs that Pinkney brings.

The key will be how effectively East Carolina can slow down the Broncos, especially through the air. The Pirates give up an average of 290 yards through the air. Boise State passed for 290 yards or more on seven different occasions this season. For the Pirates to win, they’ll need some big plays on returns from Chris Johnson and/or timely turnovers.

Breakdown: Boise State
Campus Location: Boise, Idaho
Distance to Honolulu: 2,832 miles
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 5–2
2007 Season: 10–2, 7–1 Western Athletic Conference

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 29 (192)
Pass Offense: 22 (284)
Scoring Offense: 5 (43)
Rush Defense: 24 (115)
Pass Defense: 37 (212)
Scoring Defense: 21 (20)
Turnover Margin: 32 (0.33)

Additional Notes:
This is the eighth bowl for the Broncos in the last nine years and their fifth different bowl in the last five years … The players voted overwhelmingly to accept a bid to the Hawaii Bowl rather than stay home and play Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl. It is Hawaii, after all.

Breakdown: East Carolina
Campus Location: Greenville, North Carolina
Distance to Honolulu: 4,863 miles
All-Time Bowl Game Record: 7–6
2007 Season: 7–5, 6–2 Conference USA

NCAA Rankings (yards/points per game totals):
Rush Offense: 38 (171)
Pass Offense: 75 (207)
Scoring Offense: 47 (30)
Rush Defense: 53 (146)
Pass Defense: 115 (291)
Scoring Defense: 80 (30)
Turnover Margin: 6 (1.17)

Additional Notes:
Chris Johnson was named first team All-CUSA by the media as a kick returner … Offensive lineman Matt Butler and defensive lineman Zack Slate were named to the second team … If East Carolina doesn’t fare well in this year’s Hawaii Bowl, fans can take solace in the Pirates having five players named to the All-Freshman all-conference team.

Prediction: Boise State by 13

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