1994 Boise State Broncos football team

Schedule

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Regular season

Coming off a 3–8 year in 1993, Boise State finished the 1994 regular season at 10–1 and 6–1 in conference to win their sixth Big Sky title, their first since the national championship season of 1980. The only blemish was a one-point loss at Idaho State in mid-October. A convincing 38–14 win over top-ranked Montana in early November put the Broncos into the top ten. To complete the regular season, #6 BSU hosted third-ranked rival Idaho, and won for the first time since 1981, breaking a twelve-game winning streak for the Vandals. Both teams entered the game at 9–1 (and 5–1 in conference); they switched rankings for the next poll.

Unranked at the start of the season, Boise State finished third in the final poll, released prior to the playoffs.

I-AA playoffs

Three Big Sky teams made the 16-team field for the I-AA playoffs: Boise State (10–1), Idaho (9–2), and Montana (9–2). Idaho lost a first round road game, and Montana won two home games before falling on the road to defending champion Youngstown State in the semifinals, foiling an all-Big Sky final. Conference MVP quarterback Dave Dickenson did not play due to an ankle injury, and the Griz lost 28–9. The Penguins had defeated Idaho on the same field in the semifinals the previous season. The Broncos hosted and won three close games, against North Texas, Appalachian State, and #2 Marshall to raise their overall record to 13–1.

Prior to hosting their third straight playoff game at home (following the home game against Idaho), Allen promised to ride his horse down Boise's Broadway Avenue if the Marshall game had an attendance over 20,000. Allen fulfilled his promise two days after the game and rode westbound on University Drive, from Bronco Stadium at Broadway to the Student Union.

In the I-AA finals five days later at Huntington, West Virginia, they were defeated by the defending champions, Jim Tressel's top-ranked Youngstown State, 28–14. The 15 games are the most Boise State ever played in one season, and finished at 13–2.

The 1994 season is known by BSU fans as The Magic Carpet Ride, as the Broncos won all ten home games on the blue AstroTurf of Bronco Stadium. This was Boise State's last Big Sky title in football and final appearance in the I-AA playoffs; BSU moved up to Division I-A and the Big West Conference in 1996.

Allen's cancer

Bothered by shoulder pain for about a month, Allen had outpatient surgery in Boise for a biopsy three days prior to the 1994 championship game, and was diagnosed two days after the game with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of muscle cancer.

The tumor in his upper right arm was removed in March and Allen underwent extensive chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant in July at the Fred Hutchinson Center in Seattle. He returned to coach the Broncos in 1995 while going through treatment, and the cancer was declared in remission in December 1995, but the doctors warned of likely recurrence.

References

References

1. (September 4, 1994). "BSU wins behind Adams". The Idaho Statesman.
2. (September 11, 1994). "Northridge loses opener, 40–19". The Los Angeles Times.
3. (September 18, 1994). "Boise State takes off early, hands Nevada 37–27 defeat". The Sacramento Bee.
4. (September 25, 1994). "BSU rings Liberty's bell". The Idaho Statesman.
5. (October 2, 1994). "Broncos stick NAU with fourth quarter surge". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
6. (October 9, 1994). "Boise St. 24, Weber St. 17". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
7. (October 23, 1994). "Boise St. 38, Montana St. 10". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
8. Sando, Mike. (November 12, 1994). "Eastern runs into hard-charging Boise". Spokesman-Review.
9. (November 13, 1994). "Boise St. 16, E. Washington 13". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
10. "1994 Boise State Broncos Schedule". CFBDataWarehouse.com.
11. (October 16, 1994). "Bengals stun Boise State". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
12. (November 6, 1994). "Broncos throw Griz". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
13. (November 8, 1994). "Sports Network I-AA Poll". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
14. (November 15, 1994). "Sports Network I-AA Poll". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
15. Sahlberg, Bert. (November 20, 1994). "End of the line". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
16. (November 22, 1994). "Sports Network Div. I-AA Poll". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
17. (September 7, 1994). "Sports Network Div. I-AA Poll". Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
18. (December 8, 1994). "Montana minus Dickenson to meet defending I-AA champs". Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
19. (December 10, 1994). "Montana heads east for I-AA playoff showdown". Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
20. (December 11, 1994). "Youngstown State tops Griz". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
21. Sahlberg, Bert. (December 12, 1993). "Penguins put UI on ice". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
22. (November 27, 1994). "Broncos fend off North Texas". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
23. (December 4, 1994). "Griz, BSU advance to semis". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
24. (December 11, 1994). "Boise State rallies to defeat Marshall". Lewiston Morning Tribune.
25. (December 12, 1994). "Pokey Allen on horseback". Boise State University.
26. (December 19, 1994). "Youngstown St. powers past Boise St. in I-AA title game". Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
27. (December 18, 1994). "Youngstown State wins". Sunday Gazette.
28. (December 21, 1994). "BSU's Allen has cancer". Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
29. (December 21, 1994). "Allen has tumor". Youngstown Vindicator.
30. (July 5, 1995). "Allen in serious condition". Deseret News.