Boise St. Overwhelms USF 77-10 After Lengthy Delay

By Keith Groller Stateline Gazette Sports

BOISE, Idaho — The wait was long, the frustration palpable, and the explanations scarce. But once Boise State finally kicked the ball into the night air on the Blue Turf, there was nothing left to debate.

The Broncos overwhelmed South Florida 77–10 on Tuesday night in a Stateline Elite matchup delayed for hours before kickoff, scoring early, often, and relentlessly to remain unbeaten and firmly entrenched atop the West Division.

Boise State needed less than five minutes of game time to turn anticipation into domination. USF’s opening drive ended with an interception, setting up a short-field touchdown. The Bulls’ second possession ended in a fumble. Two mistakes. Fourteen points. And a game that already felt out of reach.

By the end of the first quarter, Boise State led 21–0. By halftime, it was 42–0. The Broncos never eased up.

Quarterback Maddux Madsen delivered a masterclass, completing 19 of 31 passes for 360 yards and six touchdowns while adding two rushing scores. He spread the ball effortlessly, carving through a USF defense that never recovered from its disastrous start.

Running back Dylan Riley powered the offense with 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns while also catching passes out of the backfield for 106 yards. Latrell Caples and Chris Marshall each caught two touchdown passes, while Matt Lauter, Malik Sherrod, Kaden Anderson, and Matt Wagner all found their way into the scoring column as Boise State piled up 514 total yards.

The Broncos scored on nearly every possession of consequence, turning early turnovers into points and forcing USF to abandon any semblance of balance.

For the Bulls, the night unraveled almost immediately. Starting quarterback Byrum Brown was benched before the first quarter ended after two early turnovers. His replacement, Gaston Moore, fared no better, throwing an interception on his first series. USF finished the night with four interceptions, three in the opening quarter alone.

Brown later returned, finishing 13 of 24 for 125 yards with four interceptions, though he provided the lone highlight for USF with an 88-yard rushing effort and a touchdown. Receivers Keshaun Singleton and Chas Nimrod combined for 115 yards, but sustained offense was nonexistent.

The lengthy delay only added to the surreal nature of the night. Fans waited hours with no clear explanation, watching teams warm up, leave the field, and return again before kickoff finally arrived. Once it did, the competitive portion of the evening ended almost immediately.

“The delay was frustrating, but our guys handled it the right way,” Boise State head coach Devin Grade said. “Once we got rolling, we executed. We stayed aggressive, stayed focused, and kept playing.”

USF head coach Grant Drachman had few answers for the collapse.

“We dug ourselves too big of a hole too early,” he said. “You can’t give a team like Boise State short fields and extra possessions and expect to survive.”

Boise State’s 77 points marked one of the most lopsided victories of the Stateline Elite season and underscored its status as the league’s most dangerous offense. USF, meanwhile, left Boise battered, frustrated, and still searching for stability.

The wait to start was agonizing. The ending, for Boise State, was inevitable.