No. 20 Boise State rallies to beat Texas State 46-45 after blowing a 25-point halftime lead

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Max Cutforth threw three touchdown passes in the final seven minutes in relief of injured starter Maddux Madsen, and No. 20 Boise State rallied to beat Texas State 46-45 on Saturday night after blowing a 25-point halftime lead.

Boise State (7-1, 4-0 Pac-12) needed a furious comeback after the Bobcats scored the first 36 points of the second half, taking a 39-28 lead with 8:58 left when Jayden Bradley returned Madsen’s first interception of the season for a touchdown.

“The third quarter was one of the worst quarters of football that I’ve ever been a part of,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “But then in the fourth quarter, we throw a pick-six, we’re down 11 and a quarterback. But I’m proud of this team and this group of leaders that found a way to win.”

Texas State (4-4, 2-2) was poised to pull the upset behind Brad Jackson, the quarterback who threw for 327 yards and four TDs.

But with the Bobcats clinging to a 39-34 lead, Boise State’s Mana Tuioti intercepted a pass on a trick play and returned it to the Bobcats 11 to flip the momentum.

In a game that saw three lead changes in the final five minutes, Cutforth found Akeem Wright for an 18-yard scoring strike with 2:40 remaining to put Boise State ahead for good.

Madsen, who threw for 236 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores, left in the fourth quarter after taking a hard shot near his left knee. He watched the rest of the game on crutches from the sideline. Danielson said Madsen’s status is unknown as he was still being evaluated by the training staff.

Last season, Cutforth came in for Madsen after he suffered a season-ending injury in the first quarter of a game against Fresno State that the Broncos lost 30-7.

But Cutforth was more prepared for the moment this time.

“Getting to play last year, I gained a lot of experience,” said Cutforth, who was 8-of-13 passing for 131 yards. “I took big steps in learning how to be a backup, so that’s helped me. I just tell myself every week that I’m going in.”

Since moving to FBS in 2012, the Bobcats have never beaten a ranked team in 13 attempts.

The takeaway

Boise State: The Broncos appear to be the frontrunner for the playoff spot reserved for the highest-ranked Group of Six teams heading into Tuesday’s first CFP rankings this season. But they will need to avoid any more meltdowns to hold onto that position.

Texas State: The Bobcats, who entered the season having played only once against any members of the new Pac-12, look competitive in their first season in the conference. But if they want another shot at the Broncos, they will need to navigate a challenging two-game stretch against Oregon State and Fresno State.