LAS VEGAS – The last two times Boise State played in the Las Vegas Bowl, there were other places the Broncos wanted to be. Not so Saturday, when the smallest player on the team came up big in a 28-26 victory over Washington.
After two straight blowouts in the Las Vegas Bowl, the Broncos had to work hard for a win sealed by a 27-yard field goal by 5-foot-5 Michael Frisina with 1:16 left.
“The most satisfying thing about this season was each week you’d see us get just a little bit better,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “These guys, they don’t go through the motions. They have a chip on their shoulder.”
The win capped another strong year for the No. 20 Broncos (11-2), who had to overcome a 205-yard rushing game by Bishop Sankey. Sankey also had 74 yards receiving, giving him 279 of Washington’s 447 yards from scrimmage.
But it was Frisina who came up with the biggest game of his career in his final game. He kicked three field goals, including the first game winner he could ever recall booting.
“It’s every kicker’s dream to win a big game with a field goal,” Frisina said. “For this one to come on the last game of my career, you couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Washington (7-6) had taken the lead for the first time on a 38-yard field goal by Travis Coons with 4:09 left when No. 20 Boise State got a big kickoff return by freshman Shane Williams-Rhodes to the Washington 42. Joe Southwick guided the team to the 12 before Frisina hit the winning kick.
Boise State sealed the win when Jeremy Ioane intercepted Keith Price’s pass as the Huskies neared midfield.
“To their credit they found a way to win the game in the end,” Washington coach Steve Sarkisian said. “Our inability to finish is pretty blaring.”
New Orleans Bowl
LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 43, EAST CAROLINA 34: In New Orleans, Terrance Broadway passed for 316 yards and ran for 108 to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Alonzo Harris rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns for Louisiana-Lafayette (9-4), which briefly squandered a three-touchdown lead before moving back in front for good on Broadway’s 14-yard scoring pass to Javone Lawson late in the third quarter. Brett Baer added his second and third field goals in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Shane Carden passed for 278 yards and two touchdowns for East Carolina (8-5).
