Marks, Zabransky guide BSU’s romp
BOISE – After a season of what Boise State center Jeff Cavender calls “running back by committee,” the Broncos finally had a rusher break the 100-yard barrier for the first time this season.
Lee Marks ran 18 times for 112 yards and a touchdown while quarterback Jared Zabransky rushed for a score and threw for another as the Broncos easily defeated winless New Mexico State 56-6 Saturday.
The Broncos (7-2, 5-0 Western Athletic Conference), have led the WAC in averaging 208 rushing yards per game this year. Against the Aggies (0-9, 0-5), Boise State ran for 303 yards and six touchdowns as it amassed 524 yards total offense.
“It was an awesome night all the way around,” said Marks, the first Broncos running back to eclipse 100 yards this year. “This is one of the best offensive lines Boise State has ever had.”
Said Cavender: “Our mentality is always to attack people, never take a play off.”
The win was Boise State’s seventh straight after two season-opening losses, and extended the longest current home winning streak in Division I-A to 30 games, tying Auburn, Florida and Tennessee for the 13th-longest streak in NCAA history. The Broncos also notched their 31st straight WAC win.
The Broncos scored on their first three possessions after sophomore safety Marty Tadman intercepted Aggies junior quarterback Joey Vincent on New Mexico State’s opening drive at the 7-yard line. Boise State then drove 93 yards in 13 plays, with Jeff Carpenter scoring on a 10-yard run around the right side with 6:14 left in the first quarter. Marks capped an 11-play, 62-yard drive with a 4-yard scoring run to open the second quarter.
Zabransky threw for 138 yards, just 30 short of 5,000 career passing yards. The junior scored on a quarterback sneak from inside the 1-yard line with 5:40 left in the third quarter to push the Bronco lead to 28-6, then threw a 3-yard TD pass to junior Jerard Rabb with 3:27 left in the third.
Ian Johnson rushed for a 5-yard TD with 11:24 left in the game, and backup quarterback Bush Hamden threw a 13-yard TD to Tanyon Bissell with 9:29 remaining.
Broncos senior running back Antwaun Carter added two more rushing touchdowns, both 2-yard runs.
The Aggies’ only score came with 3:26 left in the first quarter after a 73-yard drive that was highlighted by a 33-yard run by Vincent, who then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to sophomore Derek Dubois.