Class of WAC

BOISE – Though Nevada threatened, there’s still no team in the WAC that can conquer Boise State.

Perhaps the Broncos will meet their match in the BCS – if they get in.

Kellen Moore tied his career high with five touchdown passes, three to fill-in fullback Dan Paul, and the No. 6 Broncos remained undefeated with a 44-33 victory over Nevada on Friday night.

With executives with the Sugar, Fiesta and Orange bowls watching – and hearing fans’ chants of “BCS! BCS!” – the Broncos (12-0, 7-0 WAC) withstood the Wolf Pack’s rally from 24 points down in the first half.

Boise State, sixth in the latest BCS but far from a lock to earn a bid to the marquee bowls, led 34-26 entering the fourth quarter before Moore’s fifth scoring pass, to brother Kirby, clinched its 24th consecutive regular-season win.

“We’ve taken care of what we can control, and we’re excited for whatever happens,” Kellen Moore said. “At the same time, we can’t control (the BCS).”

Doug Martin ran for 128 yards on 16 carries for the Broncos, who locked up at least a share of their seventh WAC championship in eight seasons. They have one more home date against lowly New Mexico State before BCS bids are announced next weekend.

“Let’s hope the system should work like it should,” Broncos coach Chris Petersen said on the field immediately after the game.

Maybe the BCS should compute this: Boise State is 72-4 this decade.

“In South Florida, there’s a lot of buzz over TCU and Boise,” Orange Bowl executive director Eric Poms said at halftime during his first trip to Boise.

No. 4 TCU, which Poms will see play in person today, is primed for automatic inclusion in the big-bucks series as the highest-ranked outsider.

“I’m very impressed,” Poms said of the enthusiasm for the Broncos in Boise.

Poms added “we’re wide open” on which team to select to play in the Orange Bowl opposite the winner of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game next weekend between Clemson and Georgia Tech. Oklahoma State, Iowa and Penn State are among the BCS teams poised to keep Boise State undefeated yet out of the BCS for the second consecutive postseason.

Resilient Nevada absorbed a 95-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff by Boise State’s Titus Young and being in a 27-3 hole after 20 minutes. The Wolf Pack closed within 27-19 in third quarter on a 37-yard field goal by Ricky Drake.

The Broncos answered with a ground march to the Wolf Pack 21. That running was partly why tight end Tommy Gallarda was wide open in the middle of the field for Moore’s fourth touchdown pass, from 21 yards. Moore’s 37th TD throw of the season, against just three interceptions, extended his single-season school record.

But on the next play from scrimmage, Vai Taua, the leading runner on the NCAA’s first offense to have three 1,000-yard rushers in the same season, sprinted untouched down the right hashmark for a 71-yard touchdown. The Wolf Pack was back within 34-26 late in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Boise State’s Aaron Tevis forced Taua to fumble and Winston Venable recovered at the Nevada 33. Kyle Brotzman kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the Broncos up 37-26 with 10:55 left, before the clinching Moore-to-Moore connection.