# 1980 Boise State Broncos football team

The 1980 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Broncos competed in the Big Sky Conference and played their home games at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. They were led by fifth-year head coach Jim Criner and the "Four Horseman" senior backfield: quarterback Joe Aliotti, fullback David Hughes, halfback Cedric Minter, with halfback Terry Zahner in reserve.
The previous season, the Broncos had a 10–1 record and were undefeated in the Big Sky, but were on probation for a scouting violation in November 1978, making them ineligible for the conference title or the 1979 I-AA playoffs.

## Regular season

The Broncos finished the regular season in 1980 at 8–3 and 6–1 in conference to win their fifth Big Sky title in eleven seasons, their first since 1977. BSU defeated their two Division I-A opponents, but lost a road contest in November to Cal Poly-SLO, the eventual Division II national champions, whom they had routed at the end of the previous season.
The Broncos easily defeated rival Idaho, then ranked ninth, for the fourth consecutive year in mid-October in Boise. During halftime of the Nevada-Reno game on November 8, BSU dedicated the playing field at Bronco Stadium to athletic director and former head coach Lyle Smith. The only conference setback was a one-point loss in late September at Montana State, the difference was a last-minute two-point conversion.

## Division I-AA playoffs

The Broncos were invited to the four-team I-AA playoffs. As Big Sky champions with a substantial stadium and fan base, BSU was chosen to host in the first round, a national semifinal on December 13, three weeks after the completion of the regular season. The opponent was Grambling State, coached by legend Eddie Robinson. The Broncos won 14–9 in sub-freezing fog and advanced to the championship game the following week in California against defending champion Eastern Kentucky, coached by Roy Kidd. In a back-and-forth contest played in the fog at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, Boise State won 31–29 to win their only I-AA national title.
The Broncos returned to the I-AA semifinals the following season and 1990, and the title game in 1994; they moved up to Division I-A in 1996.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 6 | 7:30 pm | at Utah* | | Rice StadiumSalt Lake City, UT | | W 28–7 | 27,231 |
| September 13 | 7:30 pm | Southeastern Louisiana* | | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID | | L 13–17 | 21,342 |
| September 20 | 8:00 pm | at Northern Arizona | | Walkup SkydomeFlagstaff, AZ | | W 20–18 | 10,787 |
| September 27 | 1:30 pm | at Montana State | No. 10 | Reno H. Sales StadiumBozeman, MT | | L 17–18 | 9,121 |
| October 4 | 7:30 pm | Montana | | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID | | W 44–10 | 20,453 |
| October 11 | 7:30 pm | No. 9 Idaho | | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID (rivalry) | | W 44–21 | 21,812 |
| October 18 | 7:30 pm | Cal State Fullerton* | No. 9 | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID | | W 26–11 | 17,052 |
| October 25 | 7:30 pm | Weber State | No. 7 | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID | | W 24–0 | 18,455 |
| November 8 | 1:30 pm | Nevada | No. 7 | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID (rivalry) | | W 14–3 | 20,682 |
| November 15 | 8:30 pm | at No. 4 (D-II) Cal Poly* | No. 5 | Mustang StadiumSan Luis Obispo, CA | | L 20–23 | 8,330 |
| November 22 | 7:30 pm | at Idaho State | No. 9 | ASISU MinidomePocatello, ID | | W 22–13 | 13,865 |
| December 13 | 11:30 am | No. 2 Grambling State* | No. 7 | Bronco StadiumBoise, ID (Div. I-AA Semifinal) | | W 14–9 | 17,300 |
| December 20 | 12:30 pm | vs. No. 3 Eastern Kentucky* | No. 7 | Hughes StadiumSacramento, CA (Div. I-AA Championship Game — Camellia Bowl) | ABC | W 31–29 | 8,157 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Mountain time |||||||||

## Roster

    Source:

## NFL draft

One Bronco senior was selected in the 1981 NFL draft, which lasted 12 rounds (332 selections).
| Player | Position | Round | Overall | Franchise |
| David Hughes | FB | 2nd | 31 | Seattle Seahawks |