Mountain West Bowl projections after Week 13: Exploring Boise State Broncos' playoff chances in 2024

The No. 11 Boise State Broncos improved their chances of playing in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff after topping the Wyoming Cowboys 17-13 on Saturday. Boise State enters Week 14 on a nine-game win streak and is set to get a bye in the first round of the playoffs, according to the CFP selection committee's Tuesday rankings.

Boise State bowl projections 2024

Boise State (10-1, 7-0 Mountain West) is having a great season after winning eight games last season. Its only loss was a close 37-34 contest against the No. 1 Oregon Ducks (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) in Week 2 on Sept. 7.

The Broncos' victory over Wyoming (2-9, 2-5 Mountain West) improved their spot in the AP poll rankings from 12th to 11th. They'll face the Oregon State Beavers (5-6, 1-0 Pac-12) on Friday. Boise State will host the MWC championship game on Dec. 6 against an opponent to be determined.

The No. 22 UNLV Rebels (9-2, 5-1 MWC) are the second-best team in the conference and will likely face the Broncos. UNLV takes on the Nevada Wolf Pack (3-9, 0-6) on Saturday. A win for Boise State in the MWC championship game would put them in a position to compete in the Fiesta Bowl in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on Dec. 31.

What bowl games will Boise State play in?

The Broncos are projected to play in the Fiesta Bowl against the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) or the No. 16 Arizona State Sun Devils (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) after Week 13.

The Buckeyes are on a five-game winning streak. Their last victory was against the No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten) on Nov. 23. Arizona State has beaten its last four opponents, including a 28-23 win over the No. 19 BYU Cougars (9-2, 6-2 Big 12) on Saturday. Both teams will compete in Week 14 to secure their spot in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Boise State's next two games will be pivotal in their chances of contending for the college football national championship. The bye in the first round would give them a better opportunity to prepare for a matchup against Ohio State or Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Boise State football schedule: Key games remaining

Boise State's upcoming game against Oregon State will be important to keep its momentum going into the Mountain West championship game. The Broncos will try to end the regular season with 11 wins, the most victories in a season since 2019.

• Nov. 29: vs. Oregon State