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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted at 5:46 p.m., Tuesday, September 30, 2008

CFB: Louisiana Tech, No. 17 Boise State open WAC play

By TODD DVORAK
Associated Press Writer

BOISE, Idaho — Louisiana Tech has lost six in a row to Boise State and Bulldogs coach Derek Dooley would love nothing more than to end that streak Wednesday night in front of a national television audience on the No. 17 Broncos' own blue turf.

Few places in the nation are tougher on visiting teams than Bronco Stadium, where Boise State has won 15 in a row and compiled a nation's best 34-1 home record since 2003.

"It's going to be a great challenge for our team," said Dooley, a second-year coach. "Not just because it's at Boise, but because we've got to play better on the road."

The Bulldogs (2-1) lost 29-0 at then-No. 14 Kansas on Sept. 6, but has won twice at home, including a season-opening victory over Mississippi State.

But when Boise State (3-0) and Louisiana Tech open the Western Athletic Conference portion of their schedule, Dooley hopes his players respond better to the challenge of playing a ranked team on a national stage.

"How well we'll handle it? I don't know," he said. "We didn't handle it well at Kansas, on the road, on national TV, against a quality opponent. These are the kind of games you should want to play in as a program."

The Broncos are no stranger to pressure.

In their last game, the Broncos upset then-No. 17 Oregon 37-32 behind the passing of freshman quarterback Kellen Moore. The victory vaulted Boise State into the national rankings for the first time this season and marked the first Bronco road win against a BCS conference opponent.

It also filled the team with confidence, coach Chris Petersen said.

"People are talking about us because of what we've done the first few games," Petersen said. "So it's important for us to come out, play with great energy and take the next step in our whole development as a team."

So far this season, Moore has been spectacular. The lefty has completed 72 percent of his passes and thrown for 840 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception.

His ability to elude the rush and savvy decision-making skills would seem to pose a major problem for a Bulldogs secondary that has struggled all season. Through three games, Louisiana Tech has allowed an average of 348 yards passing, among the worst in the nation.

"They've been trying to put a lot of pressure on the quarterback ... sending a lot of blitzes from different angles," he said. "Sometimes you'll hang your secondary out a little bit when they've got to cover longer."

The last time the Bulldogs won at Bronco Stadium was in 1997, four years before Louisiana Tech made the jump to the WAC.