BOISE, Idaho — The Boise State football team's defense has cut opponents' yardage by just 8 percent this season.

Yet the Broncos are allowing half as many points than they did last season — putting them on a school-record pace.

The difference? The Broncos have tremendously increased their takeaways, sacks, tackles for loss, fourth-down stops and red-zone defense — the big plays that were missing last year.

"We're playing real inspired right now," junior cornerback Kyle Wilson said. "We're playing tremendous team football. Everyone is only doing their job, but we're still producing a whole bunch as a team."

The No. 13 Broncos (6-0, 2-0) rank second in the nation in scoring defense at 10.5 points per game going into tonight's Western Athletic Conference first-place showdown at San Jose State (5-2, 3-0).

The Broncos haven't allowed a point in the second half of their past three games. They are on pace to tie the school record for scoring defense set in 1969.

"We got our swagger back," sophomore safety Jeron Johnson said. "We're just rolling with it."

BSU has racked up 16 takeaways, 20 sacks, 47 tackles for loss and 11 fourth-down stops this season — on pace to shatter its numbers in those categories, not only from last year, but from 2006 as well.

Two weeks ago, BSU beat Southern Miss with four fourth-down stops. Last week, it beat Hawai'i with five interceptions.

"It's the relentless effort, I believe, and determination," Johnson said. "Everyone's just playing on a mission, like 11 men on a mission."

"It's just that mentality we bring," sophomore defensive end Ryan Winterswyk said. "Ever since spring ball we've been saying we have to be aggressive, we've got to get the ball."

Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox, though, has a much more simplistic explanation.

"It's probably just the guys finishing the plays," he said. "Nothing more than that."