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Dylan Riley Scores 5 Touchdowns as Boise State Defeats Air Force 49–37 in Mountain West Opener

  • Writer: Garrison Gridiron
    Garrison Gridiron
  • Sep 21
  • 3 min read

Sophomore running back Dylan Riley delivered a legendary performance Friday night, powering Boise State to a 49-37 victory over Air Force in the Mountain West Conference opener at Falcon Stadium.

Riley accounted for five total touchdowns, four rushing and one receiving, and racked up 255 all-purpose yards to help the Broncos (2-1, 1-0 MW) notch their second straight win. The Falcons (1-2, 0-1 MW) fought valiantly behind a resilient ground game, but ultimately couldn’t keep pace with Boise State’s high-powered offense.


Watch: Highlights from Dylan Riley’s five-touchdown performance as Boise State defeats Air Force 49–37 in Mountain West opener.

Game Summary

Air Force opened the game with a methodical five-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run from Dylan Carson to take a 7–0 lead. Boise State wasted no time responding, as Dylan Riley punched in a 4-yard touchdown, followed by another on a 34-yard dash that gave the Broncos a 14-7 advantage.

Early in the second quarter, quarterback Maddux Madsen found Matt Lauter for a 3-yard touchdown pass, capping a 10-play drive and stretching the lead to 21-7. Air Force clawed back with a 76-yard drive ending in a 3-yard touchdown run by Kemper Hodges, trimming the deficit to 21-14 by halftime.

The third quarter became a fireworks show. Air Force tied it up quickly on a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Liam Szarka, but Boise State responded in kind as Malik Sherrod ripped off a 40-yard touchdown run. After a 25-yard field goal by Air Force cut the lead to 28–24, Boise State struck again in just 12 seconds, Madsen connected with Riley on a 75-yard touchdown reception, pushing the lead to 35-24.

In the fourth quarter, Air Force made another push. Szarka hit Quin Smith for a 12-yard touchdown, but the two-point conversion failed. Riley answered back with an 8-yard touchdown run, making it 42-30. Air Force again cut the gap to five after Szarka’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Bruin Fleischmann, but with 2:08 left, Riley sealed the game with a 43-yard touchdown run, capping a 49-37 Boise State victory.


Key Stats

Boise State Broncos

  • RB Dylan Riley: 19 carries, 171 yards, 4 rushing TDs; 2 receptions, 84 yards, 1 TD

  • QB Maddux Madsen: 12-of-21, 269 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

  • WR Latrell Caples: 7 targets, 85 yards

  • Total Offense: 592 yards (303 passing, 289 rushing)

  • 3rd Down Conversions: 6-of-9

Air Force Falcons

  • QB Liam Szarka: 13-of-18, 248 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

  • WR Cade Harris: 11 targets, 179 yards

  • RB Dylan Carson: 105 yards, 1 TD

  • Total Offense: 517 yards (248 passing, 269 rushing)

  • 3rd Down Conversions: 8-of-14


Turning Point

With just over two minutes left and Boise State clinging to a five-point lead, Dylan Riley broke through the left side of the line and raced 43 yards for his fourth rushing touchdown of the night. The play put the Broncos up by 12 and shut the door on any potential Air Force comeback.


What’s Next

Boise State returns home for a non-conference showdown against Appalachian State (2–1) on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 5:30 p.m. MST on FS1. Meanwhile, Air Force will look to regroup as they continue Mountain West play next weekend.


Quick Hits

  • Boise State averaged 10.4 yards per play, a devastatingly efficient clip.

  • Riley now has six touchdowns in his last two games.

  • The Broncos defense forced two turnovers and held Air Force to just 4.9 yards per rush.


Stay tuned to BoiseSportsZone.com for more postgame analysis and a full breakdown of what these wins mean for Boise State’s Mountain West title hopes.

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