Jeanty leads Boise State to season-opening win over Georgia Southern

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty ran for school records of six touchdowns and 267 yards and Boise State overcame Georgia Southern 56-45 on Saturday in a season opener.

Spencer Danielson, who coached the Broncos’ final four games last season and went 3-1, picked up his first win without the interim tag.

Jeanty collected his 267 yards on 20 carries, surpassing Cedric Minter’s 261 yards against Northern Michigan in 1978. He gave Boise State its first points with a 77-yard score and finished his scoring with a 75-yarder that gave the Broncos a 42-37 lead 13 seconds after the Eagles had gone on top with 13 1/2 minutes left in the game.

Freshman Sire Gaines cemented the outcome with a 38-yard touchdown run and a 17-yard scoring reception. The seven team rushing touchdowns were one short of the school record and the most since 2007.

Boise State’s Maddux Madsen was 22-of-31 passing for 280 yards with a TD and an interception.

Georgia Southern’s JC French was 28-of-50 passing for 323 yards and two scores and added a rushing TD.

Boise State led 28-9 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the first half before the Eagles scored the next 21 points. The teams exchanged the lead twice more before Jeanty scored his final TD.