Preseason Mountain West honors are out. Boise State, as usual, is dominant

BOISE (Idaho Stateman) — Boise State football was announced as the Mountain West preseason favorite on Wednesday morning, marking the 15th straight season the Broncos have led the preseason poll.

The Broncos earned 464 points and 35 of the 39 first-place votes, ranking ahead of UNLV, which received 415 points and the other four first-place votes.

Boise State beat UNLV in the 2024 Mountain West championship game last year at Albertsons Stadium.

San Jose State rounded out the top three with 359 points.

If Boise State is to follow through on its preseason hype, it will be behind the Preseason Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year: redshirt junior quarterback Maddux Madsen.

Madsen earned the honor after leading the league in 2024 in passing yards (3,018) and passing touchdowns (23), as well as finishing second in passing efficiency (142.5). And he’s not the only Bronco expected to do big things in 2024.

Ten Boise State players were selected to the preseason all-conference team — five on offense and five on defense.

Madsen was picked at quarterback and joined on offense by wide receiver Latrell Caples, tight end Matt Lauter, and offensive linemen Kage Casey and Mason Randolph.

The five Broncos picked on defense were linemen Braxton Fely and Jayden Virgin-Morgan, linebacker Marco Notarainni, and defensive backs Ty Benefield and A’Marion McCoy.

Here is the full preseason media poll and all-conference team selections.

Mountain West Preseason Poll

1. Boise State (35 first-place votes) – 464 points
2. UNLV (4) – 415
3. San Jose State – 359
4. Colorado State – 326
5. Fresno State – 301
6. Air Force – 280
7. Hawai’i – 280
8. San Diego State – 202
9. Utah State – 165
10. Wyoming – 150
11. New Mexico – 84
12. Nevada – 83

Mountain West Preseason All-Conference team

Offense
QB Maddux Madsen – Boise State
WR Latrell Caples – Boise State
WR Pofele Ashlock – Hawai’i
WR Nick Cenacle – Hawai’i
RB Scottre Humphrey – New Mexico
RB Jai’Den Thomas – UNLV
OL Kage Casey – Boise State
OL Mason Randolph – Boise State
OL Peseti Lapuaho – San Jose State
OL Caden Barnett – Wyoming
OL Jack Walsh – Wyoming
TE Matt Lauter – Boise State

Defense
DL Braxton Fely – Boise State
DL Jayden Virgin-Morgan – Boise State
DL Trey White – San Diego State
DL Gafa Faga – San Jose State
LB Marco Notarainni – Boise State
LB Tano Letuli – San Diego State
LB Jordan Pollard – San Jose State
LB Marsel McDuffie – UNLV
DB Ty Benefield – Boise State
DB A’Marion McCoy – Boise State
DB Al’zillion Hamilton – Fresno State
DB Ike Larsen – Utah State

Specialists
P Luke Freer – Air Force
PK Gabe Plascencia – San Diego State
PR Marcus Bellon – Nevada
KR Abraham Williams – New Mexico