And then, obviously, this is a welcome surprise for the 12 Texas natives. The only trouble has been securing enough tickets. Each player gets six, which isn't quite enough for any of the guys from Texas.

"They're all asking us for tickets," said linebacker DJ Schramm of his Texan teammates.

"I got 25," Caples said. "(I've got) about 20)," said Hunter.

QUOTABLE

— Boise State EDGE coach Kelly Poppinga left for a job at his alma mater, BYU. Graduate assistant, and former Bronco, Jabril Frazier was on the recruiting trail this week in Poppinga's place and will help coach the edge rushers through the bowl game with Avalos.

Here's what defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson had to say about Frazier:

"I think Jabril Frazier does a phenomenal job. … In the three years he's been here as a graduate assistant, he's been awesome. His attention to detail. The way he works. How he preps. He wants to continue to improve his class. Now he's got his master's (degree), he's got the respect of everyone in the locker, which is a huge part when you're a young coach."

— Avalos on if Boise State will attack the transfer portal this year.

"We are a developmental program … We will,. at times, use and investigate the personnel in the transfer portal. But, here's the bottom line, we don't recruit a lot of people.

"We're gonna recruit the right people. We're gonna recruit the people that we know their families. It is always about the right fit — people first and, obviously, a certain skillset that fulfills a role we need to add depth at or whatever the case may be."