Madsen Stands Alone as Boise State Quarterback Leads Nation in Touchdowns Without an Interception
Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen is now the only quarterback in the country with double-digit touchdown passes and zero interceptions. After a 31-10 win against Washington State, Madsen enters this week’s matchup against Texas State as the only quarterback in the country with double-digit touchdown passes and zero interceptions.
The milestone ends a friendly family watch. Madsen’s brother regularly monitored an ever-dwindling list of interception-free quarterbacks via a family group chat, keeping tabs on who remained clean as the season crossed its midway point, while Madsen threw his 14th touchdown pass of the season to Cam Bates during the victory against Washington State to stand alone atop the national leaderboard and become the first Boise State quarterback in the FBS era to start seven consecutive games without throwing a pick.
Boise State (6-1, 3-0 Pac-12) hosts Texas State (4-3, 2-1) at 8 p.m. Saturday at Albertsons Stadium.
| Statistic | Maddux Madsen Metric |
|---|---|
| Completion Percentage | 65.6% |
| Passing Yards | 1,445 |
| Touchdowns / Interceptions | 14 / 0 |
| Rushing Yards (33 carries) | 144 (4.4 yards per carry) |
Pocket Presence and Mobility Keep the Broncos Moving
Entering his third season as the full-time starter for the Broncos, Madsen has directed an offense that has scored 30 or more points in six consecutive games. That marks the program’s longest streak since a seven-game stretch to close out the 2014 regular season, which ended with a Mountain West title and a Fiesta Bowl victory.
He’s making his plays,
Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said, pointing to Madsen’s scramble ability, throw accuracy, and command of the run game.
Beyond his arm, Madsen has avoided the pass rush. Opposing defenses have registered only five sacks against Boise State all season, ranking the Broncos fifth fewest nationally in sacks allowed. Madsen was not sacked against Washington State, marking his fourth clean game of the year. He has not been sacked more than once in any game since taking three sacks in the season-opening loss at Oregon.
His mobility surfaced in the third quarter against Washington State with the score tied at 10. Escaping multiple tacklers on a third-and-6, Madsen picked up 17 yards across midfield. The Broncos scored later on that drive and maintained the lead for good.
I personally feel like I have been able to feel the pocket this year in ways that I haven’t previously,
Madsen said.
Senior Maturity Drives the Offense Forward
Offensive coordinator Nate Potter noted that Madsen’s growth is evident in his timing and willingness to pick his spots. At times, he’s just got to trust the pocket and trust the read,
Potter said. He’s been very good at making that quick decision, going, finding the sticks and taking care of himself, too.
Running back Dylan Riley, who leads the nation with 963 rushing yards, joked about Madsen’s ground contributions. He’s probably watching some of our individual film and working on that,
Riley said. He’s out there doing his thing when it comes to using his legs.
With an eye on leaving a lasting legacy in his final year of college football, Madsen maintains a simple philosophy regarding his historic streak. It’s cool, but, honestly, it’s never in my thinking as far as ‘oh, I can’t throw an interception,’
he said. I’ve been in that space before and it’s not good for me. It’s just letting it rip.
