Boise State Football

Idaho Statesman reporters Bill Roberts, in Boise, and Erika Bolstad, in Landover, Md., are gathering comments and stories from fans about Monday nights Boise State football game. Here's the latest:

9:50 p.m. update

Landover, Md. — Jovan Hutchinson, who played for the Broncos from 2002 to 2006, grinned from ear to ear after the Broncos won. "They know now that Boise state is for real," said Hutchinson, now a firefighter in Eagle. "To see where the program's at? My hat's off. Unbelievable."

"We won! We did it" yelled Carolyn Pratt of Boise, hugging a friend.

"They're comeback kids," said her husband, Avery Pratt. "Heart."

"It proves they don't give up," said Brent Johnston.

8:55 p.m. update

Landover, Md. — Regardless of the outcome of the game, Boise State fans at halftime said they thought the match finally would mean they don't have to defend their faith in the Broncos – or explain where Idaho is.

For 15-year-old Mason Sullivan of Green Bay, Wis., the team already is on the map. Maybe it's the blue field, Sullivan said, but he's always liked Boise State. He talked his mother and sister into a road trip from Wisconsin to Washington, D.C., to see the team, and he's now considering applying to Boise State for college.

Jeff DeLapp of Boise said he thought the game proves something important about college football programs: "I think it makes it clear that tradition isn't as important as team play and talent," he said, adding, that the game against Virginia Tech is "a huge stage."

"It's like you're starting your season with a bowl game," he said.

Tyler Crowley, who was born and raised in Boise, lives in Richmond, Va. now and attended the game with friends who are Virginia Tech graduates. He even roots for the Hokies when "it doesn't conflict with Boise State," Crowley said.

His Virginia Tech friends offered some grudging admiration for their rivals. "It's obvious that they are that good, now," he said.

Boisean Nikki Henderson said she's tired of Boise State being put down for having a weaker schedule than most top-tier college teams.

"We'll take on anybody," she said. "We'll take on Alabama, c'mon!"

"Alabama, Ohio State, whatever," said her husband, Brett Henderson. "We've got the momentum."

Tami Heinz, a Boise State graduate, was constantly defending her Broncos when she moved to Virginia to work for Micron Technology. Many of the Boise-based company's engineers at its Manassas, Va., plant went to Virginia Tech, so there was lots of workplace ribbing.

"Being in Virginia, everyone would talk a bunch of smack," she said. But now, "it's a chance to put it in their face."

Monday night, she proudly carried a "Famous Potatoes" foam potato-head hat that many fans were wearing at the game.

"It shows them Boise actually is something," she said. "People will start to shut up."

Jaynie Chase, of Boise, has been to both Fiesta Bowl games and attended Monday's game wearing orange Crocs and a golf visor topped with orange fuzz.

"We're already on the map," said "Now we just get to prove it. Over and over again. And we will."