1996 Boise State Broncos football team

The 1996 Boise State Broncos football team represented Boise State University in the 1996 NCAA Division I-A football season, their first in Division I-A. The Broncos competed in the Big West Conference and played their home games on campus at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Led by fourth-year head coach Pokey Allen and interim head coach Tom Mason, Boise State finished the season at 2–10 (1–4 in Big West, fifth).

1996 Boise State Broncos football
Conference	Big West Conference
Record	2–10 (1–4 Big West)
Head coach	Pokey Allen (4th season; final 2 games) Tom Mason (interim, first 10 games)
Defensive coordinator	Tom Mason (4th season)
Home stadium	Bronco Stadium
Seasons ← 1995 1997 →

1996 Big West Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
Nevada +		4	–	1					9	–	3
Utah State +		4	–	1					6	–	5
Idaho		3	–	2					6	–	5
North Texas		3	–	2					5	–	6
Boise State		1	–	4					2	–	10
New Mexico State		0	–	5					1	–	10
+ – Conference co-champions

Diagnosed with a rare and aggressive muscle cancer (rhabdomyosarcoma) shortly after the 1994 season,^[1] Allen underwent surgery in August 1996,^[2] then returned to coach the final two games of the season.^[3][4] While visiting relatives in Montana over the holidays,^[4] Allen's condition worsened and he died in Missoula on December 30.^[5][6][7][8]

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance	Source
August 31	7:05 pm	Central Michigan*	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 21–42	19,258
September 7	7:05 pm	Portland State*	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	W 33–22	19,445	[9]
September 14	7:05 pm	Eastern Washington*	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 21–27	18,595	[10]
September 21	11:05 pm	at Hawaii*	Aloha Stadium Honolulu, HI	L 14–20	29,140
September 28	7:05 pm	No. 22 (I-AA) Northwestern State*	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 16–20	18,893	[11]
October 5	8:00 pm	at No. 5 Arizona State*	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe, AZ	L 7–56	49,108
October 12	2:05 pm	at Nevada	Mackay Stadium Reno, NV (rivalry)	L 28–66	25,330
October 19	7:05 pm	Utah State	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 14–39	18,168
November 2	6:00 pm	at Fresno State*	Bulldog Stadium Fresno, CA (rivalry)	L 7–41	36,099
November 9	1:05 pm	North Texas	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID	L 27–30	18,119
November 16	1:30 pm	at New Mexico State	Aggie Memorial Stadium Las Cruces, NM	W 33–32	4,153
November 23	1:30 pm	Idaho	Bronco Stadium Boise, ID (rivalry)	L 19–64	22,323	[12]
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Mountain time

^[13]