Even if Boise State is a Group of Five program, some legendary players have lined up behind center for the Broncos over the years.
Those quarterbacks have given fans some of the most memorable moments in the history of college football. Both through sustained success and exhilarating plays in bowl games, Boise State has been one of the most exciting teams to watch for quite some time.
So with the Broncos set to compete in the College Football Playoff soon, here’s my ranking of the best Boise State QBs.
And, to be sure, there are many great Bronco quarterbacks who didn’t make the list. And for those who did, their accomplishments go well beyond anything mentioned here.
New Customer Offers at BetMGM
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Add’l Terms
5. Tony Hilde
Hilde is the only QB on this list who played in a national championship.
He was the quarterback for the Broncos when they won the Big Sky Conference and made a run to the Division I-AA national title game. The Broncos beat North Texas, App State, and Marshall during their playoff run that year before falling to Youngstown State in the championship.
But Hilde also has the stats to back up having a spot on this list. He threw for 9,866 yards and had 689 completions, which puts him third all-time at Boise State in both categories, and 77 touchdowns, which puts him fifth.
4. Ryan Dinwiddie
Dinwiddie had some of the best games in Boise State history from a statistical standpoint.
Dinwiddie owns the single-season passing yards record from when he threw for 4,356 yards in 2003. That season, he threw for 532 yards at Louisiana Tech and 509 yards at SMU, which are first and second for single-game Boise State records.
He has the most 400-yard passing games (four) and 500-yard passing games (two) as well as the third-most 300-yard contests (15).
In program history, Dinwiddie is second in passing efficiency (168.89), third in passing touchdowns (82), fourth in passing yards (9,818), fifth in completions (622), and seventh in completion percentage (62.7%).
Dinwiddie, the 2003 PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl Bronco MVP, also led his team during two WAC championship seasons in 2002 and 2003.
3. Jared Zabransky
Appearing on the cover of NCAA Football 08, Jared Zabransky was central in one of Boise State’s most unforgettable games.
He was the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl when Boise State defeated Oklahoma in overtime.
The game is famous for the hook and lateral at the end of regulation when Zabransky threw to Drisan James, who pitched the ball to Jerard Rabb, who then scored the tying touchdown at the end of regulation. And, of course, it’s also known for the Statue of Liberty play when Zabransky held the ball behind his back and handed it off to Ian Johnson, who then scored the game-winning two-point conversion.
Zabransky, who led the Broncos to three WAC Championships, was highly effective leading his team on touchdown drives. Entering this season, he was first in program history with 31 rushing touchdowns by a quarterback and was responsible for 89 touchdowns, which was in the top five. He’s sixth in program record books with 8,256 passing yards and 610 completions, is tied for sixth with 58 touchdown throws, and is in the top 10 with a 66.3% completion rate.
2. Brett Rypien
Rypien is in the top two for a lot of records at Boise State.
He’s second in passing yards (13,581), completions (1,036), touchdown passes (90), and lowest interception ratio (0.18%). He also has the most 300-yard games (21) for any Boise State career.
The 2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl Offensive MVP helped Boise State win a conference championship in 2017, a year in which the Broncos won the Las Vegas Bowl over Oregon.
Rypien is certainly one of the most effective quarterbacks Boise State has ever seen.
1. Kellen Moore
Could anyone else be No. 1 on this list?
Kellen Moore is the winningest quarterback in college football history with 50 wins from 2008-11. He went 50-3 in four years as a starter at Boise State.
Moore is Boise State’s all-time leader with 14,667 yards, 142 passing touchdowns, and a 69.8% completion rate.
Moore was successful immediately as a freshman. He threw for 3,486 yards and 25 touchdowns with 10 interceptions on a 69% completion rate in 2008.
He totaled 3,536 yards, 39 touchdowns, and just three interceptions through the air while completing 64% of his throws in 2009. That season, he led the No. 6-ranked Broncos over Andy Dalton and No. 3 TCU in a 17-10 triumph in the Fiesta Bowl. That capped a perfect 14-0 season for Boise State.
As a junior, Moore completed 71% of his passes for 3,845 yards, 35 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Boise State went 12-1 and defeated Utah in the Maaco Bowl that year.
In 2011, Moore’s last year in college and Boise State’s first year in the Mountain West, the quarterback threw for a career-best 3,800 yards and 43 touchdowns on a 74% completion percentage with nine interceptions. The Broncos, who went 12-1, won the Maaco Bowl again, this time against Arizona State.
Moore was the last Heisman Trophy finalist to play for Boise State until running back Ashton Jeanty was runner-up for the award this season. Moore was fourth in the voting for the award in 2010 while being seventh in 2009 and eighth in 2011.
Moore was also the WAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 and 2010 and was the OPOY in the Mountain West as a senior.
Best Boise State Quarterbacks, Ranked
| Rank | Name | Years |
| 1 | Kellen Moore | 2008-11 |
| 2 | Brett Rypien | 2015-18 |
| 3 | Jared Zabransky | 2003-06 |
| 4 | Ryan Dinwiddie | 2000-03 |
| 5 | Tony Hilde | 1993-96 |
