BOISE, Idaho, Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Boise State kept alive its Western Athletic Conference title hopes Saturday as Ryan Dinwiddie passed for 348 yards and four touchdowns -- three of them going to Jeb Putzier -- in a 56-6 rout of San Jose State.
The Broncos (7-4, 6-2 WAC) closed within a half game of Louisiana Tech, which lost to Kansas State in a non-conference game Saturday. Boise State can claim a share of the conference title if Louisiana Tech losses at Tulsa next week.
Saturday's contest never was in doubt as the Broncos scored 14 points in each of the first two periods before erupting for 28 in the third quarter to open a 56-0 lead.
Dinwiddie tossed touchdown passes of 80 yards to Putzier and 38 yards to Jay Swillie in the first period. Brock Forsey added scoring runs of one and 30 yards in the second quarter.
Dinwiddie threw touchdown strikes of 30 and 31 yards to Putzier in the first 10 minutes of the third period to make it 42-0. After Forsey scored his third touchdown on a five-yard run, Quintin Mikell returned an interception 28 yards to complete Boise State's scoring with 42 seconds left in the third. Forsey rushed for 122 yards on 21 carries.
San Jose State (3-7, 3-4) got its only points on Marcus Arroyo's 30-yard pass to Edell Shepherd midway through the fourth period.
Arroyo completed just 13 of 33 passes with two interceptions for the Spartans, who have allowed 120 points and 1,346 yards in their last two games.
San Jose State gave up 791 yards in last week's 64-45 loss to Nevada in a game that set an NCAA record for most combined yards. Boise State gained 555 yards against the Spartans.
