By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Hey, a week with no game-day roster changes. How ‘bout that.

Here are three things I’m watching tonight:

— Whether Inoke Funaki can beat the Broncos with his arm. If he can’t, I don’t see how the Warriors can score with any regularity. Only one Hawaii receiver — Malcolm Lane — has a catch for more than 50 yards this season. Four of them hit that mark last year.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State sophomore safety Jeron Johnson and freshman defensive tackle Billy Winn have earned midseason All-America recognition.

Johnson was named an honorable-mention All-American by College Football News. Johnson leads the team with 45 tackles. He also has 3.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.

Winn was named to the

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

I had to write my story on Hawaii quarterback Inoke Funaki for today’s paper without talking to Funaki, who wasn’t available until today.

Funaki, who said he’s worried about the potential for a chilly evening Friday, had some interesting things to say.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State sophomore wide receiver Titus Young is suspended for Saturday’s game at Southern Miss, Boise State announced before the game.

Young now has been suspended for two and a quarter of the past six games — the first quarter of the 2007 Hawaii Bowl, all of the Bowling Green game and all of the Southern Miss game.

Boise State did not announce a length or reason for the suspension. It wouldn’t be surprising if it was longer than one game.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Southern Miss linebacker Gerald McRath, the 2007 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, sounded like a Bronco Nation convert when I talked to him yesterday.

On the Broncos: “I mentioned to some other people I know — it’s a team that plays well together. … It’s like they’ve been playing together their whole lives. They do what’s asked of them and they do it at 110 percent.”

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

The Boise State running backs aren’t the only players who are having to share the football more than they might prefer.

The wide receivers also are adjusting to lower numbers.

Jeremy Childs (14 catches in three games) and Titus Young (10 catches in three games) are the top receivers. Childs’ average is down two catches per game and Young’s is about even with last year.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

ESPN.com college football reporter Bruce Feldman named Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore the No. 6 newcomer in the nation this week, which brings up an interesting question.

Can Moore earn first-team Freshman All-America honors?

It looks like he has three main competitors for the award, if he keeps playing the way he is now. Here’s a look:

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Southern Miss is 2-3 this season despite having the Conference USA preseason offensive and defensive players of the year.

Those two have delivered, too — tailback Damion Fletcher is fourth in the nation with 142 yards per game and linebacker Gerald McRath is tied for seventh in tackles with 11 per game.

The Eagles have lost their past two games, against Marshall and UTEP, by a total of 10 points. They missed three field goals in the 40-37 double-overtime loss to UTEP — a game in which Fletcher rushed for a school-record 260 yards.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State senior defensive tackle Sean Bingham will not play Wednesday night against Louisiana Tech. Bingham has an undisclosed injury and is not in uniform.

Senior Steven Reveles, who has played well this season, is expected to start in Bingham's place.

That is expected to be the only lineup change.

•••

A few things I'm watching tonight:

-- How the Broncos' run defense fares against the first true power running team they've seen this year. Run defense was a concern last season.

Boise State has 350 tickets remaining for Wednesday night's game against Louisiana Tech. The Broncos have sold out their first two home games this season.

Tickets are available at Select-a-Seat outlets, www.idahotickets.com and the Athletic Ticket Office (426-4737).

•••

The Broncos are getting a nice boost from the computers early in the season. They are 14th in the latest BCS projections at collegebcs.com, four spots ahead of their ranking in the coaches' poll and Harris poll, the two human polls used by the BCS.