The most challenging stretch of Boise States season comes just as the Broncos have returned to the rankings.Four games in just 20 days await the 24th-ranked Broncos, beginning with Saturday nights matchup against Utah State.Hosting the Aggies is the start of a hectic stretch that will largely determine whether Boise State (3-0) is in the conversation for a major bowl game at the end of the season. After hosting Utah State, the Broncos play at New Mexico next Friday; host Colorado State on Oct. 15 and five days later host BYU.Following its successful run through two Pac-12 schls, knocking off Washington State 31-28 and last week winning handily at Oregon State 38-24, Boise State is back to being focused on the Mountain West Conference.Thats what these three games have been about is getting into Mountain West play and we certainly start with a very gd team, Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said.And there could be no better opponent for Boise State to start with than the one that a year ago handed the Broncos their most lopsided loss in conference play since 2001.That was last years team. That was last years group that played in that game. This is a different team, different group, Harsin said. Certainly guys played in that game but its a completely different team and all you can do is go back and learn from it and say that doesnt really apply to what were doing right now. You certainly dont want to see that repeated. You learn from it and you move forward.Utah States 52-26 romp in Logan last October was a dozen years in the making, snapping Boise States 12-game winning streak over the Aggies. Utah State (2-2, 0-1) forced eight turnovers, scored 21 points during an 85-second span, and handed the Broncos their worst setback in a conference game since a 2001 loss to Rice when they were in the WAC.If we wouldve taken a loss to Boise State last year, I would take it personally. So, I would hope that they would, t, Utah State wide receiver Andrew Rodriguez said. But any game, especially going there and playing them, its going to be an interesting situation. Its going to be a privilege to play there and I hope its going to be a great game.Here are things to lk for when Boise State plays its first game as a ranked team since mid-October of last season:JEREMY SPOKE: Boise State running back Jeremy McNichols is coming off the best game of his career with 208 yards rushing and four total touchdowns last week against Oregon State. It was McNichols second straight 100-yard game after a slow start in the season opener against Louisiana.McNichols missed last years game at Utah State due to injuries.I think we missed him in the pass game and running the ftball, t. ... When one of your better players isnt in, that shows up, Harsin said.TURNOVER PARTY: Utah State would love to replicate what it did last year against Boise State, forcing a schl record-tying eight turnovers. The Aggies forced five fumbles and had three interceptions after Boise State entered that game with just six turnovers on the season.This season, Boise State has committed five turnovers in four games.LEARNING PROCESS: Brett Rypien was far better protecting the ftball against Oregon State after some lax moments in the victory over Washington State. Rypien was 19 of 36 for 215 yards and a touchdown against the Beavers. In his start versus Washington State, Rypien threw three interceptions, including two in the fourth quarter that gave the Cougars a chance to rally.INJURY CONCERNS: Utah State could be down two of its top players due to injuries, one on each side of the ball. Running back Devante Mays had just two carries last week against Air Force before aggravating an existing leg injury. Safety Dallin Leavitt injured his ankle in the third quarter against the Falcons.Mays is the Aggies leading rusher, but most of his yards came in the opener against Weber State when he rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns. p.com/" target="_blank">Adidas NMD Goedkp . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. p.com/nmd-human-race.html" target="_blank">Adidas Human Race Nederland . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im lking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. p.com/nmd-r1-sneakers.html" target="_blank">http://www.nmdtekp.com/nmd-r1-sneakers.html . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. p.com/" target="_blank">Adidas NMD Uitverkp . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. p.com/ultra-bst-sneakers.html" target="_blank">Adidas Ultra Bst Korting . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - gd for ninth in the Western Conference. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- It was North Carolinas strangest blowout win in a long time.Mitch Trubisky passed for 184 yards and three touchdowns to help the Tar Heels beat The Citadel 41-7 on Saturday.T.J. Logan had a touchdown catch and a 100-yard kickoff return for a score for North Carolina (8-3), which forced a season-high four turnovers.We were worried about that ftball team, North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said. We knew they were a really gd ftball team, that they would control the clock and that our guys were going to have to steal a few possessions. Defensively, we did that.North Carolina won even though its high-octane offense was quiet for much of the day. The Tar Heels converted just 1 of 8 third downs and were outgained by the Bulldogs 371-356.Perhaps most surprisingly, the Tar Heels intercepted a pass.Dominquie Green ended North Carolinas interception drought when he picked off a pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. The Tar Heels had been the only FBS team not to intercept a pass this season.Ryan Switzer added a 72-yard touchdown as North Carolina won for the 11th time in its last 12 home games.The Citadel (10-1) rushed for 344 yards, possessed the ball for more than 42 minutes and ran 33 more plays than North Carolina.Grant Drakeford had a 28-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the Bulldogs, whose schl-record 10-game winning streak came to an end.We were nowhere near playing where we wanted today, Citadel coach Brent Thompson said. We needed a day like today to remind us that if you dont play well and you turn the ball over and you make a lot of mistakes, youre not going to win very many ftball games.THE TAKEAWAYThe Citadel: The Bulldogs stumbled in their stiffest test of the season to date. Lacking an effective passingg attack, they were unable to rally after falling behind early.ddddddddddddThe Citadel must try to avoid similar circumstances in the postseason as opponents load up to try to stop its vaunted running game.North Carolina: Coming off a deflating loss and playing an undefeated opponent with an unconventional offense, the Tar Heels won a dangerous game without much difficulty. Their advantages in speed and overall talent were t much for The Citadel to overcome.We werent as sharp on offense, but we picked it up in other areas, Trubisky said.HE SAID ITFedora had grown tired of talking about his teams lack of interceptions, but he cracked a joke about the end of the streak.I was told that were the only team in the country that has returned all of their interceptions for touchdowns, he said. Thats a pretty big deal right there, I would think.HIGHLIGHT REELLogans 23-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter was impressive. He ran through the middle of the defense uncovered, and it appeared that Trubisky threw the ball t far in front of him. But Logan dived and speared the ball with his right hand before rolling over with control of it in the end zone. His kick return for a score to begin the second half was his schl-record fourth kickoff return for a touchdown.UP NEXTThe Citadel: The Bulldogs will play in the FCS playoffs after earning the automatic berth from the Southern Conference.North Carolina: Still alive for the ACCs Coastal Division title, the Tar Heels host rival N.C. State on Friday. North Carolina needs to win and needs Virginia Tech to lose at home to Virginia in order to play in the conference championship game for the second year in a row. ' ' '