Tropical Storm Dorian could cause problems for Saturday's Boise State game against Florida State in Jacksonville

BOISE — Not again, right?

Eight months after the Boise State football team’s 2018 season ended with the canceled First Responder Bowl, the Broncos could again be dealing with weather for Saturday’s season opener against Florida State in Jacksonville.

Weather forecasts have Tropical Storm Dorian taking various paths over the course of the next few days as it approaches Florida, but at least one projection issued by the National Weather Service Tuesday had the eye of the storm near Jacksonville at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Kick off is projected for 7.

“We are monitoring weather projections for the potential storm, as are the officials in Jacksonville, at Boise State and at ESPN and the ACC,” Florida State athletics director David Coburn said in a statement provided to the Idaho Press. “It is too soon to make any decisions, but when they are made, the safety of the student-athletes and the fans attending the game will, as always, be the top priority.”

Another projection later Tuesday had the storm not making landfall near Jacksonville until Sunday afternoon.

Boise State and Boston College were midway through the first quarter at the Cotton Bowl last December when the First Responder Bowl was initially halted due to lighting. Severe storms never let up and were projected to continue well into the night, and the game was eventually canceled and dubbed a ‘no contest.’

A regular-season game, particularly one of this magnitude and slated to be televised nationally on ESPN, figures to be much more important to try and play than a meaningless bowl game. Boise State is slated to travel to Jacksonville on Thursday, which could potentially make playing the game Friday night an option to finish before the storm arrives.

Boise State athletic director Curt Apsey was not available for comment Tuesday.

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Rain likely wouldn’t be reason to postpone the game by itself, but the possibility of tropical storm force winds and lighting would be problematic. And after what the Broncos experienced to end last year in Dallas, players are just hoping the weather turns out to be better than expected.

Informed of the possibility for more weather issues Tuesday, Boise State captain and starting left guard John Molchon chuckled in disbelief.

“I haven’t looked at it. Is there something similar? Oh no,” Molchon said. “We’re not planning for any type of delay. We’re planning for a full game and starting on time and we’ll be ready to go. I hope that doesn’t happen.”