, ▁Id aho . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁season ▁as ▁" BS U " ▁as ▁the ▁school ▁had ▁recently ▁become ▁a ▁university . ▁ ▁Led ▁by ▁sevent h - year ▁head ▁coach ▁Tony ▁Kn ap , ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁were ▁ ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁and ▁were ▁again ▁und efe ated ▁in ▁conference ▁ ▁repeating ▁as ▁Big ▁Sky ▁champions . ▁The ▁only ▁loss ▁was ▁by ▁two ▁points ▁in - mid ▁season ▁at ▁Las ▁Veg as ; ▁the ▁UN L V ▁Reb els ▁were ▁led ▁by ▁running ▁back ▁Mike ▁Thomas , ▁a ▁future ▁NFL ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year , ▁and ▁s oph om ore ▁quarter back ▁ ▁They ▁built ▁a ▁ 3 1 - point ▁lead , ▁then ▁hung ▁on ▁as ▁Bo ise ▁State ▁answered ▁with ▁four ▁straight ▁touch down ▁passes ▁from ▁senior ▁ ▁UN L V ▁was ▁und efe ated ▁until ▁the ▁Grant land ▁R ice ▁Bowl , ▁the ▁Division ▁II ▁semif inals . ▁ ▁Inv ited ▁again ▁to ▁the ▁eight - team ▁Division ▁II ▁play offs , ▁B SU ▁drew ▁a ▁road ▁game ▁in ▁the ▁quarter final s ▁at ▁Central ▁Michigan ; ▁the ▁Ch ipp ew as ▁won ▁ ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁national ▁title . ▁They ▁moved ▁up ▁to ▁Division ▁I ▁ ▁joining ▁the ▁Mid - American ▁Conference ▁( MA C ). ▁In ▁the ▁regular ▁season , ▁the ▁Bron cos ▁had ▁scored ▁at ▁least ▁ 3 5 ▁points ▁in ▁every ▁game . ▁ ▁Following ▁this ▁season , ▁Bron co ▁Stadium ▁was ▁expanded ▁with ▁an ▁upper ▁deck ▁added