Bob Diaco kept coming back to one word while talking about Boise State.

Explosive.

Boise State's lethal attack piled up 676 yards - the fifth most in the program's rich history - in a 37-24 victory over Colorado State Saturday. The Broncos (1-1) are averaging 537.5 yards per game.

"They're a really exciting team," said Diaco, UConn's first-year head coach. "They have a unique offensive system, very explosive. Not only explosive in the style that they run their offense, but the players are explosive. So it creates a major problem."

Boise State is UConn's major problem today, as the two teams meet for the first time at Rentschler Field in East Hartford (noon, Chs. 8). It is the final nonconference game before American Athletic Conference play opens for the Huskies (1-1) next Friday at South Florida.

Last week's 19-16 win over Stony Brook improved the mood in the UConn football camp.

"It's exciting for the team to be preparing for the next opponent with a win," Diaco said. "Everything feels different and looks different. ... It's a real, real energy booster and a real helper to reinforce the culture and what we're trying to get done."

Boise State, which owns more wins (126) than any team in the country since 2003 while making 12 straight bowl appearances, could easily erase that good feeling. The Huskies need to be on high alert on defense against a rapid-fire offense. Boise State ran 63 plays last week - just in the first half - and averages 87 per game.

UConn finished with a total of 64 plays verus Stony Brook.

"That's the kind of football they like to play," Diaco said. "They're all set and ready before the official is even ready to walk away from the ball. ... If you stay on that pace, you're really defending the equivalent of two games. It's a problem."

Diaco believes the Huskies will be better prepared to deal with Boise State after playing a similar team in Brigham Young, which beat UConn 35-10 in the season opener.

"It's a great thing for the players to go in understanding what it is going to feel like," Diaco said.

Here's just one of many major dilemmas facing the Huskies today: Do they focus on trying to stop the run or contain the passing game? Boise State excels in both areas, averaging 229.5 yards on the ground and 308 in the air behind the play of tailback Jay Ajayi and quarterback Grant Hedrick.

Ajayi, a preseason All-Mountain West pick, torched Colorado State for 219 yards and two touchdowns last week. He's also a pass catching threat.

"He's a predominant, predominant performer and a very productive player in their offense," Diaco said.

Ole Miss found a way to beat Boise 35-13 in the season opener on Aug. 28. It will require UConn's best effort to stay competitive today.

UConn's offense has yet to get out of second gear, managing just 289 yards per game. Senior Chandler Whitmer is in charge at quarterback with Casey Cochran announcing earlier this week that he's finished with football due to multiple concussions. Sophomore backup Tim Boyle, a candidate to redshirt when the season began, also will see action.

The longer the Huskies hold the football and keep the high-powered Broncos on the sideline, the better UConn's longshot chances are today.

"They're a good team, very athletic," Whitmer said. "They fly around. ... Defensively, that's what they are. We'll have to take advantage of it and be physical up front with them and play our game and take care of the ball.

"... We have to try to stay ahead of the chains. ... It makes it a lot harder to play when you're playing from long distances. If we can do that and hit some big plays and eliminate anything that causes losing, then those are winning results."

g.keefe@theday.com

Twitter: @GavinKeefe