Boise State star running back Sire Gaines is questionable to play Saturday night against Texas State, the Broncos announced in Wednesday’s initial player availability report. 

Gaines was wearing a walking boot on his left leg following last week’s 31-10 Pac-12 road victory over the Cougars (1-7, 0-4). The 20th-ranked Broncos (6-1, 3-0) will host Texas State (4-3, 2-1) at 8 p.m. Mountain time on Saturday.

Wide receiver Ben Ford and tight end Austin Terry are also questionable for Saturday. Starting left guard Carson Rasmussen will miss his fourth straight game. 

The 6-foot, 220-pound Gaines has 75 carries for 418 yards and five total touchdowns this season. The third-year sophomore had a strong performance against the Cougars with 10 carries for 64 yards and a touchdown while catching three passes for 19 yards. 

Gaines missed two games earlier this year with an undisclosed wrist injury he sustained in the fourth quarter of a 38-24 victory over South Dakota. Gaines did not play against Western Michigan or Utah State but ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in his return at Fresno State on Oct. 10. 

Availability has been an issue for Gaines in the past. Gaines wound up redshirting in 2024 after suffering a season-ending ankle injury during Boise State’s third game. He was able to play in all 14 games last year, running for 811 yards with nine total touchdowns. 

Gaines shares the backfield with Dylan Riley, who leads FBS with 963 rushing yards on 140 carries (6.9 yards per attempt). Riley also has 12 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown. 

Riley was held in check by Washington State until the fourth quarter. The third-year junior exploded for touchdown runs of 33 and 72 yards as the Broncos ended the game on a 21-0 scoring spurt. 

“I thought Dylan Riley and Si played really, really hard,” Danielson said. “Dylan was really good in protection, obviously had some big runs late. But throughout the game, we weren’t able to establish the run game the way we need to. … We need to get that fixed, and it comes down to fundamentals.

“Those two runs late by Dylan Riley bailed us out in a lot of aspects. We were not as consistent up front in our blocking schemes, receivers, tight ends—even some reads by our backs—not consistent enough throughout the game. So even though the end result we’re happy with, when you watch the film, not good enough. And we need to grow there.”