Boise State is already into fall camp, and the Broncos are heading toward a season unlike any they’ve had before: their first year in the Pac-12. That means the margin for error shrinks fast, especially with a non-conference slate that opens with a trip to Oregon, includes a road game at MAC preseason favorite Western Michigan and brings Memphis to Boise. Oregon enters the year ranked No. 2 in the preseason Coaches Poll.
The Broncos have starters back on both sides of the ball, and they’re being pegged as the betting favorite to win the Pac-12. With Boise State trying to grab a fourth straight conference title after finishing its Mountain West run with a three-peat, a few returning players are stepping into the spotlight with plenty to prove.
No one carries more of that burden than fifth-year senior quarterback Maddux Madsen. When Boise State walks into Autzen Stadium next month, the focus will land squarely on the 5-foot-10, 207-pound signal-caller.
Madsen has won plenty of games in a Broncos uniform, posting a 20-6 record as a starter, and his overall production is solid: 507 completions on 834 attempts for 6,586 yards, 61 total touchdowns and 18 interceptions. But the tougher the opponent, the rougher it’s gone.
In four starts against Power Four teams, he is 0-4 with two passing touchdowns and nine interceptions. Against Mountain West competition, he’s 14-1.
A strong showing against the Ducks would go a long way toward changing that story.
Boise State’s offensive line also has a major question to answer at right tackle, where fifth-year senior Roger Metoyer is back after a mixed 2025. The 6-foot-4, 334-pound lineman made 15 starts for the Broncos, including 13 last season on the right side, but the numbers weren’t pretty.
He allowed a team-high 37 quarterback pressures and was flagged 10 times, second-most on the team. His Pro Football Focus grade of 44.5 was the lowest among Boise State’s regular rotation players.
Even so, the Broncos still view him as their best answer at the spot, thanks to his size, strength and athletic ability. That assignment gets no easier right away, with Oregon’s front expected to feature multiple potential first-round picks in next year’s NFL Draft.
On the other side of the ball, Boise State needs fifth-year defensive tackle Braxton Latu to stay on the field and keep anchoring the middle. Injuries limited him for much of last season, but he still managed nine tackles, including three for loss, and a sack across 12 games.
His best work came against the run, where he earned a PFF run defense grade of 71.7, the top mark among Boise State interior players. At 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, Latu enters this season as the Broncos’ top defensive tackle, and his health could be a major factor in whether Boise State’s defensive front holds up during a Pac-12 title push.
In Other News...
Boise State Faces One Big WR Question Early In Camp
Boise States fall camp opened with the kind of early competition that usually tells you plenty about a roster, and the wide receiver room is one of the clearest examples. With some key departures reshaping the depth chart, head coach Spencer Danielson has sounded upbeat about the groups overall direction, pointing to a handful of names who have already made noise as the Broncos start sorting out roles.
The most intriguing piece is the mix of experience and uncertainty at the top of the room. Cam Bates has drawn attention as a possible tone-setter, while sixth-year senior Ben Ford is back in a limited capacity as he works his way back from the ACL injury he suffered last October. Boise State also has several other receivers trying to force their way into the conversation, including Quinton Brown, Qumonte Williams Jr., Darren Morris, Akeem Wright and Rasean Jones, which should keep this battle lively deep into camp. [Read more 🡒]
Maddux Madsen Just Put Boise States Culture In The Spotlight
Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen has added another line to an already busy rsum, landing on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, which honors players who blend community service with athletic and academic success. For the Broncos, it is another reminder that the program likes to point to something bigger than Sundays in the fall, with Madsens work in mental health initiatives and community outreach fitting neatly into that identity.
Madsens recognition also comes with the usual football credentials attached, including multiple academic honors and a career that has already drawn attention beyond Boise. He was not the only Bronco to surface on national award watch lists, either, as several teammates picked up their own preseason nods, giving the program a broader spotlight even before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Virgin-Morgan Is Giving Boise State A National Defensive Star
Jayden Virgin-Morgans rise has turned into one of the more notable preseason storylines for Boise State, with the Broncos EDGE earning a spot on the Lombardi Award Preseason Watchlist. It is a national nod as much as it is a local one, since the list includes just 54 players and Virgin-Morgan is the only Pac-12 representative, another sign that his profile has moved well beyond Boise.
The honor fits the body of work he has already built, with 120 tackles, 16 sacks and 31 tackles for loss giving Boise State a proven defensive presence to point to heading into 2026. The Lombardi Award is reserved for linemen and linebackers who stand out for leadership, courage, performance and discipline, and Virgin-Morgans growing stack of preseason recognition suggests he has become the kind of player opposing offenses have to account for every week. [Read more 🡒]