Boise State’s path through the rebuilt Pac-12 won’t be short on land mines, even with Spencer Danielson’s track record against league opponents.
In two-plus seasons, Danielson is 19-2 in intraconference play and has already stacked up three Mountain West titles. Now the Broncos move into a new setting with fellow MWC arrivals Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State, plus Oregon State, Texas State and Washington State. And if Boise State is eyeing a fourth straight conference championship, a few teams look especially dangerous.
Fresno State has to be near the top of that list. The Bulldogs are coming off a 9-4 season in Matt Entz’s first year, and they bring real momentum into the Pac-12.
They’ve also had Boise State’s number lately, winning the last three meetings. That stretch includes a 30-7 win last October at Albertsons Stadium, when Maddux Madsen went down with a lower leg injury on Boise State’s third offensive series and backup Max Cutforth couldn’t get the offense rolling against a tough Fresno State defense.
That defense returns plenty of bite. Jahzon Jacks, Deijon Laffitte, K’vion Thunderbird and Simeon Harris are all back for a unit that finished 10th nationally in total defense last season at 285.7 yards allowed per game. Fresno State, which hosts Boise State on Oct. 10, also expects to contend for the Pac-12 title with Maryland transfer Khristian Martin at quarterback.
San Diego State is another team Boise State has to circle. The Aztecs handed Danielson one of his two conference losses last season, grinding out a 17-7 win in wet conditions at Snapdragon Stadium. Cutforth got the start for the injured Madsen that night, and Boise State managed only 268 yards of total offense in miserable weather.
San Diego State was built on defense again in 2025, finishing sixth nationally in scoring defense at 15.4 points allowed per game and 11th in total defense at 293.7 yards allowed. The Aztecs went 9-4 overall and return just three starters on defense, but they do bring back seven starters on offense.
That group includes Lucky Sutton, who is in the mix as a Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year candidate at running back. If the quarterback play improves in 2026, San Diego State could be a real problem when Boise State visits The Blue on Nov.
Texas State rounds out the trio, and the concern there starts with the offense. The Bobcats look like they could have the top attack in the Pac-12 thanks to returning quarterback Brad Jackson and a loaded set of playmakers around him.
Jackson put up 3,224 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with seven interceptions as a redshirt freshman, then added 744 rushing yards and 17 more scores on the ground. He also passed on massive NIL money to stay put rather than enter the transfer portal. Wideouts Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks each went over 1,000 receiving yards last season and are NFL prospects.
The offensive line and defense remain question marks for Texas State, but with Jackson running the show, the Bobcats have the kind of firepower that can stress every defense in the new league, including Boise State’s.
In Other News...
Boise State Legend DeMarcus Lawrence Nears The End Of A Dream NFL Run
DeMarcus Lawrences long NFL journey is heading toward its final chapter, with the former Boise State standout saying he plans to retire after the 2026 season. For Broncos fans, it is the kind of announcement that makes the pull of the past feel close again, because Lawrence turned his Boise State success into an 11-year run with the Dallas Cowboys before moving on to the Seattle Seahawks last offseason.
Lawrence has stayed productive deep into his career, earning Pro Bowl recognition and stacking up the kind of defensive numbers that helped make him one of the more accomplished linemen to come through Boise State. His move to Seattle also brought a championship payoff, as he helped lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory, and now the only question left is how he wants the final stretch of that dream run to end. [Read more 🡒]