Boise State didn’t take the field this weekend, but the Broncos still found themselves climbing in the AP Top 25.
After entering the Week 7 poll at No. 23, Boise State moved up to No. 21 on Oct.
- The Broncos picked up 295 points, a 27-point bump from the previous week, and now sit just behind Florida, which has 355 points, and just ahead of Missouri, which has 290.
The movement came in a week when nobody in the AP Top 25 stayed put. Miami moved to No. 1 for the first time since 2002, and BYU surged to No. 2 after a wild weekend of upsets.
Boise State’s rise was helped by losses from teams around it. Missouri fell 31-3 to No.
7 Ole Miss, while Oklahoma State dropped 35-32 to No. 14 Houston.
Those results opened the door for the Broncos to move past both schools.
Even with the climb, Boise State remains the highest-ranked Group of Six team in the poll. That matters because the 2026 qualification model for the 12-team College Football Playoff guarantees one spot to the highest-ranked G6 team in the CFP Committee’s rankings. Those rankings won’t begin coming out weekly until early November, so the AP poll doesn’t decide anything directly - but it does show Boise State is sitting in the best current position.
The nearest G6 challenger is James Madison, which collected 52 votes and would check in at No. 29 if the poll stretched past 25 teams. James Madison said earlier this week it will move to the American no later than July 2028, though it could join sooner.
Boise State also stayed in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll after debuting in the rankings last week. The Broncos earned 266 points there, moving up two spots to No.
- Missouri is ahead of them in that poll with 274 points, while Northwestern sits just behind Boise State with 256.
In the AP poll, the Broncos are part of a reshuffled top 25 that now looks like this:
Miami (1,697, 40 first-place votes)
BYU (1,675, 20 first-place votes)
Ohio State (1,649, 9 first-place votes)
Notre Dame (1,395)
Georgia (1,382)
Indiana (1,370)
Ole Miss (1,360)
Texas Tech (1,336, 1 first-place vote)
UCLA (1,159)
Utah (1,153)
Tennessee (1,151)
Kentucky (932)
Alabama (870)
Houston (785)
Iowa (747)
USC (592)
Wake Forest (574)
LSU (529)
Texas (440)
Florida (355)
Boise State (295)
Missouri (290)
SMU (265)
Northwestern (254)
Arizona (136)
In Other News...
Boise State Suddenly Has A New Pac-12 Team To Worry About
Through seven weeks of Pac-12 play, Boise State has been right where it expected to be near the top of the league picture, but the path to a title race just got a little more crowded. Oregon State stayed in striking distance with a convincing win over Washington State, while Texas State also got its first Pac-12 victory of the season by rolling past Colorado State in a game that featured a big all-around day from Torrance Burgess Jr.
Oregon States offense has become impossible to ignore, and the Beavers have now put themselves firmly into the same conversation as Boise State. Against Washington State, AJ Newberry and freshman Jesse Legree supplied the kind of explosive plays that can change a standings race in a hurry, giving Oregon State a result that tightens the margin at the top and adds another contender for Boise State to keep an eye on as the season moves deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Faces One Telling Test Against A Suddenly Unsettled Washington State
Boise State heads into Saturdays meeting with Washington State carrying a 5-1 record and a fair amount of momentum, but this one still feels like a useful measuring stick. The game kicks at 4 p.m. Mountain time on USA Network, and the Broncos are expected to handle a Cougars team that has been searching for traction since last weekends loss to Oregon State.
Washington States recent quarterback change adds another layer to a matchup that already looked interesting on paper, especially with the Cougars trying to steady an offense that has not settled in yet. Boise State, meanwhile, will be trying to make the most of a game where the pressure is on the favorite to look the part, even as the line has shifted since opening. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Just Got A Ranking Boost At The Right Time
A week off can do more than rest a roster, and Boise State got a timely reminder of that in the Week 6 Coaches Poll. After stacking up five straight victories, the Broncos continued their climb in the national conversation, landing in a stronger position as they turn toward Washington State and the next chance to prove they belong in the mix.
The broader poll picture helped frame the rise, too, with several top 25 teams taking losses and shaking up the ladder around Boise State. Oregon held at No. 25 after beating Nebraska, while other teams lingered among those receiving votes, leaving the Broncos with a little more room to keep building as the season moves deeper into October. [Read more 🡒]