Boise State has spent the first five games of 2026 looking a lot like a playoff contender again.
The Broncos opened with a seven-point loss to then-No. 2 Oregon, then turned right around and stacked four straight wins, including statement victories over Memphis and Western Michigan. That stretch has pushed Boise State to No. 23 in the week six AP Poll and put the Broncos in the driver’s seat for the Group of Six playoff bid.
The resume is already starting to take shape. Boise State beat Memphis 38-20, South Dakota 38-24, Western Michigan 32-7 and Utah State 37-18 after the 34-27 loss to Oregon.
The Western Michigan game stood out most on defense, with the Broncos holding the Broncos to 223 total yards and just one touchdown. They followed that by recording six sacks against Utah State and getting a pick-six from linebacker Jake Ripp.
What’s made this team tough to pin down is the balance. Quarterback Maddux Madsen and running back Dylan Riley have powered the offense, while the defense has found enough stops and turnovers to keep games under control. That combination has given Boise State a chance to look like the strongest team in the Pac-12 and the clear favorite for the G6 playoff spot.
Madsen has settled in as the kind of steady presence Boise State wants under center. Through five games, the fifth-year quarterback has topped 1,000 passing yards without throwing an interception. Against Utah State, he went 17 of 21 for 244 yards and two touchdowns and added 42 rushing yards.
Riley has been even more eye-catching. He leads the nation with 685 rushing yards through five games, building on what the Broncos saw from him as a freshman and sophomore. He ran for 138 yards against Western Michigan and then followed with 93 yards and two touchdowns against Utah State.
“I think Dylan, he’s the best back in the country,” tight end Matt Wagner said. “He’s phenomenal in every way… He’s a huge, explosive beast for us and teams have to respect him no matter what situation we’re in.”
Freshman receiver Rasean Jones has also become a real weapon for Madsen. The Rocky Mountain High School product leads Boise State with 359 receiving yards and has quickly carved out a role as a big-play option.
“He’s the most poised human being I’ve ever met,” Madsen said of Jones after the loss to Oregon. “His personality, he’s going to continue to go work, work, work, and that’s why he has success.”
For all the wins, though, Boise State has given up too many chunk plays to feel complete. The Broncos have allowed 14 plays of 40 yards or more through five games and are giving up 20.6 points and 372.6 yards per game. The issues have shown up against both the run and the pass, with opponents finding explosive gains and enough rhythm to keep drives alive.
South Dakota exposed some of that by scoring 24 points and hitting a 59-yard touchdown pass as part of three passing scores. The Coyotes finished with 243 passing yards. Utah State also found success on the ground, with Javen Jacobs rushing for 139 yards against Boise State.
Even with those flaws, the defense has had its moments. The six sacks against Utah State were a reminder of what the unit can be when it’s disruptive.
After the South Dakota game, defensive coordinator Erik Chinander owned the breakdowns.
“[The big plays] are on me,” defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said after the South Dakota game. “As we go through as a defensive staff, [we’re] looking at everything from who’s in the lineup, where they’re at in the lineup, how can we help them schematically, how can we help them technique-wise… Whether it’s schemed up perfectly or it’s not getting communicated, that’s my job to help put them in a better situation.”
Head coach Spencer Danielson is still talking like a coach who knows the margin for improvement matters.
“Every week is a new week, every day is a new day,” Danielson said. “I’m hyper-paranoid of ‘where are we growing to?’ If better is possible, good is not enough.”
Boise State’s path from here is clear enough. The College Football Playoff format gives a berth to the highest-ranked Group of Six team, which leaves the Broncos controlling their own fate. Their remaining schedule includes road games against Fresno State, Washington State and Colorado State, plus home dates with Texas State, Oregon State and San Diego State.
First up is Fresno State, another 4-1 team, on Saturday, Oct. 10. A road win there would add another quality result to Boise State’s case and help keep the Broncos ahead of the rest of the Group of Six field.
The season is still young, but Boise State is exactly where it wants to be: unbeaten since Week 1, ranked, and in position to chase another College Football Playoff run.
In Other News...
Boise State Basketball Enters Pac-12 With Two Big Questions
Boise States move into the Pac-12 brings a fresh layer of intrigue for both basketball programs, and it starts with rosters that look different from what the Broncos have leaned on in recent seasons. On the womens side, Gordy Presnell is working with a young group that still has plenty of growing to do, but there is optimism around how quickly that group can settle in against a higher level of weekly competition. For the men, Leon Rice is piecing together a new mix of players and trying to establish the kind of identity that can travel in a league known for making teams prove it every night.
Both teams will get an immediate sense of what the jump means when conference play opens on the road in January. That kind of start can be a difficult introduction, especially for squads still learning each other and adapting to new expectations, but it also offers a clean early read on where Boise State stands. The Broncos are entering the Pac-12 with a lot still to sort out, and the first stretch away from home will show whether the early optimism can hold up under the league spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Heads Into Fresno State With A Big Offensive Concern
Boise State heads into Saturday nights trip to Fresno State carrying a familiar offensive concern, with at least two starters unavailable again. Wide receiver Cam Bates and left guard Carson Rasmussen are out for the matchup, leaving the Broncos to piece together protection and targets as they prepare for an 8:30 p.m. Mountain time kickoff on The CW.
The rest of the injury picture is still worth watching because several players from both teams are listed as out or questionable. Boise State does have a few encouraging notes in the backfield and at receiver, but the final availability report could still shape how aggressive the Broncos can be in a game that already comes with plenty of pressure. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Gets One Offensive Boost But A Real Concern Remains
Boise State got a little clarity on its injury situation Friday when the program released its first Pac-12 availability report ahead of the Fresno State game. The good news for the Broncos is in the backfield, where junior running backs Sire Gaines and Dylan Riley are expected to play after missing time with injuries, giving the offense at least one much-needed boost as it heads into a pivotal matchup.
The bigger concern is at receiver, where the group is still shorthanded. Leading receiver Rasean Jones is questionable after a head injury scare, while Cam Bates and Darren Morris are out, leaving Spencer Danielson to lean on the depth Boise State has tried to build at the position. How much that depth can hold up against Fresno State is the more pressing question as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]