The Pac-12 race is starting to harden around the two teams at the top, and Oregon State keeps applying pressure on No. 21 Boise State from just behind. The Beavers are 5-2 overall and 3-0 in league play after a 48-30 home win over Washington State on Saturday, while Boise State sat idle last week and stays ahead for now.
That gap gets tested on Nov. 14, when Oregon State travels to Boise State. Until then, both teams have business in front of them: the Beavers are on bye this week, and the Broncos head to Washington State.
Boise State entered the week climbing two spots in the AP Poll during its bye, and the schedule sets up well before the Oregon State meeting. Dylan Riley continues to put up huge numbers, ranking No. 4 nationally in rushing with 835 yards and six touchdowns.
Oregon State’s latest performance was all about control. The Beavers jumped on Washington State early, building a 27-3 first-half lead and then easing home from there. Braden Atkinson now leads FBS in passing by nearly 600 yards, and Jesse Legree remains the nation’s top receiver with 46 catches for 1,040 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Behind the top two, Texas State sits third in these rankings, and the numbers explain why. The offense is producing at a national level across several categories, and running back Torrance Burgess Jr. delivered another brutal outing against Colorado State with 224 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Texas State rolled 66-27 in that one.
San Diego State follows after a strange start to Pac-12 play. The Aztecs have beaten Texas State and Fresno State, but they also absorbed a 52-point loss to Oregon State, leaving their résumé full of extremes. They return this week to face Colorado State on Saturday.
Colorado State, meanwhile, is trying to steady itself after back-to-back losses to teams in this group. The Rams fell 38-31 at home to Boise State before dropping a 26-23 game at San Diego State.
Utah State picked up a win over Washington State before its bye and now gets a tougher assignment, a home date with Texas State on Saturday.
New Mexico State rounds out the group after its 48-30 loss at Oregon State. Even in defeat, quarterback Owen Eshelman gave the offense a boost, giving the Cougars something to build on as they host Boise State this weekend.
In Other News...
Boise State Heads Into Washington State With A Defensive Concern
Spencer Danielson spent the bye week talking about the same defensive issues that have followed Boise State into this next stretch of the schedule: tackling more cleanly and cutting down on explosive plays. With Washington State up next, the Broncos are getting a look at a Cougars offense that just changed quarterbacks and found some early momentum in the new arrangement, which makes this matchup a little harder to project than it might have seemed a couple of weeks ago.
The added wrinkle is the familiar faces on the other sideline. Washington State's staff includes several Boise State alumni, a reminder of how often these programs have crossed paths and how much there is to sort through beyond the recent film. For a Boise State defense trying to steady itself, the challenge is as much about discipline and details as it is about the opponent's scheme. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Fans Have A Real Reason To Worry About Braden Atkinson
With the college football transfer portal set to reopen for a single January window after the 2026 season, the next wave of roster movement could be shaped by which breakout players become available. For Boise State fans, that makes the broader market worth watching, especially with Power Four programs expected to circle the same kind of proven talent that can change a depth chart overnight.
One of the names drawing attention is Oregon State quarterback Braden Atkinson, who has now thrown for more than 300 yards in seven straight games, matching a program record. He is part of a larger group of Beavers who could entice major-conference programs, alongside a top receiver, a key runner and a defensive standout, which is the kind of spread of talent that can make any roster rebuild uneasy. [Read more 🡒]