Boise State’s 2026 preseason buzz is already rolling, and the Broncos have a stack of national watch-list recognition to match it.
Fresh off three straight Mountain West titles, Boise State enters Year 1 of the new Pac-12 as the preseason pick to win a fourth in a row. The roster backing up that status includes eight players who have landed on national award watch lists for the 2026 season.
Quarterback Maddux Madsen is the biggest name in the group. The fifth-year senior has been tabbed for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the national player of the year, and the Wuerffel Trophy, which honors the college football player who best combines community service and leadership on and off the field. He also appears on the East-West Bowl 1000 and the AFCA Good Works Team watch lists, both tied to community service, academics and leadership.
Madsen has been the steady hand for Boise State, making 26 career starts and posting a 20-6 record as a starter. He has completed 507 of 834 passes for 6,586 yards, with 50 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, while also adding 423 rushing yards and 11 scores on the ground.
Running back Dylan Riley gives the Broncos another Maxwell Award candidate. The junior put together a strong 2025 season, carrying 195 times for 1,125 yards and 10 touchdowns on his way to second-team all-MWC honors. He also contributed 15 catches for 149 yards and two additional touchdowns.
Up front, fifth-year senior offensive guard Roger Carreon is on the Outland Trophy watch list. Injuries limited him throughout last season, but he still started 13 games at right guard and logged 855 snaps, third among Boise State offensive players. He was an all-MWC honorable mention selection.
The defense is represented too. Edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan, also a fifth-year senior, earned spots on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award watch lists.
In his Boise State career, the 6-foot-3, 260-pound defender has piled up 120 total tackles, including 31 for loss, along with 16 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and three pass breakups. He has twice been named all-MWC.
Another fifth-year senior, defensive back Jaden Mickey, is in the mix for the Jim Thorpe Award. He started 11 games at nickelback last season and finished with 38 total tackles, seven for loss, plus five pass breakups. Boise State expects him to move to cornerback this fall.
The East-West Bowl 1000 watch list also includes Matt Wagner, Daylon Metoyer, JeRico Washington Jr., Carreon, Virgin-Morgan and Mickey alongside Madsen.
On the sideline, Spencer Danielson is on the preseason watch list for the Dodd Trophy for the second year in a row. The award recognizes a coach who succeeds on the field while emphasizing scholarship, leadership and integrity.
Boise State opens the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 against Oregon at Autzen Stadium.
In Other News...
Boise State Freshman Is Turning Heads Faster Than Anyone Expected
Eight months ago, Rasean Jones was still learning the wide receiver position. Now the 18-year-old freshman has become one of the more intriguing young players in Boise States camp, a rapid rise that has happened so quickly it has caught the attention of coaches and teammates alike. Jones enrolled early so he could get into spring practices, and that head start has helped him make the move from high school quarterback and running back to a new spot that is already starting to look natural.
What has helped Jones stand out is a mix of size, speed and the kind of work ethic that tends to get noticed once pads come on. He has earned significant reps with the starters during fall camp, which is not a small thing for a player so new to the position, and it leaves Boise State with a young receiver whose development is moving faster than anyone around him probably expected. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States Defensive Front Is Already Setting A Different Tone
Boise States first full-pads practice on Wednesday gave an early look at what this defense wants to be this fall, and the defensive front wasted little time making its presence felt. The line played with noticeable physicality throughout the workout, with David Latu, Lopez Sanusi, Beth Imasuen, Adonte Medley, Logan Brantley, Juelz Goff, Max Stege and Mikaio Edwards among the players drawing attention during drills.
The scene around practice added to the sense that this was no ordinary mid-summer session. Former head coach Chris Petersen was in attendance along with current staff members Dirk Koetter and Chris Strausser, while basketball coach Leon Rice, athletic director Jeramiah Dickey and several boosters were also there to watch. For a program trying to establish an identity on both sides of the ball, the tone set up front was hard to miss, and it will be worth seeing whether it carries over once the competition ramps up. [Read more 🡒]