No. 20 Boise State spent three quarters looking ready to surrender its grip on the top spot in the Pac-12 power rankings. Then the Broncos flipped the switch in a hurry.
Down in Pullman on Saturday, Boise State erased Washington State with 21 straight points and rolled to a 31-10 road win. The Broncos improved to 6-1 overall and 3-0 in league play, while the Cougars fell to 1-7 and 0-4.
Boise State is now tied with Oregon State for first place in the Pac-12 standings. The Beavers are 5-2 and also 3-0 after a bye week, and the two teams are set to meet at Albertsons Stadium on Nov. 14.
The Broncos’ finish was the difference. They wore Washington State down by the fourth quarter and piled up 258 rushing yards on 37 carries. On the other side, Boise State’s defense turned in one of its strongest performances of the year against Cougars quarterback Owen Eshelman.
Oregon State’s idle week brought a different kind of momentum. Jesse Legree, the nation’s leading receiver, re-signed with the Beavers for next season, keeping one of the country’s top quarterback-receiver pairings intact. Legree and Braden Atkinson have been one of the best duos in the nation this season.
The rest of the league has plenty of questions, starting with Fresno State. The Bulldogs, once viewed as a preseason Pac-12 dark horse, have dropped two straight and now host Oregon State on Saturday at 9 p.m. on USA Network. The source material calls this the moment for Fresno State to prove it.
Texas State, meanwhile, keeps hanging around in the standings despite a messy offensive showing in a 20-17 win over Utah State. The Bobcats would be 3-0 in Pac-12 play without their collapse at San Diego State, and the next two weeks will be a major test with road trips to Boise and Corvallis.
Colorado State sits in a different kind of spot entirely. The Rams came out of a 56-49 win over San Diego State, and the offense is clearly dangerous, but the defense is still giving up big plays in bunches.
San Diego State’s loss in that shootout was another rough one. Stone Saunders performed well in his first career start, but the Aztecs’ defense has taken a serious step back since defensive coordinator Rob Aurich left for Nebraska last December.
Utah State also came up short, falling 20-17 at Texas State after a strong defensive effort that didn’t get much help from Javen Jacobs and the run game. The Aggies return home to face Colorado State on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on USA Network.
At the bottom, Washington State is still searching for answers after the loss to Boise State. The Cougars cannot block or catch, and that has made it tough to keep an offense on the field or give the defense any relief. They’ll travel to San Diego State on Saturday at 5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
In Other News...
Boise State Faces A Real Test Against A Dangerous Texas State Team
Boise State gets a Halloween night stage at Albertsons Stadium on Oct. 31, with Texas State coming in for an 8 p.m. Mountain kickoff in a game that looks more dangerous than the point spread suggests. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Broncos as 11.5-point favorites, but that number has not changed the way Spencer Danielson is talking about the matchup, especially with a Bobcats team that has enough firepower to make things uncomfortable if Boise State is not sharp early.
Danielson pointed directly to Texas States offense and its dual-threat quarterback Brad Jackson as the biggest challenge, and that is the kind of profile that can stress a defense on any given night. With more Pac-12 games and betting lines in the mix around the schedule, this one stands out for Boise State because it is the sort of late-season test that can reveal a lot about how complete the Broncos really are. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Danielson Just Gave Boise State Fans What They Needed
Spencer Danielson has done enough in a short time to make Boise State fans plenty comfortable with the direction of the program. A 30-9 start as head coach, three Mountain West championships and a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2024 have already put him in rare company, and his rise has naturally started to attract attention from programs looking for a new leader.
So when Danielson was connected to the Baylor opening after Dave Aranda was fired, it was the kind of outside noise that could have sparked real concern in Boise. Instead, he made clear where his focus is, stressing his commitment to the Broncos, the community and the future of the program. For a fan base that has watched him deliver on the field, the message was exactly the kind of reassurance it wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Boise States Playoff Edge Comes Down To One Massive Test
The playoff picture is still taking shape across college football, but Boise State has managed to move back into a more favorable position among the non-Power conference contenders as the seasons chaos keeps reshuffling the field. With parity running through the year and injuries already changing how teams are viewed, the Broncos have stayed in the mix while a projected 2026 bracket continues to sort out which conference champions and at-large teams deserve the final bids.
Boise States hold on that spot is hardly secure, though, and the next stretch could end up deciding whether the Broncos keep their edge or get caught in the crowd. A major test against Oregon State looms as the kind of game that can alter the entire race for the final playoff berth, especially with the debate around the 12th spot still wide open and several teams making their case. [Read more 🡒]