Boise State’s move into the reborn Pac-12 puts a spotlight on the back end of the defense, and Derek Ganter Jr. is right in the middle of it.
The junior safety is one of the Broncos’ most important returning pieces entering 2026, a player whose role is set to expand after a season of waiting his turn. Boise State On SI has been rolling out its list of 12 players who will define the Broncos’ first Pac-12 season, and Ganter Jr. is No. 9 on that list.
Ganter Jr. came to Boise State last offseason after two seasons at Eastern Washington, where he earned FCS Freshman All-American honors in 2024. He arrived with plenty of buzz, but last year’s depth chart kept him behind Ty Benefield and Zion Washington at safety. Washington has used up his eligibility, and Benefield transferred to LSU, opening the door for Ganter Jr. to take on a much bigger job in 2026.
Even with limited snaps, he found a way to make an impact. Ganter Jr. played in all 14 games, started twice and finished with 27 total tackles. His first career start came at Nevada, where he made six tackles, and the next week against Fresno State he added seven more.
Boise State’s secondary is in the middle of a reset. The Broncos have to replace four starters in the back end, including both safeties from last season, and they’ll do it with a new position coach in Terrence Brown, who spent the previous four seasons at California.
At 6-foot and 212 pounds, Ganter Jr. entered spring practice as one of the most seasoned defensive backs on the roster. He also stood out in spring work, showing the kind of physical edge Boise State wants from the position. The Broncos need that to carry over, because the new Pac-12 is going to bring multiple high-level passing attacks and put real pressure on the secondary.
For Boise State, the ask is simple: Ganter Jr. has to become a leader on the back end and help in both coverage and run support. He and cornerback/nickelback Jaden Mickey are the most experienced players in the secondary, and if the Broncos are going to chase a Pac-12 title in their first year in the league, this group has to become a strength.
If that happens, Ganter Jr. figures to be a big reason why.
In Other News...
Boise State Still Has One Troubling Question In The Passing Game
Boise States passing game has spent the offseason in a state of transition, and the receiver room is the clearest reason why. The Broncos are trying to replace a wave of departures, adjust to coaching turnover and sort through a group that includes returning names like Ben Ford and Matt Wagner along with younger options such as Rasean Jones and Cameron Bates.
What makes the situation tricky is that there still is not an obvious marquee target who has separated himself as the answer for 2026. Wagner has pushed himself into the conversation after a strong spring, Jones brings the kind of upside that can change a room quickly, and Bates has already shown he can build on a productive season, but Boise State is still waiting for one receiver to emerge as the clear lead option. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Is Already Earning Serious Playoff Respect Again
Boise State is heading into the 2026 season with the kind of preseason buzz that usually belongs to a Power Four program, not a Group of 6 team. With the Broncos now part of the revitalized Pac-12, sportsbooks and multiple preseason polls are lining them up as the top Group of 6 contender, and that matters more than simple bragging rights. Under the current College Football Playoff setup, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team can claim a postseason berth, so every early ranking is carrying a little more weight than usual.
The Broncos are showing up near the top of a wide range of projections, from the mid-20s all the way down into the 50s, but the common thread is hard to miss: Boise State keeps coming out ahead of the rest of its tier. Josh Pate has them in his top 25, CBS Sports and Phil Steele both slot them as the highest Group of 6 program, and ESPN FPI still gives them a respectable profile. The question now is less about whether Boise State belongs in the conversation and more about whether it can turn that preseason respect into the kind of season that keeps the CFP path open. [Read more 🡒]