Boise State survived a scare and still kept its grip on the top spot in the Week 4 Pac-12 football power rankings.
The Broncos needed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to shake off South Dakota in a 38-24 home win on Saturday, Sept. 19, but they still head the list after another productive day on the ground. Boise State has now topped 300 rushing yards in back-to-back games, and Dylan Riley remains one of the country’s most dangerous runners. Riley has 62 carries for 454 yards and two touchdowns, which puts him third nationally in rushing.
Next up for Boise State is a Saturday trip to Western Michigan at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
Oregon State stayed right behind the Broncos after a 52-17 home win over Montana on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The Beavers’ offense kept humming, with true freshman Jesse Legree continuing to torch defenses. Legree has 17 catches for 476 yards and four touchdowns, and no one in college football has more receiving yards.
Quarterback Braden Atkinson is also piling up numbers at a fast clip, sitting second in passing with 1,120 yards to go with 10 total touchdowns and one interception.
The Beavers travel to UTEP on Saturday for a 7 p.m. game on the Mountain West Network.
Fresno State earned its place near the top after a 26-10 road win at San Jose State on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The difference was defense, plain and simple. Fresno State intercepted four passes and took home the Valley Trophy.
Texas State followed with a 49-35 home win over North Texas on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the Bobcats’ offense delivered its best showing of the season. But the defense gave plenty back, allowing 492 passing yards to North Texas.
San Diego State dropped a 26-13 home game to James Madison on Saturday, Sept. 19, even though the Aztecs crossed the 400-yard mark in total offense for the first time in a regular-season game since last October. James Madison, though, moved the ball without much trouble at Snapdragon Stadium.
Colorado State fell 41-23 at home to No. 11 BYU on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the loss came with an injury note worth watching.
The Rams were down 38-7 after three quarters, and quarterback Hauss Hejny left with a hamstring injury. Hejny is questionable for this weekend.
Washington State put up a 48-7 home win over Duquesne on Saturday, Sept. 19, and while it wasn’t clean, the Cougars eventually wore down an overmatched opponent. Washington State finished with 316 rushing yards and pulled away after halftime.
At the bottom of the rankings, Utah State was shut out 33-0 on the road by No. 17 Utah on Saturday, Sept.
- The Aggies are now at minus-8 in turnover margin on the season, which ranks last in FBS.
All eight Pac-12 teams are back in non-conference action Saturday before league play begins next week. Utah State hosts Troy at 5:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
In Other News...
Oregon State Found An Unexpected Pass Rush Piece In Jarrel Comer
Jarrel Comer has become one of the more intriguing developments in Oregon States front seven, a player whose path to a starting outside linebacker job took a circuitous route through junior college football in California after his early days on the game had long since faded. Once on campus, the Beavers saw enough athleticism and growth to trust him in a bigger role, and he has rewarded that belief by becoming part of the teams pass rush plan while working alongside Takari Hickle.
What makes Comers rise especially notable is how quickly he has fit into a position that asks for both urgency and discipline. He has put together 10 tackles so far this season, a sign that his impact has gone beyond the occasional pressure package and into every-down responsibility. For Oregon State, finding another dependable edge presence is no small thing, and Comer is suddenly one of the names worth watching whenever the Beavers need to disrupt a quarterback. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Just Added Another High-Upside Piece Fans Will Notice
Oregon States recruiting momentum got another boost with the commitment of Emmanuel Ahamefule, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Great Britain who attends Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco. Justin Joyner and his staff have been pitching a program built around development, and Ahamefule said the plan presented by the Beavers stood out to him as he weighed where to take the next step.
For Oregon State, the appeal is obvious: Ahamefule brings defensive value and the kind of versatility that can travel well as he grows into his game. He is already viewed as a high-upside addition, and his enthusiasm about joining the Beavers gives Joyner another young piece to sell to future recruits looking for a clear path forward in Corvallis. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Fans Have Several Big 12 Games Worth Watching Closely
The Big 12 slate this weekend gives Oregon State fans plenty of games worth monitoring, even if the Beavers are on the outside looking in. The conference schedule is loaded with matchups that could ripple through the rankings and playoff picture, and the league preview points to a full day of television windows, records, and storylines from around the country.
One of the more intriguing spots on the board comes in Morgantown, where an unbeaten West Virginia team will be tested in a late-afternoon national TV window. Elsewhere, a few familiar names will be off the field entirely, with Arizona State, BYU and Kansas all on bye, leaving the standings to be shaped by the teams still playing and the ones trying to keep their momentum alive. [Read more 🡒]