Gonzaga’s first season in the Pac-12 already has a handful of dates that jump off the page.
After 46 years in the West Coast Conference, Mark Few and the Bulldogs are set to begin a new chapter in 2026-27 as part of a nine-team Pac-12 that includes Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Oregon State, Washington State and Texas State. With a home-and-home format in league play, Gonzaga will play 16 conference games from Jan. 6 through March 6 before the Pac-12 Tournament in Las Vegas from March 9-13.
The schedule creates plenty of chances for drama, but a few matchups stand out immediately.
It starts right away in Pullman, where Gonzaga opens Pac-12 play on the road against Washington State. That’s a fitting way to launch a conference era for two longtime local rivals who finally share a league. WSU isn’t expected to sit near the top of the standings, but this game still carries real weight as Gonzaga’s first Pac-12 test after its long run in the WCC - and it comes against a team just 75 miles away that would love to make an early statement.
The Bulldogs’ first home conference game comes Saturday, Jan. 9, when Colorado State visits Spokane. Gonzaga and the Rams have met only once before, in November 2013, when the Zags rolled to a 93-61 win.
This version figures to be far more competitive. Colorado State coach Ali Farokhmanesh returns four starters from a strong team last season, including potential All Pac-12 forward Carey Booth.
Another date with plenty of juice is Boise State’s trip to Spokane. Leon Rice spent a decade on Mark Few’s staff in Spokane, but he hasn’t been back in over 15 years since taking over as Boise State’s head coach in 2010. The programs last met in December 2000, early in Few’s tenure, which makes this reunion - and Rice’s return to Spokane - one of the most intriguing games on the league calendar.
San Diego State also belongs near the top of the must-watch list. Gonzaga’s move out of the WCC means losing the rivalry with Saint Mary’s, but a new one could take shape quickly with Brian Dutcher’s Aztecs.
SDSU is one of the few teams to beat Gonzaga more than once at the McCarthey Athletic Center, and even if the Aztecs are projected to be down after the season-ending injury to star transfer guard Nick Anderson, Viejas Arena should still be loud and hostile. This matchup has the ingredients to become the Pac-12’s defining rivalry fast.
Then there’s Utah State, which looks like the conference’s clear No. 2 team on paper and the biggest threat to Gonzaga. The Aggies also appear good enough to land an at-large bid in the expanded 76-team NCAA Tournament field.
Before the game date was even set, Utah State had already sold out the 10,270-seat Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, and it figures to be one of the toughest environments Gonzaga sees all season. The Zags have only played Utah State once, beating the Aggies in 2017, but this one looks like the conference slate’s hardest matchup.
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Washington State Has A Real Shot To End This Skid On The Road
Utah State coach Bronco Mendenhall has plenty of reasons to see some familiar pain in a Washington State team that has been grinding through a difficult stretch of its own, and he pointed to strength of schedule as a major factor behind both slumps. For the Cougars, the trip offers a chance to reset against a program dealing with similar issues, and the matchup breakdown suggests there are clear paths for WSU to lean on if it wants to come home with a much-needed win.
The Cougars should have opportunities to work the ground game and make life uncomfortable for Utah States quarterbacks, two areas that could tilt the game in their favor if they execute cleanly. Mendenhall also singled out WSU edge rushers Linus Zunk and Matyus McLain as defensive threats, which only adds to the intrigue of a road test where Washington States front could be the part of the team that sets the tone. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Just Added Another Twist To Its Uniform Rotation
Washington State is giving its uniform rotation another look this week, and it is one fans have not seen before. The Cougars will again go with a white helmet, this time paired with a white facemask, a white jersey and anthracite pants, marking the fourth straight week the program has rolled out a different combination.
What makes this one stand out is the helmet detail, because this blend has not previously been worn with a crimson logo and white facemask. Since 2017, Washington State has cycled through 56 different uniform combinations, and the white-helmet looks have already built their own little record book along the way, which makes every new variation feel like part tradition and part experiment. [Read more 🡒]