The reborn Pac-12 opens its first football weekend with eight teams set to begin the 2026 season, and Boise State sits atop the league’s preseason pecking order.
The Broncos were picked to win the conference in the preseason media poll, and the case is straightforward: they bring back multiple important pieces on both sides of the ball and landed a conference schedule that sets up well, with four home games on the slate, including matchups with San Diego State and Texas State.
Boise State opens the year Saturday at No. 2 Oregon at 1:30 p.m. on CBS.
Fresno State is the first Pac-12 team to kick things off, traveling to No. 14 USC for a 7 p.m.
Mountain time road game on Friday night. If the Bulldogs get steady quarterback play from fourth-year junior Jayden Mandal, the rest of the roster should be strong enough to stay in the hunt for the league title.
San Diego State checks in next, with the question centered on whether this can finally be the season the offense takes off under Sean Lewis. The Aztecs have star running back Lucky Sutton and a healthy Jayden Denegal back at quarterback, and they’ll open Saturday at home against Portland State at 7:30 p.m. on USA Network.
Texas State lands in the upper tier as well, powered by what may be the best unit in the conference: the Brad Jackson-led offense. The problem is the other side of the ball, where the Bobcats need major improvement in 2026 if they’re going to make a real title push. Texas State begins Saturday at home against Portland State at 7:30 p.m. on USA Network.
Below that top group, there’s a noticeable split in the league. Oregon State has the ingredients to sneak up on somebody, and maybe more than once, thanks to a favorable conference schedule and a promising transfer quarterback in Braden Atkinson.
The Beavers start Saturday at No. 23 Houston at 10 a.m. on ESPN.
Washington State might be the biggest unknown in Year 1 of the new Pac-12. First-year head coach Kirby Moore brings in a transfer-heavy roster, with quarterback Caden Pinnick part of that mix, and the Cougars open Sunday at No. 17 Washington at 2 p.m. on NBC in the Apple Cup rivalry game in Seattle.
Utah State comes next, and the one constant with Bronco Mendenhall is simple: he wins. Still, the 2026 Aggies have plenty of holes to fill after reaching a bowl game last season. Utah State opens Saturday against Idaho State at 5 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.
Rounding out the rankings, Colorado State is in a full reset under first-year head coach Jim Mora, who arrives after back-to-back nine-win seasons at UConn. The Rams begin Saturday against Wyoming at 4 p.m. on USA Network.
In Other News...
Washington State Is Bringing Back An Apple Cup Look Fans Trust
Washington State is leaning into a look that already carries a little built-in good feeling. For its upcoming game, the Cougars will wear the same combination they had on in their last Apple Cup victory in 2024, with crimson helmets featuring the white Cougar logo, white jerseys and crimson pants. This years reveal was stripped down compared with previous seasons, but it still had enough style to catch attention, with leading running back Kirby Vorhees serving as the model and music from Tyler, The Creator setting the tone.
For a program that understands how much the Apple Cup means to its fan base, bringing back a familiar uniform combo is more than a cosmetic choice. It taps into a recent memory supporters already trust, while giving the team a clean, no-frills presentation heading into another big stage. Sometimes the message is as simple as showing up in the same colors that worked last time and letting the rest take care of itself. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Fans Are About To See A Very Different Pac-12
Washington State fans heading into the new college football season are going to see a Pac-12 that looks and feels a lot different on television. The conference announced a slate of changes designed to make game coverage more open and more accessible, from the launch of Pac-12 Field Pass with micd-up content during games to broader access to the replay-review process, complete with on-air explanations.
The league also unveiled a new officiating communications policy aimed at increasing transparency, along with media partnerships that will put all home games on national linear television. Bowl affiliations were laid out too, and player availability reports will now be released publicly before games, adding another layer of information for fans trying to follow every detail of a week in the league. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Upset Hopes Ride On One Early Apple Cup Test
Kirby Moores first game as Washington States head coach comes with little runway and plenty of noise, because the Cougars open with the Apple Cup against Washington on Sunday in a primetime NBC spotlight. It is a rare kind of debut: a rivalry game, on a national stage, with Washington State trying to sort through a new coach, new coordinators, a new quarterback and a roster full of fresh starters all at once.
For the Cougars to have any real upset chance, the formula is clear even if the task is steep. They need to get pressure on the quarterback, take care of the football and keep the Huskies from landing the kind of big plays that can turn a rivalry game fast. Washington also brings an established offense into the matchup, which only raises the urgency for Washington State to settle in quickly if it wants Moores opener to become more than just a measuring-stick night. [Read more 🡒]