Week 2 shook up the Pac-12 power picture, and the biggest winner so far is Boise State. The Broncos handled Memphis 38-20 in a game with major College Football Playoff implications, while Oregon State surged after another strong showing and Washington State slid after a rough offensive stretch. With Week 3 on deck, the rankings are starting to take shape.
Boise State holds the top spot again after the win over Memphis pushed the Broncos into prime early CFP position. That said, the path ahead still matters.
Boise State has two more nonconference games left, first against one of the better FCS programs in South Dakota and then on the road against Western Michigan. Going 2-0 over the next two weeks will be important if the Broncos want to keep that strong positioning.
Oregon State makes the biggest climb, jumping from No. 5 to No. 2.
The preseason No. 8 team has opened the year with strong play against two top-25 opponents, and the offense has been fueled by quarterback Braden Atkinson and true freshman receiver Jesse Legree. Legree went for 240 receiving yards against Texas Tech, and that pairing has already become one of the most dangerous offensive duos in the country to start the season.
This week brings Montana, followed by UTEP next week, and both games should tell a lot about how real this start is.
San Diego State drops to No. 3 after a 28-10 loss to UCLA. The Aztecs cut it to 7-3 with a field goal at 13:11 of the fourth quarter, but UCLA finished the game with three touchdowns in the final eight minutes.
The offense remains the big concern, especially after quarterback Jayden Denegal went 6-for-17 for 45 yards. SDSU now gets another major test against 2-0 James Madison, which is coming off an 87-3 win over Wagner.
JMU reached the College Football Playoff last year, though that came with a different team and coaching staff.
Colorado State stays put at No. 4 after opening 2-0 for the first time since 2011 and making a strong start to the Jim Mora era in Fort Collins. The Rams have earned patience, but the real measuring stick comes this week with No.
11 BYU coming to town. Quarterback Hauss Hejny will be a key focus in that top-15 matchup.
If Colorado State turns in a strong showing against BYU, it becomes much easier to believe the Rams can make a run at the Pac-12 title.
Fresno State moves up to No. 5 after a convincing 49-3 win over Sacramento State. The Bulldogs were sharp on both sides of the ball, and quarterback Jayden Mandal looked far more comfortable than he did in the Week 1 loss to USC.
The next stop is San Jose, where Fresno State will face an SJSU team that is 1-2 and also has a loss to USC. Another clean offensive performance would go a long way toward building belief in the Bulldogs.
Washington State falls three spots to No. 6 after scoring just one offensive touchdown across two games. The Cougars are 0-2 after a 34-7 loss to Kansas State, and while the schedule has been tough, the offense has to start showing something soon.
Duquesne is up next, and the FCS opponent has allowed 104 points over its first two games. If Washington State can’t get rolling this week, the alarm bells will get louder in Pullman.
Utah State moves up to No. 7 after a 16-14 road loss to Washington. The Aggies came up short, but taking a Big Ten team to the wire on the road is still a solid sign for a program that opened with an FCS loss in Week 1.
The challenge gets steeper now with a road trip to No. 17 Utah, and another steady performance would keep the arrow pointed in the right direction.
Texas State drops to No. 8 after a painful 31-26 home loss to rival UTSA. The Bobcats led 30-26 in the final minute before giving up a 25-yard rushing touchdown with 14 seconds left.
The defense has been a concern from the start, and the first two games have done little to quiet that. Texas State gave up 59 points in its opener and 31 more in Week 2, and that side of the ball has to tighten up if the Bobcats want to win Pac-12 games this season.
In Other News...
WSU Is Expanding Martin Stadium Options With A Catch For Fans
Washington State is adding more variety at Martin Stadium this fall, expanding its home football alcohol menu to 11 different beer and seltzer options starting with the game against Duquesne. The move is part of a broader push around the fan experience, with new dining options also announced for the stadium as the Cougars continue to tinker with what game day looks like on the Palouse.
There is a catch for fans, though, as the alcohol pilot program is set to continue into 2026 with more alcohol-free sections and tighter enforcement aimed at monitoring sales and preventing policy violations. The school is also planning stricter consequences for breaches, a sign that the increased options will come with closer oversight as Washington State tries to balance access, safety, and the atmosphere inside Martin Stadium. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Found A Bigger Role For Leo Pulalasi At The Right Time
With injuries thinning Washington States tight end room, Leo Pulalasi has quietly become one of the more useful pieces in the offenses reshaped puzzle. The junior running backs job has expanded this season, and his move to H-back during the offseason gave the Cougars another way to keep key personnel on the field without sacrificing flexibility.
Kirby Moore said the role change was part of the plan well before the opener, and Pulalasi has already shown why it matters. He supplied a lead block on a touchdown in the season opener, while also getting a few touches as a runner and receiver, a modest usage profile that still hints at how much the staff trusts him in multiple spots. [Read more 🡒]
WSU Is Bringing A New Look To Its Martin Stadium Opener
Washington State is giving Martin Stadium a fresh first impression for its 2026 home opener against Duquesne, unveiling a new uniform combination built around white helmets with the crimson Cougar logo, paired with crimson jerseys and crimson pants. The look was revealed with fifth-year defensive tackle Paul Hutson III serving as the model, giving the rollout a veteran face from a player who arrived from Marshall and has already carved out a role in the rotation.
Hutson has logged 60 snaps this season, and his presence helps underscore why these small details matter in Pullman. Openers carry a little extra weight anyway, and a new home look can become part of the atmosphere as Washington State settles into the season in front of its own crowd, even before the football itself starts to sort out what kind of team this will be. [Read more 🡒]