The Pac-12 finally put together the kind of week it has been waiting for.
After a rough start to the 2026 season, the league closed Week 3 with a 3-0 record against FCS opponents and a 2-3 mark against FBS competition. The highlight was Boise State surviving a stiff test from South Dakota, while Oregon State, Washington State, Fresno State and Texas State all delivered wins of their own. The only real blemishes came in losses that never turned into nail-biters.
Boise State had to work for it, but the Broncos did enough late to beat South Dakota 38-24 on Saturday night. The Broncos piled up 325 rushing yards on 48 carries, and Dylan Riley put the game away with an 83-yard touchdown run with one minute and change left. South Dakota entered the matchup ranked No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll, but Boise State found its answer in the fourth quarter.
“I am proud of our team finding a way to win, and we’re going to be able to learn a lot of lessons from this win,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said after the game. “But we obviously have a lot of things we have to learn from and grow from.”
Oregon State’s day was much more comfortable. Montana came in ranked No. 2 in the FCS Coaches Poll, but the Beavers rolled to a 52-17 win behind sophomore quarterback Braden Atkinson, who threw for 333 yards and accounted for six total touchdowns. It was the first victory of the JaMarcus Shephard era, and he made sure nobody missed the message.
“I’ll tell you what, everybody needs to start paying attention,” first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard said after career victory No. 1. “Because something’s going on in Corvallis.
“I'm proud of the first step that we’ve taken. This is the first step of many, and I can’t wait to get ready for the next one.”
Washington State also picked up a milestone win, giving Kirby Moore his first career victory. The Cougars shook off a sluggish first half and took control in a 48-7 rout of Duquesne. Caden Pinnick turned in his best performance of the season, throwing for 196 yards and two touchdowns while adding 76 yards and another score on the ground.
Fresno State handled business on the road, intercepting four Luke Weaver passes and avoiding any turnovers of its own in a 26-10 win at San Jose State. Texas State was even more explosive, putting up 49 points in a 49-35 home win over North Texas. Brad Jackson led that surge with 268 passing yards and four touchdowns.
The losses were less dramatic, and that was the problem.
San Diego State trailed 19-0 at halftime and never recovered in a 26-13 home loss to James Madison. Senior quarterback Jayden Denegal could be on the bench next after another rough outing.
Colorado State was buried early too, falling behind 38-7 after three quarters in a 41-23 home loss to No. 11 BYU. Rams quarterback Hauss Hejny left with a hamstring injury.
No. 17 Utah made sure the week ended on a clean note, blanking Utah State 33-0 at home.
In Other News...
WSU Finally Found Its Offense But One Concern Still Lingers
Washington State finally got the kind of home opener it was looking for at Martin Stadium, rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a burst of offense that took over in the third quarter. The Cougars scored three touchdowns in that period alone, with quarterback Caden Pinnick and running back Kirby Vorhees both turning in strong performances as Kirby Moore picked up his first win as a head coach.
The win gave Washington State a much-needed jolt and offered a clearer look at an offense that can lean on the ground game when things are clicking. Still, not everything came together cleanly, and the kicking game remains a source of concern after Jack Stevens had accuracy issues that stood out even in a lopsided result. [Read more 🡒]
Washington States Biggest Early Problem Still Isnt Going Away
Washington States home opener offered a few signs of life on offense, with the Cougars taking a 14-7 halftime lead over Duquesne after leaning on the ground game. Maxwell Woods supplied a 45-yard Wildcat burst, and Caden Pinnick finished off a 19-yard touchdown run, a couple of plays that at least gave the offense a little more rhythm than it had shown at times before.
Still, the early concern around the Cougars has not gone away, because Duquesne kept finding room on the ground. The Dukes answered with a 1-yard quarterback keeper from Carson Camp, and their backs piled up 113 yards on 19 carries in the first half, a reminder that Washington States defense still has work to do even when the scoreboard is in its favor. [Read more 🡒]
Washington State Built Exactly The Momentum Fans Wanted Before Arizona
Washington State got exactly the kind of response it needed before Arizona, shaking off an early tie and rolling past Duquesne 48-7 behind a barrage of points that turned a tense start into a runaway finish. After the Dukes pulled even at 7-7, the Cougars ripped off 41 unanswered points, with Caden Pinnick steering the offense and piling up 196 passing yards, two touchdown throws, 76 rushing yards and another score on the ground.
The win had a little of everything for a team looking to build confidence at the right time. Kirby Vorhees added a rushing touchdown, while Jaylen Thomas and Tank Hawkins each delivered punt return touchdowns, giving Washington State impact plays in every phase and a reminder that the margin for error can get awfully thin for opponents when the Cougars start stacking momentum. [Read more 🡒]