Week 11 has arrived, and the Pac-12 picture is finally starting to sharpen. Boise State is still sitting on top, Texas State made the biggest move of the week, and with four teams tied at 3-2 in conference play, the race to the championship game is still wide open.
Boise State kept its CFP hopes rolling with a comfortable 64-38 win over Colorado State in Fort Collins. Backup quarterback Max Cutforth helped steer the Broncos through a game that turned into a showcase for the ground attack, as Boise State piled up 352 rushing yards against a historically bad Rams defense.
The Broncos now get a huge spotlight moment at home, with College GameDay headed to Boise for their matchup with Oregon State. That visit says plenty about the strength of the rebuilt Pac-12, and it also underscores how strong Boise State’s CFP résumé looks right now.
Oregon State will be without starting quarterback Braden Atkinson, which only makes Saturday’s challenge steeper. A win would keep Boise State’s playoff push right on track.
Texas State vaulted into the No. 2 spot after a statement-making 42-21 win over Oregon State in Corvallis. The Bobcats’ offense may be the best in the Pac-12, and at 3-2 in league play, they’ve put themselves in real position to reach the conference title game.
The next test is another chance to widen the gap. Texas State hosts Fresno State this week, and a win would move the Bobcats to 4-2 in Pac-12 play. After that, a home game against the Cougars is waiting.
Sorting out the middle of the rankings is messy because the league is packed with parity. Four teams are sitting at 3-2 in conference play, and the No. 3 spot goes to Oregon State for now because of its offense, which still looks like the best unit among that group.
Even so, the Beavers face a difficult road. They have the talent to beat Boise State on Saturday, but going into Boise with a backup quarterback and trying to take down a ranked Broncos team is a tall order.
San Diego State stayed put after a bye week following its Week 9 win over WSU. The Aztecs are still firmly in the championship race at 3-2 in conference play, and they’ll have a chance to keep building momentum when Utah State comes to San Diego this week.
Utah State is the conference’s most improved team. After a rough start, the Aggies now have three conference wins and are squarely in the hunt for the Pac-12 championship game.
The path is there, but it won’t be simple. Utah State has to get past San Diego State this week and then turn around and face Oregon State next week.
Fresno State’s promising start to league play has cooled. The Bulldogs are now 2-3 in conference play after a disappointing 17-10 loss to Utah State, which knocked them out of the championship picture. They still have five wins overall and three chances left to become bowl eligible, starting with this week’s trip to San Marcos to face Texas State.
Colorado State dropped to 3-6 after the 64-38 loss to Boise State, and the Rams should probably be relieved they share a conference with WSU. Otherwise, they’d be stuck at the very bottom of these rankings.
This week brings a matchup of two teams near the bottom of the Pac-12, with Colorado State heading to Pullman to play Washington State. If the Rams can get even a few stops, they may have enough offense to leave with a win.
Washington State comes in off a much-needed bye and stays at No. 8 in the rankings. But the Cougars have a real shot to climb out of the basement if they can beat Colorado State at home this weekend.
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