Boise State remains the team to beat in the inaugural Pac-12 season, holding a two-game lead with three weeks remaining and sitting as the frontrunner for the College Football Playoff bid reserved for the top team in the Group of Six.
The Broncos improved to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in conference play with a 64-38 victory at Colorado State. ESPN’s “College GameDay” is heading to Boise for their next matchup against Oregon State, marking the third appearance in the Mountain Time Zone in the past five weeks.
Boise State holds a decisive advantage over all other Group of Six contenders in ESPN’s strength-of-record rankings, a critical metric for the CFP selection committee. The Broncos control their own path to the postseason berth they last claimed three years ago, though a single loss could upend the race.
Behind the frontrunners, the conference picture shifted wildly over the past month. Texas State climbed to second place at 5-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play after walloping Oregon State 42-21, a surge that follows three wins in their past four outings.
Fresno State dropped to third at 5-4 and 2-3 following a 17-10 loss at Utah State. Meanwhile, Oregon State slid to fourth at 5-4 and 3-2 after surrendering 80 points and 992 yards combined over their past two losses.
Utah State climbed to fifth at 4-5 and 3-2 after defeating Fresno State, with coach Bronco Mendenhall righting the ship. San Diego State sits sixth at 4-5 and 3-2 after a bye week ahead of hosting Utah State.
Colorado State holds seventh place at 3-6 and 1-4 after the 64-38 defeat against Boise State, boasting the worst total defense and scoring defense in the country under Jim Mora. Washington State rounds out the standings at 1-8 and 0-5, facing a must-win stretch to avoid extending their drought into 2027.
