Boise State landed at No. 25 in the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season on Tuesday night, making the Broncos the only team from a non-autonomous conference in the entire Top 25, the Pac-12 Conference reported. If the 12-team playoff started today, Spencer Danielson’s squad would enter as the No. 12 seed. That breakthrough sets the stage for a Week 10 slate on Saturday, November 7, where three matchups will determine who punches a ticket to the Pac-12 Championship Game.
Through nine weeks, the Pac-12 ranks fifth among FBS leagues in average SP+ (79.6), average FPI (79.1), and average Strength of Record (83.8), with four teams in the Top 65 nationally—more than any other non-autonomous conference.
Three Games That Will Shape November
At 3 p.m. PT on USA Network, No. 25 Boise State travels to Colorado State, where the Rams have won all three of their home games this season but own a 27-game losing streak against AP Top 25 opponents. The Broncos hold a 13-1 all-time series advantage, though Colorado State did win the last meeting in Fort Collins in 2023 when Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw three touchdown passes in the final 4:01 to overcome a 30-10 deficit.
Six hours later, Fresno State visits Utah State in Logan at 6:30 p.m. PT. The Bulldogs have won their last two trips to Logan and four of their last five road games against the Aggies. In 2023, Malik Sherrod sealed a 37-32 win with an 11-yard touchdown run with 2:19 left. Utah State, however, won last year’s meeting in Fresno by overcoming a 17-7 halftime deficit with a 21-0 second-half shutout.
The nightcap at 7:30 p.m. PT on The CW marks the first-ever meeting between Texas State and Oregon State, two of the top seven offenses in the nation in total yards. Both rank in the Top 13 in FBS scoring. The Bobcats are seeking their first road win of the season after their two road conference games were decided by a combined three points, while the Beavers are 3-1 at home and have outscored conference opponents at Reser Stadium by 70 points.
Colorado State’s Offense Dominates Recent Play
Boise State enters the matchup with Colorado State riding a seven-game winning streak, one of only five FBS teams with a current streak of seven or more victories. The Broncos are the only Pac-12 team undefeated in conference play at 4-0, averaging 37.1 points per game during the streak. They have scored at least 31 points in each of those seven wins, something the program has not done since 2014.
Depth was tested last week when starting quarterback Maddux Madsen went down in the fourth quarter. Backup Max Cutforth responded with three passing touchdowns and 131 yards on his first three possessions to lead a 46-45 comeback win over Texas State. Running back Dylan Riley added 86 yards and a score, surpassing 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season and ranking second nationally with 1,049 yards.
Weekly Honors: A Freshman, a Pass Rusher, and a Kicker
Boise State wide receiver Rasean Jones made history by becoming the first Pac-12 player since Cal’s Jaydn Ott in 2022 to win both Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week in the same week. Jones set career highs with nine receptions, 117 receiving yards, and three touchdowns against Texas State, joining Oregon State’s Jesse Legree and Wake Forest’s Dominick Barry as the only FBS freshmen this season to post 100-plus yards and three touchdowns in the same game.
On the defensive side, Fresno State defensive lineman Dylan Hampsten earned Defensive Player of the Week after recording two sacks, a forced fumble, and seven tackles in the Bulldogs’ 38-22 Halloween win over Oregon State. The performance ended the Beavers’ five-game winning streak and marked the first time this season Oregon State lost multiple turnovers in a game.
Despite the loss, Oregon State kicker Caleb Ojeda took home Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He connected on all three field goal attempts, including a career-long 54-yarder that was the longest in the Pac-12 this season and the longest by an OSU kicker since Everett Hayes in 2024. Ojeda is now 37-for-37 on extra points this season and 56-for-56 in his Beavers career.
Walk-Ons in the Spotlight
The Burlsworth Trophy, awarded annually to the top player who began his career as a walk-on, announced its 65 nominees for the 2026 season, with five Pac-12 players on the list: Boise State linebacker Boen Phelps, Fresno State offensive lineman Ben Baker, Oregon State offensive lineman Tyler Voltin, San Diego State punter Tashi Dorje, and Utah State defensive tackle Carson Tujague. The semifinalists will be revealed on Tuesday, November 10.
As the calendar turns to November, the Pac-12’s November to remember is already underway. With San Diego State and Washington State taking their bye weeks, the remaining eight teams must navigate three pivotal matchups that will decide who represents the conference in the championship game—and whether Boise State’s CFP breakthrough holds up under the bright lights of a November road trip to Fort Collins.
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