2026 Pac-12 Week 1 Game Previews: Game Time, TV Schedule, Odds, Predictions
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It’s been a while, Pac-12 football, but we are back!
The new-look Pac-12 kicks off this weekend with all eight teams in action. Here is everything you need to know about Week 1 in the Pac-12!
Fresno State (0-0) at No. 14 USC (1-0)
Date & Time: Friday, September 4, 6:00 p.m. PT
Network: FOX
Spread: USC -21.5
Preview: Fresno State has a tough task ahead in its first game as a member of the Pac-12, traveling to the Coliseum to play a former Pac-12 member, No. 14 USC.
The Bulldogs’ defense gives them reason to believe that they can make this game interesting, despite coming in as 21.5-point underdogs. Fresno State finished second nationally in passing yards allowed and fifth in interceptions last season, while returning senior defensive back Simeon Harris picked off five passes.
The secondary will face an early test against USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who completed 25-of-29 passes for 286 yards and two touchdowns in the Trojans’ 42-26 win over San Jose State in Week 0.
The bigger concern for the Bulldogs is on the offensive side of the ball. Junior quarterback Jayden Mandal will make his first start since the 2024 Idaho Potato Bowl after missing all of last season with an injury. He only has four career completions, making a road matchup with the No. 14 team in the country a difficult place to begin his season. Mandal will have a proven target in senior wide receiver Josiah Freeman, who led Fresno State with 642 receiving yards last season.
It’s going to be difficult for Fresno State, but with USC having attendance problems, who says an upset to start the new era of the Pac-12 isn’t possible? I don’t think it’s possible, though.
Sorry, Bulldog fans.
Prediction: USC 34, Fresno State 17
Oregon State (0-0) at No. 23 Houston (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 9:00 a.m. PT
Network: ESPN
Spread: Houston -21.5
Preview: Oregon State begins the JaMarcus Shephard era with a chance at revenge, traveling to face No. 23 Houston after blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead in a 27-24 overtime loss to the Cougars last season.
The Beavers have a new face under center in quarterback Braden Atkinson. He won the 2025 Jerry Rice Award at Mercer last season after throwing for 3,596 yards and 34 touchdowns. Atkinson completed 66% of his passes and surpassed 300 passing yards in a game eight times.
Atkinson will be tested immediately in FBS play, facing a ranked Big 12 opponent to start the season. The Beavers can take some pressure off of him with running back Cornell Hatcher Jr., who rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown against Houston last year.
Oregon State’s defense has a tough assignment ahead against quarterback Connor Weigman and All-American wide receiver Amare Thomas. Weigman had 36 total touchdowns last season, and Thomas finished with 966 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Making matters worse for Oregon State, former Beaver Trent Walker transferred to Houston after recording 1,790 receiving yards during his time at Oregon State.
If Atkinson can translate his success at the FCS level immediately, the Beavers could make this a close game. Slowing down Weigman and Houston’s receivers is going to be tough for a team that has lost nine straight road games.
Prediction: Houston 38, Oregon State 21
Boise State (0-0) at No. 2 Oregon (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 12:30 p.m. PT
Network: CBS
Spread: Oregon -24.5
Preview: The reigning Mountain West champions, Boise State, will begin its Pac-12 era with a road trip to Autzen Stadium to play No. 2 Oregon. The Ducks are the highest-ranked opponent the Broncos have faced since joining the FBS. Boise State has a 3-1 record against Oregon, but lost its last matchup 37-34 in 2024.
Quarterback Maddux Madsen is going to be crucial for the Broncos if they want to pull off an upset. He threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, but he’s facing an Oregon defense that finished fourth nationally in passing yards allowed.
That reason alone is why relying on running backs Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines will be important. Riley rushed for 1,125 yards and twelve total touchdowns last season, while Gaines added 811 yards and nine total touchdowns.
Oregon comes into this season with extremely high expectations. Quarterback Dante Moore is the head of those expectations. He threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing 71.8% of his passes last season, leading the Ducks to the CFP semifinal. The Broncos will need a big performance from preseason All-American edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan, who led the Broncos with 13 tackles for loss and six sacks last season.
Boise State was very competitive against Oregon the last time these teams met face to face. The Broncos will need to establish the run, pressure Moore, and avoid falling behind early to stand a chance.
Prediction: Oregon 38, Boise State 20
Texas State (0-0) at No. 5 Texas (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 12:30 p.m. PT
Network: ESPN
Spread: Texas -29.5
Preview: Texas State welcomes itself to the Pac-12 with a short trip to Austin in its first matchup against Texas in nearly a century. This is the second meeting between the two programs and the first since Texas won 36-0 in 1930.
The Bobcats will look to avoid a similar result, but it will be challenging. Quarterback Brad Jackson will need to lead the way. Jackson threw for 3,224 yards and 21 touchdowns while also rushing for 744 yards and 17 scores last season. Texas State also has two 1,000-yard receivers returning: Chris Dawn Jr. and Beau Sparks, giving Texas State offensive firepower to at least test the Longhorns.
The problem is, the Longhorns are really good. The defense is led by edge Colin Simmons, who led the SEC with 12 sacks last season. The offense is led by quarterback Arch Manning, who threw for 3,163 yards and 26 touchdowns last season. He also gets leading receiver Ryan Wingo back after he recorded 834 yards and seven touchdowns.
Texas State has the offensive talent to make some noise in this matchup, but the issue is that the Bobcats are going up against a behemoth team on defense. The Bobcats also have to keep up with Manning for four quarters.
Texas has also won 21 straight home games against unranked opponents. The odds aren’t in the Bobcats’ favor.
Prediction: Texas 45, Texas State 21
Wyoming (0-0) at Colorado State (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 3:00 p.m. PT
Network: USA Network
Spread: Colorado State -3.5
Preview: The Border War is going to be a bit different from here on out with Colorado State moving to the Pac-12 and Wyoming staying put in the Mountain West, but the historic rivalry will thankfully still remain. It is the first time since 1923 that Colorado State has opened its season at home against Wyoming.
The Rams are completely different this year under first-year head coach Jim Mora, who added 76 new players in the offseason. The starting quarterback position still hasn’t been figured out. It’s between UConn transfer K’saan Farrar and Oklahoma State transfer Hauss Hejny. Mora told the media that he planned for them to find out the winner of the battle during their first offensive drive.
Colorado State’s defense will have to contain new Wyoming quarterback Tyler Hughes, who threw for 2,330 yards and 20 touchdowns while adding 670 yards and 11 scores on the ground at William & Mary last year. The Rams will also have to slow down running back Samuel “Tote” Harris, Wyoming’s lead rusher last season.
Wyoming embarrassed Colorado State 28-0 last year, but this is a new-look Rams squad. It’s hard to know exactly what the Rams will look like, especially with a question mark at the quarterback position, but reclaiming the Bronze Boot would be a good start to the Jim Mora era.
Prediction: Colorado State 28, Wyoming 21
Idaho State (1-0) at Utah State (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 4:00 p.m. PT
Network: CBSSN
Spread: Utah State -14.5
Preview: Utah State starts its season against Idaho State, an FCS opponent that already has a game under its belt. The Aggies have historically dominated the Bengals, posting a 19-2 record and winning six straight matchups.
Quarterback McCae Hillstead is returning to the Aggies after spending the last two seasons at BYU. Hillstead started four games as a true freshman in 2023. Hillstead is going to be the Aggies’ fifth different opening-day starting quarterback in five seasons.
Utah State also brought back running back Javen Jacobs, who led the team with 429 rushing yards, while adding 379 receiving yards last year. Defensively, safety Brevin Hamblin returns after recording 114 tackles and three interceptions, while linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. had 90 tackles. Both earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors last season.
Idaho State has some game. Quarterback Jordan Cooke led the Bengals to a 38-10 victory last week against VMI, with Cooke throwing for 325 yards and four touchdowns. The performance helped Idaho State reach No. 23 in the FCS rankings.
Utah State has won 16 straight home openers against non-conference opponents. I don’t expect that streak to end.
Prediction: Utah State 31, Idaho State 14
Portland State (0-1) at San Diego State (0-0)
Date & Time: Saturday, September 5, 6:30 p.m. PT
Network: USA Network
Spread: San Diego State -39.5
Preview: San Diego State has a very favorable matchup to start its Pac-12 era against Portland State. The Aztecs are looking to build off of a breakout second season under head coach Sean Lewis after improving from 3-9 to 9-4.
Running back Lucky Sutton is going to be the star of the offense. The Doak Walker Award semifinalist rushed for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns last season with six 100-yard games. Quarterback Jayden Denegal also returns after throwing for 1,807 yards and nine touchdowns last season.
For the receiving corps, Jordan Napier also returns, having recorded 48 receptions for 629 yards through 10 games before he suffered a season-ending injury. Napier is also dangerous on special teams, earning first-team all-MW honors as a punt returner.
The Aztecs led the FBS with three shutouts and were sixth nationally in scoring defense and passing yards allowed per game last season. But nine of the 11 starters from that defense are gone, with only linebacker Tano Letuli and safety Dalesean Staley as the only returning starters.
Portland State could give the new defensive unit an early test as the Vikings nearly upset No. 6 UC Davis last week, taking a 21-0 halftime lead before losing 31-24. Quarterback Tyrese Smith had 301 yards, while wide receiver Cru Newman had 177 all-purpose yards.
The Aztecs are favored by nearly 40 points. They will win this game.
Prediction: San Diego State 45, Portland State 10
Washington State (0-0) at No. 17 Washington (0-0)
Date & Time: Sunday, September 6, 1:00 p.m. PT
Network: NBC
Spread: Washington -23.5
Preview: There is no better way for Washington State to start its season than facing an old rival, the Washington Huskies, in the 118th Apple Cup. It is also the start of the Kirby Moore era for the Cougars, and he has some history with the Huskies, having served as a graduate assistant.
Moore has rebuilt this roster, adding 50 new players to the program. One of those new players is quarterback Caden Pinnick, who threw for 3,206 yards and 32 touchdowns at UC Davis last season. Pinnick was the Big Sky Freshman of the Year and a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award.
Pinnick has some good pass catchers around him, including Tony Freeman, who returns after catching 54 passes for 590 yards last season. Running back Kirby Vorhees is another solid piece for the Cougars; he was named to the Pac-12 Preseason Impact Watch list alongside Freeman.
The Huskies are a tough opponent for the Cougars. Washington went 9-4 last season and brought back quarterback Demond Williams Jr., who dominated the Cougars last season. He completed 16-of-19 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns, leading the Huskies to a 59-24 win.
Washington State hasn’t won a road game against a ranked opponent since 2022. It’s going to take a lot to get that done against the Huskies, but if Pinnick shines and the Wazzu defense can stop Williams, it’s possible.
It isn’t probable, though.
Prediction: Washington 41, Washington State 17
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