The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Way Too Early PAC 12 Rankings
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The 2025 season is over and we are entering a new era of college football on the West Coast with the PAC 12 rebuilding itself with five teams from the Mountain West. This year the PAC 12 will feature eight teams. Last week, we took an early look at what to expect in the Mountain West. In this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,” we are going to focus on the PAC 12.
The Good
Boise State
The Broncos are coming off of three consecutive Mountain West Championship titles and will be looking to make a statement in their first season in the PAC 12. Boise State has made some impressive additions in the transfer portal and has the top recruiting class in the conference. The Broncos have addressed their weaknesses in the secondary and at wide receiver, as well as built depth in the trenches. Winning this conference will be a much more difficult task with the Cougars and Beavers lurking, but this team should be at or near the top of the standings when November rolls around.
San Diego State
The Aztecs made huge strides in Sean Lewis’ second year in San Diego. I expect that trend to continue this fall. The Aztecs have made some really good moves in the transfer portal and have been able to hang on to some key players. We know that the defense is going to be elite, whether or not the Aztecs are a potential playoff game will likely come down to play at the quarterback position. San Diego State may have found the solution to their quarterback problem in Kentucky transfer Stone Saunders who should challenge for the starting spot immediately.
Washington State
I’m a big Kirby Moore fan and think the Cougars got an upgrade at the head coach position. Moore is an offensive savant and has brought in a staff that is capable of helping Washington State bring home a conference championship. The Cougars were also able to hold on to some key contributors from last year’s team. The addition of UC Davis transfer quarterback Caden Pinnick is flying under the radar. Pinnick can step in immediately and be one of the better quarterbacks in the PAC 12. Moore and his staff have done a nice job of bringing in players that can contribute; the success of this team will all come down to how they gel.
Fresno State
Matt Entz made a statement in his first season as Fresno State’s head coach. The Bulldogs lost only 10 players to the transfer portal, and the addition of a big physical quarterback in Khristian Martin fit the style of play that Entz and his staff are building in Fresno. My main concern with this team is the lack of additions on the offensive line. The Bulldogs struggled to run the ball at times, and if they want to contend for a conference championship, they will have to get better play in the trenches. But I believe in Entz and his staff and think they will have the Bulldogs in the hunt as the season winds down.
The Bad
Utah State
The Aggeis finally have a sense of security with Bronco Mendenhall entering his second season as head coach. The Aggies will be breaking in a new quarterback with Bryson Barnes exhausting all of his eligibility, The starter will likely be a familiar face with former quarterback and BYU transfer McCae Hillstead returning to Logan. I’m concerned about this team on the defensive side of the ball and that’s what has me thinking they will likely finish in the bottom half of the conference standings. Since returning to the Mountain West in 2024, Mendenhall’s squads have given up a lot of points which is a glaring weakness of his recent teams.
Oregon State
The Beavers might be the toughest squad to evaluate to this point. They are bringing in a new staff and have had 35 players enter the transfer portal. New head coach JaMarcus Shephard brings high level experience after coaching at Purdue, Washington, and Alabama. However, this team looked broken last season, and the roster needs an overhaul. I think the Beavers will be better in 2026, but it is going to take time for this program to get back to the expected standards of competing for championships. They will contend for a bowl, but fall just short.
The Ugly
Colorado State
The hiring of Jim Mora is impressive, but I don’t love the strategy of bringing his player from UCONN to compete in the PAC 12. Sure, the Rams will be better with proven players coming from a program that exceeded expectations, but this roster isn’t currently built to compete with Boise State. I like the Mora hire and I am excited to see how Oklahoma State transfer quarterback Hauss Hejny does, but I don’t think this team is ready to contend in the new-look PAC 12.
Texas State
The Bobcats were a great long-term investment for the PAC 12. However, this program in its current state is not ready to compete for conference championships and will likely finish near the bottom of the standings in their inaugural season as a PAC 12 member. I love what GJ Kinne has built, and San Marcos will be a destination game for opposing fans. This team has potential, but they aren’t quite ready to compete with the top of the conference.
Who do you see winning the PAC 12 next season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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