The new-look Pac-12 is officially here.

The first football games between the eight programs who make up the conference don’t begin until the first weekend of October, but it feels right that the west’s premier league is back in a meaningful way after Oregon State and Washington State fought to keep it alive following the departure of 10 schools in 2024.

All eight teams have similar ambitions on the gridiron and which ever comes in last place in the inaugural season for this version of the conference will not be happy about it, while the champion will expect to have a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. 

With none organized by the Pac-12 itself, The Denver Gazette organized a preseason media poll with 16 participants, including one member of each respective beat and one national reporter.

The full voting block is as follows: Tyler King (The Denver Gazette), Kevin Lytle (Fort Collins Coloradoan), Justin Michael (DNVR), Caleb Yum (Austin American-Statesman), Kirk Kenney (San Diego Union-Tribune), Chris Vannini (The Athletic), Greg Woods (Spokane Spokesman-Review), Les Gehrett (Corvallis Gazette-Times), Jason Walker (Cache Valley Daily), Patrick Mayhorn (The Aggship), Jamey Vinnick (CougFan.com), Nathan Carroll (Bronco Nation News), B.J. Rains (Bronco Nation News), Jackson Moore (247sports), Keff Ciardello (Win Now or Get Bent) and Al Scott (Fresno Sports Magazine).

Each person ranked the teams 1-8 and gave their picks for preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and coach of the Year. The teams were given points for each spot in all 16 rankings with the lowest amount points getting the top spot, and so on.

Boise State was the consensus champion, earning 14 of 16 first-place votes. There was one tie, with Colorado State and Utah State each earning 107 points, both earning the No. 6 spot in the rankings. 

Here is how the entire poll shook out with awards picks:

1. Boise State (14 first-place votes,
19 total points)

It’s almost more surprising that the Broncos aren’t the unanimous preseason favorites. Every analytical model has Boise State as far and away the best team entering the new-look Pac-12 after an unprecedented run of success in the Mountain West, winning or appearing in the championship game in 11 of 15 seasons in the conference, including back-to-back titles to cap its time in the league. Anything less than a spot in the Pac-12 championship game would be a failure.

2. San Diego State (1 first-place vote, 38 total points)

Sean Lewis has the Aztecs on the rise entering his third season in charge of the program as the former Colorado offensive coordinator went 9-4 with a 6-2 mark in Mountain West play last fall. SDSU was actually the top program in the conference in ESPN analyst Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings thanks to a strong defense and returns a decent amount of talent, enough to challenge for the Pac-12 title. 

3. Fresno State (1 first-place vote,
50 total points)

Another team buoyed by a strong defense, the Bulldogs are in a good place entering coach Matt Entz’s second season. Fresno State took care of business in a big way against lesser opponents while struggling against superior teams last season. There are fewer really bad teams in this league, so the Bulldogs will need to take a step forward on their own to repeat last year’s 9-win campaign. 

4. Texas State (63)

Unknown to many of the teams they will be playing this season, the Bobcats are on a similar rise as a program as the university has been as a whole in the last 15 years. Still less than 15 years removed from a jump up to the FBS level, Texas State feels primed to contend right away in the Pac-12 thanks to an up-and-coming young coach in G.J. Kinne, whose offense is a lot of fun to watch and should light up scoreboards again this fall.

5. Washington State (77)

The Cougars are on their fourth different coach already this decade after Jimmy Rogers departed for Iowa State after just one season in Pullman, but Wazzu is still in a good spot under new coach Kirby Moore, a former Boise State wide receiver who was most recently the offensive coordinator at Missouri. He’s got an intriguing young star at quarterback that could swing the entire season in UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick.

6. Colorado State (107)

The Rams were hoping to enter the Pac-12 with momentum from a successful 2025 season, but then that didn’t happen with the fewest wins (2) in a full season this century, they quickly pivoted to a splash coaching hire in Jim Mora, who brings in previous Pac-12 experience and a level of understanding to build a quick winner, something he did recently at UConn. 

7. Utah State (107)

It feels repetitive, but the Aggies also like where they are at in terms of program leadership as Bronco Mendenhall enters year two in Logan. The veteran coach took Utah State to a bowl game last season and returns a decent amount of production on both sides of the ball, but an offensive coordinator change and a tough schedule could make things difficult.

8. Oregon State (115)

The last of three programs with a first-year coach, JaMarcus Sheppard is arguably the most intriguing as he is an Indiana native who has spent the majority of his coaching career in the Midwest, outside two seasons under Kalen DeBoer at Washington and then another two with him at Alabama. He’s a first-time head coach in what should be one of the better jobs in the conference, but a path to a bowl game is muddied by a massive roster overhaul, even by today’s standards. 

---

Offensive Player of the Year: Texas State QB Brad Jackson (11 votes)

None of the awards picks were a surprise, starting with Jackson, who should put up big numbers again in year two as the Bobcats’ starting quarterback. The sophomore threw for over 3,200 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2025, completing over 70% of his passes in the process and feels like a candidate to jump up to the Power 4 after this season. 

Others receiving votes: San Diego State RB Lucky Sutton (3 votes) & Boise State RB Dylan Riley (2 votes)

Defensive Player of the Year: Boise State EDGE Jayden Virgin-Morgan (11)

Despite registering 10 sacks in 2024, Virgin-Morgan stayed in Boise, where he received even more attention from opposing offensive lines on the way to a six-sack season last fall. He feels destined to play on Sundays soon, but he’s got one season left with the Broncos and is an easy choice for this award.

Others receiving votes: Fresno State DB Simeon Harris (3 votes), Boise State DB Jaden Mickey (1 vote) & Washington State DE Matyus McClain (1 vote)

Coach of the Year: Boise State’s Spencer Danielson (10)

Danielson is an interesting spot. He’s done a fantastic job since taking over as the interim coach in the middle of 2023, guiding the Broncos to a Mountain West title that season and then to the quarterfinals of the CFP the following year. Winning is the expectation, so his team might have to go above and beyond for him to actually get this award at the end of the season.

Others receiving votes: Colorado State’s Jim Mora (2 votes), San Diego State’s Sean Lewis (2 votes), Fresno State’s Matt Entz (1 vote) and Texas State’s G.J. Kinne (1 vote)