College Football is getting so close; I can already feel those crisp fall mornings at a tailgate getting ready to spend the day doing nothing but watching College Football. There’s little that is familiar about the PAC-12 in 2026. The conference, once left for dead, that only had two football programs in 2025, is back and reloaded. As we continue to preview College Football 2026, let’s dive in and take a look at the new-look Pac-12 Conference preview.
2025 was year two of just two teams left from what had been the PAC-12 previously. Washington State and Oregon State bridged the gap between the old and the new. They’ve stuck around as the legacy members and will carry this conference into their rebuild as an eight-team conference in 2026.
Washington State went 6-6 on the year, earning themselves an appearance in the Idaho Potato Bowl, where they took down Utah State, who will join them in the new PAC-12. It was a tough year for the Oregon State Beavers, who finished the year just 2-10 overall as one of the youngest teams in the country.
Now, the PAC-12 enters a new era, their rebirth. With Washington State and Oregon State leading the charge. They’ll add Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, and Utah State. These eight teams will represent the new era of PAC-12 football.
Odds to Win PAC-12 Conference
Boise State +175
San Diego State +425
Fresno State +650
Texas State +700
Washington State +800
Utah State +1200
Oregon State +1400
Colorado State +1800
| BOISE STATE | COLORDAO STATE |
| FRESNO STATE | OREGON STATE |
| SAN DIEGO STATE | TEXAS STATE |
| UTAH STATE | WASHINGTON STATE |
2026 PAC-12 Conference Best Bets
San Diego State Over 7.5 Wins (+100)
San Diego State’s Aztecs are a team that should see instant success in the new PAC-12. Sean Lewis is in his third year as the head coach. Giving the program some stability they haven’t had in some time. Jayden Denegal returns at quarterback for the team, and he’s got a bona fide superstar in the backfield with him in running back Lucky Sutton. The Aztecs won nine games in 2025. While they lost some strong contributors from an amazing defense, they’ve done a good job replacing those guys and are expected to have one of the better defenses in the conference. They are the second favorite in the conference odds. They won more last year, but their number is set low at just 7.5. Over is a smash.
Oregon State Under 4.5 Wins (-115)
Oregon State is a team I’m just not sold on. They won only two games last year and cleaned house. Jamarcus Sheppard was brought in to replace Trent Bray, who was fired after an 0-7 start. Sheppard is at a point where he basically has to start from the bottom and build this program. They weren’t great and lost a ton of players. Being in a conference with two teams probably didn’t help recruiting the last few years, and the cupboard was bare. He got his guy in senior quarterback Maalik Murphy, but it’s going to take time to rebuild this program. Maybe they can get four wins this year and get on the right track, but this conference isn’t going to be easy for the Beavers in 2026. I’ll take the under.
Boise State to Win PAC-12 (+175)
Boise State enters the conference as the heavy favorite, and for good reason. The Broncos have been a dominant football program, winning the Mountain West Conference title for the last three years in a row. Maddux Madsen is back as their veteran quarterback. The team has 13 starters returning, tied for the second most in all of the Group of Six teams. And, the Broncos have likely the deepest roster in the conference. San Diego State poses the biggest threat to Boise State, but it would be a pretty major upset for the Broncos to not be crowned PAC-12 champions in their first year in the conference. At almost 2/1 odds, they are worth the bet.
