3 Pac-12 teams Boise State should worry about in 2027 and beyond

In two-plus seasons under head coach Spencer Danielson, Boise State has taken care of business against conference foes.

Danielson holds a 19-2 record in intraconference play with three Mountain West championships.

The Broncos are now in the rebuilt Pac-12 alongside fellow MWC alumni Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State and three new competitors for Boise State: Oregon State, Texas State and Washington State.

On Friday, Boise State Broncos On SI highlighted the three teams that Boise State should be worried about the most in 2026. Now we will take a look at the three programs that could be gearing up to challenge the Broncos in 2027 and beyond.

Colorado State

A perennial underachiever in football, Colorado State hasn’t won a conference title since Sonny Lubick guided the program to three Mountain West championships in four seasons between 1999 and 2002.

The Rams fired Jay Norvell after seven games last year en route to a 2-10 record, but Colorado State made a splash hire before joining the Pac-12 in veteran coach Jim Mora. Mora, a former NFL head coach who also spent six years at UCLA, led UConn to back-to-back nine-win seasons in 2024-25.

Mora is the highest-paid coach in the new Pac-12, and the Rams have one of the conference’s best facilities in Canvas Stadium.

Colorado State is not expected to be a contender in 2026, but the program could start threatening for Pac-12 titles as early as next year.

Oregon State

The Beavers were rolling before conference realignment nuked the old Pac-12. Then-head coach Jonathan Smith won 10 games in 2022 and had the program ranked in the top 10 during the 2023 season. But Smith bailed for Michigan State in November 2023 and the program fell apart.

Just like Norvell, Trent Bray was fired after seven games last season and finished his tenure with a 5-14 record. The Beavers also went 2-10 in 2025.

New head coach JaMarcus Shephard has a track record of success working under offensive-minded coaches like Mike Leach, Jeff Brohm and Kalen DeBoer. Shephard helped design the Michael Penix Jr.-led passing attack that took Washington to the national championship game in 2023.

The Beavers also have a newly renovated stadium and a solid NIL budget. It might take Shephard a year or two to learn the ropes, but the Beavers could be a serious challenger to Boise State in the near future.

Washington State

The Cougars are on their third head coach in three seasons after losing Jake Dickert (Wake Forest) and Jimmy Rogers (Iowa State) in consecutive years to Power Four opportunities. In steps Kirby Moore, who spent the last three years as Missouri’s offensive coordinator.

Moore, a former Boise State receiver and the younger brother of Kellen Moore, oversaw a massive roster overhaul with nearly 60 outgoing transfers and 28 new players coming in. Many of the transfers could be Day 1 contributors, including star quarterback Caden Pinnick (UC Davis).

Washington State went 6-6 last year but spent most of the 2024 season ranked in the top 25. The Cougars had College Football Playoff aspirations until a late-season slide.

Recruiting to isolated Pullman can be a challenge, but Washington State appears to be on the right track with Moore in charge.

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