Midseason Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year candidates

At the halfway point of the 2026 college football season, the race for Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year appears to be down to four players.

The stacked field features the nation’s leading passer, rusher and receiver and a fifth-year senior quarterback with 14 total touchdowns and no turnovers on the season.

Here are the leading candidates for Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.

1. Braden Atkinson, quarterback, Oregon State

Oregon State's Braden Atkinson. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

A highly-touted transfer from FCS Mercer, Atkinson has exceeded all expectations in his first season with the Beavers.

Atkinson, the nation’s leading passer, has completed 166 of 235 throws for 2,257 yards with 21 touchdowns, two interceptions, one lost fumble and two rushing touchdowns. The true sophomore ranks No. 11 nationally in yards per attempt (9.6) and No. 14 in completion percentage (70.6 percent).

During his one season at Mercer, Atkinson threw for 3,611 yards and 34 touchdowns with 11 interceptions en route to the Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman of the year). He was rated the No. 34 overall transfer portal quarterback by 247Sports and selected the Beavers and first-year head coach JaMarcus Shephard over several suitors.

The 6-foot-1, 208-pound Atkinson has thrown touchdowns to seven different receivers, but his favorite target is the next player on this list.

2. Jesse Legree, wide receiver, Oregon State

Oregon State’s Jesse Legree. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Legree, an unheralded three-star recruit, had one Division I wide receiver offer coming out of Baltimore’s St. Frances Academy: Oregon State.

The 5-foot-10, 172-pound true freshman made a big splash in his college debut against No. 20 Houston, catching five passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. He followed that up with eight receptions for 240 yards and two touchdowns as the Beavers nearly upset No. 10 Texas Tech at home.

Legree has surpassed the 100-yard mark in all six games this season, the longest streak of 100-yard games in Oregon State history. He leads the country in receiving yards (932) and receiving touchdowns (12) on just 38 receptions.

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, the Heisman Trophy favorite, has 48 catches for 916 yards and 11 TDs. Smith’s 19.1 yards per catch lags behind Legree’s 24.5.

3. Maddux Madsen, quarterback, Boise State

Boise State's Maddux Madsen. | Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics

Long viewed as a game manager with a penchant for turning the ball over in key moments, Madsen has taken his play to a new level this season.

The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Madsen has completed 110 of 166 passes (66.3 percent) for 1,296 yards with 13 touchdowns and no turnovers as a fifth-year senior. Madsen also has 29 carries for 110 yards and a score.

Madsen fired three touchdowns in Boise State’s near-upset of Oregon in Week 1 and has thrown two or more TDs in five of six starts this year. According to Punt and Rally, Madsen has zero turnover-worthy plays in 2026.

Madsen, who joined the Broncos all the way back in 2022 as a lowly-ranked three-star recruit from Utah, holds a 25-7 career record as a starter.

4. Dylan Riley, running back, Boise State

Boise State's Dylan Riley. | Photo courtesy of Boise State Athletics

Riley, a third-year junior from Southern California, is producing at a high level for the second straight season.

The 5-foot-10, 203-pound Riley leads the nation with 835 rushing yards on 127 carries with six touchdowns. He also has 11 catches for 120 yards and another TD.

Riley emerged as Boise State’s lead back last season and led the team with 195 carries for 1,125 yards and 12 total TDs. He is on track to blow by last year’s total before the calendar flips to November.

One of the fastest players on Boise State’s roster, Riley is averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. The former three-star prospect from Moreno Valley’s Rancho Verde High School already has three gains of 70 or more yards this season.

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