Three takeaways from Boise State’s 2026 college football schedule release

The reborn Pac-12 unveiled its 2026 conference football schedule on Wednesday.

The eight-team football conference will feature current members Oregon State and Washington State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State of the Mountain West and Texas State of the Sun Belt. Gonzaga is also coming aboard as a non-football member.

The Broncos, who closed their MWC run with three straight titles, will host Utah State on Saturday, Oct. 3 in their first Pac-12 game.

Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s schedule release.

Ideal bye timing

With Labor Day falling on Sept. 7 this year, the college football season is one week shorter than normal.

The Broncos will have just one bye week in 2026, and the bye comes at the midpoint of the schedule.

Boise State will play six straight games between Sept. 5 and Oct. 10, including Pac-12 matchups with Utah State (home) and Fresno State (road). The Broncos will close the regular season with six consecutive weeks of games, culminating in a to-be-determined road matchup on Nov. 28.

The timing of the bye week should help the Broncos stay fresh throughout the season.

Pac-12 gets creative

The Pac-12, which has eight football-playing members in 2026, is using a seven-game round-robin slate for conference play that will wrap up on Saturday, Nov. 21.

The following week, each school has a “flex” rematch game that will not count toward the conference standings. The Pac-12 can adjust the matchups as needed to strengthen the conference’s College Football Playoff chances or to avoid a third meeting between two teams in the Pac-12 championship game.

The Broncos’ “flex” game is a road matchup with Utah State on Nov. 28. Boise State could also be sent to Colorado State, Fresno State or Washington State to close the regular season.

The “flex” scheduling option is a one-year plan as the Pac-12 hopes to add at least one more football-playing member before the 2027 season.

Quality home slate

Boise State has six games at Albertsons Stadium this season, and all six are against intriguing opponents.

After opening at Oregon, the Broncos come home to take on Memphis (Sept. 12). The Tigers were in the College Football Playoff entering last November but dropped their final four games.

Boise State then takes on FCS power South Dakota the following week. The Coyotes reached the FCS semifinals in 2024 and made last year’s quarterfinals.

The Broncos host fellow Pac-12 newcomer Texas State on Oct. 31 and will face Oregon State for the second time in three seasons at Albertsons Stadium on Nov. 14. Boise State defeated the Beavers to close the 2024 regular season, 34-18.

The home slate also includes matchups with fellow MWC alumni Utah State (Oct. 3) and San Diego State (Nov. 21).

Boise State, Oregon State, San Diego State and Texas State all have four Pac-12 home games while Colorado State, Fresno State, Utah State and Washington State get just three conference home games.