Boise State is moving. For real this time.
If you've followed the blue turf for more than a minute, you know the rumors have swirled for a decade. But as of July 1, 2026, the Boise State Broncos football program officially leaves the Mountain West behind to help resurrect the Pac-12. It’s a massive gamble. It's also exactly what the fans in Idaho have been screaming for since the Kellen Moore era.
Honestly, the timing is wild. The Broncos just capped off a 2025 season that felt like a rollercoaster. They went 9-5, bagged a third straight Mountain West title, and then got absolutely hammered by Washington in the LA Bowl, losing 38-10. It was a sobering reminder that while Boise State can still bully the Mountain West, the gap between them and the big boys hasn't quite closed yet.
Now, they’re stepping into a "new" Pac-12 that looks nothing like the one we grew up with. Gone are the USC and Oregon matchups (for now). Instead, Boise is bringing along friends like San Diego State, Fresno State, and Colorado State to join Washington State and Oregon State. It’s basically the Mountain West 2.0 with a much cooler logo and a significantly bigger checkbook.
The Life After Ashton Jeanty
Let's address the elephant in the room. Ashton Jeanty is gone.
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The man was a cheat code. In 2024, he was the Heisman runner-up and literally the best player to ever carry the rock in Boise. He just finished his rookie year with the Las Vegas Raiders, putting up 975 rushing yards despite playing for a team that only won three games. Replacing a guy who accounted for 57% of his yards after contact is impossible. You don't just "find" another Jeanty.
Spencer Danielson, who’s now entering his fourth year as head coach with a 24-8 record, is leaning on a committee approach for 2026. Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines are the names you need to know. They’re talented, sure, but the offensive identity has to shift. Last year, when things got tough—like those back-to-back November losses to Fresno State and San Diego State—the offense stalled because they couldn't find a rhythm beyond the ground game.
Maddux Madsen is the guy under center, and he’s got a lot to prove. He threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, but he also tossed 9 interceptions. In the Pac-12, those mistakes turn into touchdowns for the other guys. Danielson has been vocal about wanting a more "explosive" passing game, which is why he brought in Alvis Whitted as the new pass game coordinator. Whitted spent nine years in the NFL as a receiver; he knows what a pro-style route tree looks like.
Rebuilding the "Blue" Wall
Defense wins championships, or at least that’s what the boosters tell themselves.
Boise’s defense actually finished 2025 ranked 38th nationally, which isn't bad at all. They had the 15th-best passing defense in the country, but here’s the kicker: they're losing almost the entire secondary. A’Marion McCoy and Jeremiah Earby have run out of eligibility. Zion Washington is gone. Ty Benefield is likely headed to the league.
That leaves Jaden Mickey as the lone veteran survivor in that room. He’s a senior now, and he's going to have to coach up a bunch of kids on the fly. To help him out, Danielson promoted Frank Maile to defensive line coach this January. Maile is a legend in these parts, and he’s the reason Braxton Fely turned into an All-MW monster last year.
Maile’s job is simple: make sure the front four is so terrifying that the young secondary doesn't have to cover for more than three seconds. Jayden Virgin-Morgan is the guy to watch here. He’s a senior edge rusher who can flat-out fly. If he can't get to the quarterback in 2026, Boise is going to find out very quickly how fast Pac-12 receivers can run.
The 2026 Recruiting Class: Hope or Hype?
The recruiting trail has been hot. Like, record-breaking hot for a school in Idaho.
Boise State just inked the 50th-ranked class in the country. That might not sound like much to a Georgia or Bama fan, but for the Broncos, it’s a statement. They out-recruited Auburn and Northwestern. Think about that for a second.
- Terrious Favors: A four-star receiver out of Atlanta. He’s 5'9", twitchy as heck, and exactly the kind of vertical threat Madsen needs.
- Kole Cronin: A massive 6'5" offensive lineman from Nevada. He’s a four-star get that schools like Oregon were sniffing around.
- Adam Auston: A linebacker from Oklahoma who chose Boise over Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
Winning these recruiting battles is the only way the move to the Pac-12 works. You can't play Power 4 ball with Group of 5 depth. Danielson seems to get that. He’s been aggressive, hitting the portal and the high schools with the same "Blue Collar" pitch that Chris Petersen used 20 years ago.
Why the Pac-12 Move is a Risk
Look, the Pac-12 is currently a weird shell of its former self. It’s got eight football members for 2026. The NCAA requires at least eight to be a "legitimate" conference. They barely made the cut.
The upside? Money. The media deal is expected to be way higher than the $4 million per year Boise was getting in the Mountain West. We’re talking potentially double that. That money goes into the weight rooms, the nutrition, and the NIL collective. Without it, Boise was eventually going to fall behind.
The downside? Travel and competition. Suddenly, every week is a grind. You don't get the "easy" wins against the bottom dwellers of the MW anymore. Even Washington State and Oregon State are going to be playing with a chip on their shoulder after being "left behind" by the Big Ten and Big 12.
Also, the poaching penalties were brutal. The Pac-12 is essentially paying the Mountain West over $55 million just for the right to take these teams. That’s a lot of debt to carry into a new era.
What to Watch For This Fall
The 2026 season is basically Year Zero.
If you're heading to Albertsons Stadium, expect a different vibe. The schedule is going to feature NIU and UTEP—the newest members of the Mountain West—but the real drama is the transition. Spencer Danielson has to prove he can manage a roster in the NIL/Transfer Portal era without losing the "culture" that makes Boise State special.
He’s already lost three key assistants this offseason to schools like Michigan and Washington State. Replacing that brain power while trying to install a new offensive scheme is a lot. Honestly, it might be a messy start.
But that's the thing about Boise State. They've always been the underdog with a chip on their shoulder. They like it when people doubt the blue turf.
Your Boise State Broncos Football Checklist for 2026
- Watch the QB Battle: Keep an eye on the newcomers. Cash Herrera and Jackson Taylor are both California kids who could push Madsen if he starts slow.
- Track the Takeaways: Danielson mentioned that in their five losses last year, they lost the turnover battle 15-1. That has to change.
- Support the NIL: If you want to keep guys like Terrious Favors from being poached by the SEC next year, the "Lyle Smith Society" and other collectives are where the battle is actually won.
- Get Your Tickets Early: With the Pac-12 branding back, Albertsons Stadium is going to be sold out every single Saturday.
The move to the Pac-12 isn't just about football; it's about the survival of Boise State as a national brand. They've spent twenty years trying to prove they belong at the big kids' table. In 2026, they finally get to pull up a chair.
Now they just have to make sure they can afford the meal.