Boise State's roster reload was arguably the story of the offseason — the Broncos brought in the No. 1-ranked transfer class in the country and return 6 starters on offense — but the defense isn't without its own questions, having to replace all 3 starters at safety and nickel. Washington State went shopping on defense too, adding edge rusher Linus Zunk and cornerback Jalil Tucker via the portal, betting that experienced newcomers can speed up a rebuild that oddsmakers clearly don't expect to happen overnight.
None of that offseason buzz means much until Washington State's revamped defense lines up against a Boise State attack that's the betting favorite to win the whole conference. The Cougars do have one obvious counterpunch, though — a running back room that returns nearly all of its production from a year ago.
Deven Vorhees led the way with 576 yards and 5 touchdowns last season, and with Maxwell Woods and Leo Pulalasi behind him, Washington State's backfield trio might be the best in the Pac-12 on paper. Pair that with a veteran offensive line and Moore has at least one unit that doesn't need to be rebuilt from scratch.
Boise State reached the College Football Playoff in 2024 and enters 2026 with a baseline projection around 9-4 that would actually read as a step back by its own standard — a sign of how high the bar has climbed in Boise. For Washington State, just hanging around against the conference's clear favorite would count as an early win in the Kirby Moore era.