Utah State's first-ever Pac-12 season opens with a home tune-up against an Idaho State team that just had its best year since 2018.
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IDSTUSU
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Best BetUtah State
Utah State should be a heavy favorite here, and for good reason — even a shaky defensive unit and a first-year starting quarterback represent a real talent jump over an FCS roster. Idaho State's 6-6 season and the UC Davis upset are legitimate, but that was against Big Sky competition, not a Pac-12 program. Back the Aggies to win comfortably in their conference debut.
Idaho State
+6-6 in 2025, best finish since 2018
+Closed regular season on a 4-game win streak
+Upset then-No. 6 UC Davis on the road
−Jumping a full level to a Pac-12 opponent
−Roster depth and size gap vs. FBS foe
Utah State
+Debuting in the Pac-12 with real motivation
+Hillstead reunites with OC Robert Anae's system
+Defense added experienced transfers at LB/DB
−Brand-new starting QB with limited big-game snaps
−Defense was CFN's biggest question mark this offseason
−First-year system installs can be uneven early
McCae Hillstead is walking into a strange kind of homecoming. He started his career at Utah State back in 2023, spent two years at BYU, and now he's back in Logan as Bronco Mendenhall's guy under center for a program stepping into a brand-new conference. Mendenhall named him the starter after spring ball, and the coaching staff has talked up his poise and command of the offense all offseason. It's a low-pressure spot to break in a new QB1 — Idaho State isn't a body-bag opponent in the traditional sense, but it's still an FCS roster facing a Power-conference jump.
Utah State's defense is the bigger question mark heading into 2026. Safety Brevin Hamblin and linebacker Bronson Olevao Jr. anchor a unit that returns real production, and the staff added transfers like Cal's Harrison Taggart and North Dakota State's Antonio Bluiett to fill gaps. Robert Anae is back running the offense, which should make Hillstead's transition smoother than most first-year starters get. A soft-ish opener against an FCS foe is exactly the kind of game where a new staff wants its identity to show up early.
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IDST Idaho State
USU Utah State
Idaho State isn't just happy to be here, either. Cody Hawkins just turned in the program's first non-losing season since 2018, finishing 6-6 and 5-3 in Big Sky play with four straight wins to close it out — including a 37-16 rivalry win at Idaho. The signature result was a 38-36 road upset at then-No. 6 UC Davis, proof this roster can hang with ranked FCS competition. The school extended Hawkins through 2031 this offseason, a clear sign they think the program is trending in the right direction.
