Welcome to a new feature on the Hotline — an assessment of the eight teams in the rebuilt Pac-12 as if they were competing in the conference this season. We’ll even recognize one lucky team as the regular-season champion. The power rankings will be published each Sunday throughout the regular season.
(All times Pacific)
1. Texas State (1-0)
Result: beat Eastern Michigan 52-27
Next up: at UTSA (12:30 p.m. on ESPN+)
Comment: The ground game was insane with 392 yards on just 39 carries. If the Bobcats manage even half that production on a regular basis, freshman quarterback Brad Jackson’s job becomes immensely easier … and the fictional Pac-12 title comes within easy reach. (And speaking of half that production: Texas State rushed for 195 yards last year in the blowout victory over UTSA.)
2. Utah State (1-0)
Result: beat UTEP 28-16
Next up: at Texas A&M (9:45 a.m. on SEC Network)
Comment: That Mendenhall magic did not take long to materialize. It’s a few weeks too early to pronounce a full turnaround underway in Logan, but the earliest return is encouraging, and we know quarterback Bryson Barnes, the former Utah transfer, is capable of leading the way.
3. Colorado State (0-1)
Result: lost at Washington 38-21
Next up: vs. Northern Colorado (4 p.m. on Mountain West Network)
Comment: Fairly typical showing by the Rams against a power conference opponent: a few big plays, a few big mistakes, plenty of grit and moxie — just not quite good enough to stand firm for four quarters. But as it relates to success over the next three months, there was plenty to like in the performance.
4. Fresno State (1-1)
Result: beat Georgia Southern 42-14
Next up: at Oregon State (12:30 p.m. on The CW)
Comment: We absolutely did not expect a blowout victory against a veteran Sun Belt opponent that won eight games last season, but the Week 0 experience at Kansas undoubtedly helped the Bulldogs fix their flaws and hone their execution. The impact of halftime coaching adjustments is often overstated, but FSU’s 29-0 margin in the third and fourth quarters Saturday night suggests Matt Entz and his staff made all the right moves.
5. Boise State (0-1)
Result: lost at South Florida 34-7
Next up: vs. Eastern Washington (Friday, 6 p.m. on FS1)
Comment: The Broncos still have a path into the College Football Playoff after face-planting in Tampa but need to dominate the Mountain West and look good at Notre Dame in October, and they need USF to finish second or third in the American. Good luck with all that.
6. San Diego State (1-0)
Result: beat Stony Brook 42-0
Next up: at Washington State (7:15 p.m. on The CW)
Comment: The Hotline is hesitant to draw any conclusions from the win over Stony Brook, which competes in the Coastal Athletic Association of the FCS, but coach Sean Lewis’ track record suggests the Aztecs will be markedly better this season. Kent State improved by five wins, from 2-10 to 7-6, in his second season with the Golden Flashes in 2019. A morsel of clarity will come this week.
7. Washington State (1-0)
Result: beat Idaho 13-10
Next up: vs. San Diego State (7:15 p.m. on The CW)
Comment: Our expectations for the Cougars were low given the new coaching staff and inexperienced quarterbacks and roster turnover. And still, they didn’t clear the bar. How a team can run for three yards on 22 attempts against an FCS opponent is beyond our comprehension, even after watching it all unfold.
8. Oregon State (0-1)
Result: lost to Cal 34-15
Next up: vs. Fresno State (12:30 p.m. on The CW)
Comment: Not to sound the alarm … but we’re sounding the alarm: If the Beavers lose Saturday, their first win might be a long, long time coming. The schedule turns more difficult in Week 3 by an order of magnitude with trips to Texas Tech and Oregon and then a sneaky-tough home date with Houston.
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