By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
The Pac-12 enters Week One of the 2026 college football season with high expectations, a new outlook, and a new identity.
Whether that translates to a higher profile and more marquee wins remains to be seen.
But this week, the conference has several chances to make it happen against teams from Power Four conferences.
Among the best of those opportunities are Fresno State at USC, Oregon State at Houston, Boise State at Oregon, and Washington State at Washington.
I preview all four potential upsets here.
Fresno State at No. 14 USC
Friday, September 4
6:00 PM PT, FOX
Whenever Fresno State and USC play, Reggie Bush comes to mind.
But this is a fun matchup because of the schools’ different cultures. The glitz and glam of L.A. and hard-working valley life aren’t friends.
But both are winners in their own right.
The trending story in Fresno right now is Jayden Mandal getting the starting nod.
Mandal has been with the program forever and beat out Maryland transfer Khristian Martin for the position. He’s the first quarterback in nearly a decade to be recruited by the Bulldogs in high school and start the opener.
Even though he’s the flashy story, the offensive line will determine this matchup. Matt Entz’s run-heavy style needs to be effective to keep SC off the field.
USC’s offense is explosive per usual, and Fresno State would get mallywhopped in a shootout. But if the line holds up, they feature arguably the best halfback duo in the Pac-12.
Rayshon Luke and Bryson Donelson can hurt Power Four defenses.
The Bulldogs are probably still an orchard away, but if they beat the Trojans in The Coliseum, the Pac-12’s a vibe.
Oregon State at No. 23 Houston
Saturday, September 5
9:00 AM PT, ESPN/Disney+
It feels like this game’s going to dictate Oregon State’s season. If the Beavers can win this contest, they should be able to make a bowl game.
The Beavs almost beat the Cougars a season ago; their record was not indicative of how good they really were. This is a common cliché, but OSU did all the things to lose last year—all the things.
The other notable story in Corvallis is Braden Atkinson winning the starting job over Maalik Murphy. It’s a courageous decision by new head coach JaMarcus Shephard, but Murphy fell off last year.
And with Trent Walker, Darrius Clemons, and Taz Reddicks gone, he might as well do it now. With Shephard’s lineage as a college wideout, he knows who he would want throwing the ball to him.
But the decision was still unexpected from the outside.
This matchup is also vital because OSU will likely lose to Texas Tech the following week.
Houston will be ready, though; they were losing by 14 points in the fourth quarter to Oregon State in 2025 before all the things.
The Beavers may be the most overlooked team in the country this year. They have the talent to beat the Cougs.
Boise State at No. 2 Oregon
Saturday, September 5
12:30 PM PT, CBS
For two teams that don’t play each other often, it feels like the Broncos and Ducks play all the time.
But this is a really tough spot for Boise State. Oregon is a national brand now, and they’re stacked. The Broncos are probably still the best G6 squad, but the Ducks might be the best team in the country.
It’s very rare that BSU gets 24.5 points, but maybe this alleviates some of the pressure. In a week full of marquee Pac-12 games, this one’s the biggest.
If the Broncos play well, it could help them solidify a playoff spot later in the year. And while UO is a national title contender, Boise State was the last non-conference team to win in Eugene, back in 2008.
The Broncos are 3-1 all-time against the Ducks, and they nearly beat Oregon in Autzen two years ago, with Maddux Madsen at signal-caller.
But Madsen and Boise State had a superstar difference-maker that year in Ashton Jeanty, and he’s gone to the NFL.
The key for BSU is to limit big plays and protect the ball.
They should try to shorten the game, grind it out, and steal it at the end because they’ll lose a 100-meter sprint in TrackTown USA.
Spencer Danielson is a three-time conference champion, and the Broncos will throw some punches—but they can’t afford to get hit like Jake Paul.
Washington State at No. 17 Washington
Sunday, September 6
1:00 PM PT, NBC
This game means a lot for Washington State. With the uncertainty of the Apple Cup after the current contract, a Cougars victory could change the tone of conversations going forward.
WSU is a huge underdog in this contest. Washington is favored by 23.5 points.
But with the game on NBC on a Sunday, the Cougs need to take advantage of the exposure.
Head Coach Kirby Moore knows how important this matchup is because he’s a Washingtonian. He grew up in a town located right in between the campuses, but his hometown of Prosser is Cougar country.
Even though WSU has every motivation to beat the Huskies, UW returns four starters on the offensive line, which hurts stylistically.
Washington lost Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston, however, which could give Ol’ Crimson hope.
Washington State’s main goal should be to keep it close.
The Cougars face three Power Four opponents in their non-conference slate, and a blowout could send them on a downward trajectory.
This is a big opportunity for Washington State, the Pac-12, and downtrodden people who have been left behind everywhere.
But Washington’s bark is fearsome.
Writes about football and basketball as a Senior Writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.