Pac-12 Predictions 2026: Championship Odds, Best Bets & Picks
We are merely days away from the official start of the 2026 college football season, and our experts are building up to the new season with a ton of content in our NCAAF futures guide. With the chaos of the offseason squarely in the rearview mirror, it’s time to delve into the futures market for each conference, and here we’re taking a look at the Pac-12, which is officially back after a brief two-year absence. The Pac-12 odds board looks quite different than how it used to be, with the likes of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State taking the places of the former conference powers now littered across the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC.
This is a league with a familiar favorite at the top, but there are a couple other contenders that could challenge for a conference title if things break right. Let’s look at the latest college football odds for the Pac-12, along with our NCAAF picks to win the Pac-12 Conference before the 2026 season starts.
Don't miss our expert's National Championship predictions and +800 best bet!
2026 Pac-12 Conference Odds
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and available at time of publishing.
- Boise State Broncos +160
- San Diego State Aztecs +400
- Texas State Bobcats +450
- Fresno State Bulldogs +650
- Washington State Cougars +950
- Utah State Aggies +1600
- Oregon State Beavers +1900
- Colorado State Rams +33000
See our Big 12 preview and predictions, with three best bets from our expert
2026 Pac-12 contenders
Boise State Broncos (+160)
The biggest national brand in this new version of the Pac-12 is Boise State, a university that needs no introduction following its dominance over the last two decades in college football. The Broncos have captured 15 conference championships since the turn of the century, and they are in the driver's seat to do so once again this season. Even after a regular season in which Boise State suffered some key injuries on defense and had to play without quarterback Maddux Madsen for a month, the Broncos still found their way to eight wins and a spot in the Mountain West title game — where they routed UNLV for the second time that season en route to a third straight conference championship. It's a new league this time around, but the Broncos are very familiar with almost all of these teams, and they bring back plenty of pieces from last year's squad (ranked 45th in returning production).
On offense, it's largely a familiar cast of characters for Nate Potter in his first season as offensive coordinator. Madsen is a reliable college quarterback, while the two-headed monster of Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines make up the best backfield in the conference. The wide receiver room and offensive line are largely populated by veterans, with some assorted transfers littered in for depth purposes. Boise State's defense brings back a senior-laden front seven, one that should continue to consistently generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Broncos even have a fourth-year punter and fifth-year kicker returning, which really symbolizes the connectedness of Spencer Danielson's team. Boise State's toughest games are in September, and the Broncos benefit from getting San Diego State and Texas State at home — a venue where they rarely ever lose. Barring a rash of injuries, the Broncos should end up back in another conference title game.
San Diego State Aztecs (+400)
Sean Lewis has long been a coach that I've admired, and he was able to successfully turn around San Diego State in his second season at the controls of the program. The Aztecs focused on grinding out wins via their defense a season ago, but they likely won't have to rely on a similar script now that quarterback Jayden Denegal is fully healthy again and ready to lead an offense that is tops in the nation in returning production per SP+. It all starts up front for San Diego State, as this is certainly one of the best offensive lines in the conference. With that in mind, I'd look for the running back duo of Lucky Sutton and Christian Washington to pace a ground attack that should be the focal point of a much improved unit.
While there is lots to like about the Aztecs offense, there is real cause for concern on the other side of the ball. New defensive coordinator Demetrius Sumler has his work cut out of him in his first season, as San Diego State lost nearly 60% of its production from a season ago, including some notable contributors on the defensive line and in the secondary. To add insult to injury, the Aztecs are working in a new kicker and punter, so special teams could be a real area of concern as well. The schedule features nonconference games against UCLA, James Madison and Toledo, and San Diego State ends the season in late November with a date against Boise on the blue turf; not ideal for the warm weather Aztecs.
Don't miss our full Big Ten preview and predictions, including a +270 best bet!
Texas State Bobcats (+450)
Texas State hasn't exactly lived up to the hype or expectations in recent years under GJ Kinne, but the Bobcats are arguably the most intriguing team in this new Pac-12 heading into the 2026 campaign. This is an offense that should immediately make a noticeable impact against some teams and coaching staffs that are unfamiliar with Kinne's system, and it certainly helps to potentially have the best quarterback in the Group of Six (Brad Jackson) and pair him with the best wide receiving room in this conference — led by Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn Jr. The Bobcats will need to be better on the offensive line, but they're hoping that a pair of transfers from the Power Four ranks will help out in that department. The offense is what stirs the drink in this program, and I'm fully confident in this unit to produce at a high level this fall.
Defense has not been the calling card of this team in recent seasons, so Texas State went out and hired a handful of new coaches on that side of the ball to shake things up. It remains to be seen if those adjustments will end up making a lasting improvement, but there are some positives to look out for with this defense, particularly at the linebacker spot. The schedule features a couple difficult non-conference games, plus a trip to San Diego State to open Pac-12 play in Week 5. However, Texas State should be favored in five of its remaining six games on its 11-game schedule, and the flex game could end up determining if the Bobcats are able to secure a conference title game appearance, or if it will be another disappointing year for Kinne's group.
Fresno State Bulldogs (+650)
It was a dream season in Matt Entz's first year as the head coach at Fresno State, with the bulldogs racking up nine wins, including victories over Boise State on the road and Miami Ohio in the Arizona Bowl. It's hard to ask for an encore, but this Bulldogs team certainly feels like one of the few true contenders in the new Pac-12. Fresno State ranks 63rd in returning production, and more than half of the offensive snaps from a season ago are back for another run at a conference title. The issue is the Bulldogs aren't much of an explosive offense, and it's hard to assess how that will change this year since Entz and his staff as still holding a quarterback battle in fall camp. However, the backfield is in great shape for this run-heavy offensive system, and we should also seen plenty of 12 and 13 personnel from the Bulldogs this season.
Smash mouth football is the name of the game on offense, and Nick Benedetto's defense has six starters back from a surprisingly solid 2025 campaign. There is plenty of experience to be found in the front seven, and I would expect for this defensive line to take another step forward against this schedule of opposing quarterbacks. Furthermore, the secondary sees multiple starters return to a group that was excellent at forcing turnovers season and limiting explosive players a season ago. With this schedule, the Bulldogs should start 3-1, before a crucial early season road game at Washington State could swing their season. As long as Fresno State takes care of business at home, they should undoubtedly be a bowl team, but there are avenues for the Bulldogs to find themselves in the Pac-12 title game if things break right.
Dive into our expert's full SEC preview and predictions, including a +330 best bet!
2026 Pac-12 Championship best bet: Boise State (+160)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +300.
There's a lot to like with Boise State heading into this season, and I'm pretty confident in backing Danielson and this coaching staff to replicate the success of the last few years in what should ultimately be a slightly weaker league than what Boise State had to face last season. A number of things seemed to go wrong for the Broncos in 2025, and yet they still found themselves in the conference title game and looked very comfortable on the big stage in a blowout win over UNLV. Last season proved to be very similar to the 2023 campaign — in which Boise State finished 7-5 in the regular season and still won the Mountain West — and it wouldn't shock me if this year's campaign was more like how the Broncos handled their business in 2024. Outside of the Oregon matchup, Boise State will be favored in every other game on the schedule — including a potential title game against one of the above contenders. With that in mind, I'll take plus money with a team I believe to have a very high chance of making the championship game, giving our ticket some inherent value.
Now, check out our expert's full ACC preview and predictions, including a +2000 best bet!
2026 Pac-12 win total best bet: Texas State over 6.5 wins (+100)
Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -110.
While Kinne has underachieved in the past, I'm buying the upside with this Texas State team and I'll gladly take over 6.5 wins at even money considering that the "flex game" for the Bobcats to end the season is likely going to be against Colorado State in Fort Collins. It's entirely possible that Texas State already has seven wins with this schedule, and it's a fortunate break for Kinne and company that they get most of their coin-flip matchups in conference at home. As long as Jackson and this elite wide receiver duo stay healthy and play a full season, this offense should put up points galore and do enough for this team to make a bowl game by the time we hit the final week of November. This line indicates an implied 50% probability that the Bobcats win seven games on a full 12-game schedule, and I've got enough of an edge with this number to play the over.
Don't miss our full Mountain West preview and predictions — our expert has a +330 best bet!
