Pac-12 power rankings: Our final installment of 2025 and awards for Players and Coach of the Year
Welcome to the Hotline’s final weekly assessment of the eight teams in the rebuilt Pac-12. We will publish a men’s basketball version beginning next week that will appear throughout the remainder of the regular season.
(Here are last week’s rankings.)
What better way to end our season-long assessment of a conference that doesn’t exist than by handing out very real hypothetical awards?
The eight teams that make up the future Pac-12 produced standout performances across three months but a hefty number of clunkers, as well.
Put another way: The conference will start the 2026 season playing from behind against the American in the race for a College Football Playoff berth.
The Hotline sorted through the brilliance and the carnage that unfolded to select our first annual postseason honors for the Pac-12 2.0.
Here we go …
Coach of the Year: San Diego State’s Sean Lewis. An easy call given the Aztecs’ momentous year-over-year improvement in Lewis’ second season. If not for an early-season derailment at Washington State that continues to mystify, they would have been in the CFP discussion throughout November. And if not for the Mountain West’s unusual process for picking its championship game participants (an average of the computer rankings), the Aztecs might have played for the crown.
Offensive Player of the Year: San Diego State tailback Lucky Sutton. The latest in SDSU’s long line of stellar tailbacks, Sutton rushed for 1,237 yards and 10 touchdowns, with six games of at least 100 yards on the ground. The Aztecs had one of the worst aerial attacks in the country. Without Sutton, their 9-3 record would have been closer to 3-9.
Defensive Player of the Year: Washington State linebacker Parker McKenna. The heart of a better-than-advertised defense, McKenna led the Cougars in tackles and was essential to a unit that finished 30th nationally in yards-per-play allowed despite a rugged schedule. The Cougars held SDSU to 13 points, Mississippi to 24 and Virginia to 22. And McKenna was in the middle of it all.
To the power rankings …
1. Boise State (9-4)
Result: beat UNLV 38-21 (Mountain West championship)Next up: bowl gameComment: We moved the Broncos to the top spot and are awarding them the hypothetical conference title after they won the Mountain West’s real one. Yes, Boise State lost the head-to-head duel with San Diego State in the Snapdragon slop, but they were without quarterback Maddux Madsen. When he’s healthy, the Broncos are the best team — or would be the best team … or whatever. (Previous: 2)
2. San Diego State (9-3)
Result: did not playNext up: bowl gameComment: A stellar season ended with the computer rankings preventing SDSU from playing for the Mountain West title. That doesn’t detract from the Year 2 turnaround under Sean Lewis that has the Aztecs perfectly positioned to thrive once the Pac-12 comes online next fall. And they managed to retain Lewis despite all the coaching vacancies along the West Coast. (Previous: 1)
3. Washington State (6-6)
Result: did not playNext up: bowl gameComment: The Cougars lost coach Jimmy Rogers to Iowa State in a surprise development Friday night. Alas, they have several quality replacement options and a president who cares. (Our advice: Wait for Montana State coach Brent Vigen.) Meanwhile, interim coach Jesse Bobbit will get WSU ready for its ninth bowl game in the past 10 (non-COVID) seasons. (Previous: 3)
4. Fresno State (8-4)
Result: did not playNext up: bowl gameComment: The Bulldogs were one of the most erratic teams in this imagined conference, with a lopsided loss to Colorado State and a blowout win at Boise State as examples of their inconsistency. All in all, they should be pleased with their trajectory In Year 1 under Matt Entz and built plenty of momentum for Year 1 in the new Pac-12. (Previous: 4)
5. Utah State (6-6)
Result: did not playNext up: bowl gameComment: The decision to hire Bronco Mendenhall away from New Mexico looks even smarter now than it did last winter. The Aggies aren’t merely bowl-eligible; they were four points away from beating UNLV and Boise State down the stretch and possibly playing for the Mountain West championship. That momentum should carry well into the offseason. (Previous: 5)
6. Texas State (6-6)
Result: did not playNext up: bowl gameComment: On the bright side, the Bobcats were mediocre enough to cool coach GJ Kinne’s market value in a sizzling hiring cycle that has created openings across the Southern sweep of the FBS. But there is work ahead for Texas State if the program plans to finish on the top tier of its new conference. (Previous: 6)
7. Oregon State (2-10)
Result: did not playNext up: season completeComment: The Hotline is somewhat skeptical of the JaMarcus Shephard hire, in large part because he will be a rookie head coach wading into a conference stocked with proven veterans. That dynamic places that much more emphasis on OSU’s financial wherewithal to support revenue sharing and NIL. Also, we are deeply curious about his choice for defensive coordinator. (Previous: 7)
8. Colorado State (2-10)
Result: did not playNext up: season completeComment: The Rams served notice that they are serious about winning by hiring Jim Mora, a move that instantly added legitimacy to their program after a difficult season. We’ll give Mora two years to stock the roster and implement his system. By the start of 2028, he should have the pieces in place to contend for the Pac-12 title. (Previous: 8)
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