Boise State won three consecutive Mountain West titles on its way out the door and is the favorite to capture another championship in Year 1 of the reborn Pac-12. Despite the recent run of success under head coach Spencer Danielson, the Broncos have experienced issues on both sides of the ball over the last three seasons and enter 2026 with multiple lingering questions to answer. Here are the three biggest questions facing Boise State ahead of the Broncos’ Sept. 5 matchup with Oregon at Autzen Stadium. 1. Will Boise State improve its big-game performance? Boise State’s 2025 season ended with a whimper in the LA Bowl against Washington, which shared seventh place in the Big Ten. The Huskies stormed out to a 24-3 halftime lead en route to a 38-10 shellacking. The LA Bowl blowout was the Broncos’ 10th consecutive loss against a Power Four opponent. Boise State’s last Power Four victory was at Florida State in 2019 in Hank Bachmeier’s debut.The Broncos are 0-5 against Power Four competition under Danielson, including a 31-14 loss to Penn State in the 2024 College Football Playoff. During the Power Four losing streak, Boise State also went 0-3 against independent BYU and dropped road games to American Conference members UCF, Memphis and South Florida. Danielson and the Broncos can rewrite the script with a strong Week 1 showing against the Ducks. Oregon is a hefty 24.5-point favorite, but Boise State nearly pulled off the upset at Autzen Stadium in 2024. 2. Will the passing game take a step forward?Maddux Madsen was a near-perfect game manager in 2024 as Ashton Jeanty carried the Broncos to a 12-2 overall record and a CFP appearance. With Jeanty moving on to the NFL, Madsen was asked to shoulder a big load of the offense last season. The results were mixed. Madsen finished his junior season 176 of 302 passing (58.3 percent) for 2,334 yards with 18 touchdowns and a career-worst nine interceptions. He missed three full games due to injury and regularly struggled with accuracy and pocket presence. The Broncos brought in several new receivers for Madsen, who is fully healthy as fall camp approaches. If Madsen and the receivers can build chemistry in camp, Boise State’s passing attack could take a big step forward in 2026. 3. Can the pass rush return to form?Boise State notched 55 sacks during the 2024 season, the most in Division I. The total dipped to 27 last year as the Broncos ranked No. 76 nationally at 1.93 sacks per game. Jayden Virgin-Morgan (six sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery) and Braxton Fely (5.5 sacks) were the only Broncos who applied regular pressure. Fely is attempting to make an NFL roster, but Virgin-Morgan is back for his senior season. Boise State did not register a sack in three of its five losses a season ago. To compete at Autzen Stadium and win a Pac-12 title, the Broncos’ pass rush must return to form in 2026. Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow