https://omg10.com/4/10736335
By Nick Bartlett, SuperWest Sports
It’s a basketball conference that has ceased to exist over the past two years, with the Beavs and Cougs playing in the WCC and the other 10 legacy Pac-12 teams fleeing.
That sets up an exciting and unpredictable resurgence in 2026-27.
New to the game are five former Mountain West schools (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State) along with Gonzaga of the WCC and Texas State of the Sun Belt.
The Zags will surely be the preseason favorites, with the Aggies and Aztecs expected to be their most likely chasers.
But the new consortium of teams will bring many surprises.
Here are my too early perspectives.
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Gonzaga (31-4)
tThe Zags immediately become the flagship brand of Pac-12 basketball and their performance will shape the reputation of the new conference.
To play up to their usual standards, they will need to replace Graham Ike.
His experience in the paint will be difficult to replicate, but Braden Huff returns from injury and is an elite scorer in the post position.
Huff can shoot, has a good handle for his size and is a high IQ player. He should be able to make up for the score lost by Ike, but they are very different players.
Other notable returners for the Bulldogs include Mario Saint-Supery and Davis Fogle. While Fogle gets a lot of attention, Saint-Supery should prove more important.
Recent Hall of Famer Mark Few will need to involve several players, particularly early in the season, to build team chemistry.
If Saint-Supery can provide stability, it will take the pressure off Davis and allow him to be the standout he is.
This is the conference Gonzaga has to lose.
Utah State (29-7)
FFor some teams, the Pac-12 feels like a brand-enhancing deal, but for the Aggies, it’s a chance to solidify themselves as a reputable name.
Utah State made the NCAA Tournament the previous two years, but former head coach Jerrod Calhoun is out after taking the Cincinnati job and Ben Jacobson is in.
Calhoun and Jacobson have similar styles, but there will be some differences. Calhoun prefers a direct defense, while Jacobson prefers more structure.
Jacobson, who turned Northern Iowa into a high-level half-major, likes to slow the pace, protect the ball and be very efficient on offense.
However, Utah State’s success next season will likely depend on the return of Mason Falslev, who excels on both sides of the ball.
Falslev averaged 16 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 3.1 assists, and was selected Mountain West Player of the Year in 2025-26.
USU isn’t on Gonzaga’s level, but it feels like the second-place team next season.
San Diego State (22-11)
myEveryone knows what to expect from San Diego State basketball: a solid defense complemented by an inconsistent offense. Things will remain the same in the Pac.
The key for the Aztecs is to score enough points to be with Gonzaga and Utah State. SDSU’s defense should continue to dominate as Magoon Gwath returns.
Gwath, a 7-foot big man with solid shot-blocking skills, averaged 1.5 rejections per game a year ago. Your skill set should prove transferable.
The main concern for SDSU entering the Pac-12 is finding enough offensive firepower. In particular, they’ll need buckets from Elzie Harrington and Zach White.
San Diego State lost a lot of scores to portal and graduation.
Miles Byrd recently announced he was leaving, which also hurts. He was the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and a double-digit scorer.
White, a three-star prospect from Sherman Oaks, could make up for the team’s loss of production.
Colorado State (21-13)
PThere may be people sleeping in the state of Colorado. This is a team that has won at least 20 games six years in a row, minus the Covid campaign.
The 2026-27 season should be an exciting one for the Rams, who return their three leading scorers in Brandon Rechsteiner, Kyle Jorgensen and Carey Booth.
The trio brings experience, which should prove to be a good balance along with one of CSU’s best recruiting classes.
Colorado State landed a host of quality three-star recruits from around the region, particularly guards Kaiden Bailey and Eli Sancomb, and power forward Ethan Harris.
CSU could creep up the conference standings, along with a few other teams in transition, such as Washington State, San Diego State and Boise State.
The Rams could even face some of the best teams this season.
Oregon State (17-16)
ohRegon State went through a year of transition and fired Wayne Tinkle after 12 years at the helm. Tinkle’s Beavers did well this year, finishing 17-16, but they lacked the “it” factor.
OSU didn’t go on long winning streaks, had no star players and only a few signature victories. If not for the new conference and the desire to start over, the athletic department might have kept him.
Josiah Lake II was OSU’s best player last season, leading the team with 13.1 points, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals.
He also finished tied for the team lead in defensive rebounds with 3.8 per game. That was an area of concern at one point, considering he’s a 6-foot-2 guard.
The junior isn’t a traditional star, but he boosted OSU a year ago as a first-team All-WCC selection.
Other notable players for Oregon State last season were Isaiah Sy and Dez White. White was an All-WCC Honorable Mention selection after averaging 9.7 points per game.
Looking to generate more buzz in the new conference, OSU hired Michigan assistant Justin Joyner in the offseason. It’s his first head coaching job, but he’s expected to be the opposite of Tinkle.
Joyner, previously associate head coach at Saint Mary’s, is known for a high-volume, fast-paced three-point offense. He’ll need strong guard play for the system to work, so Lake’s return would be critical.
If Lake returns, along with Sy and White, giving the Beavers three experienced seniors, they could find themselves in the top tier of the Pac-12.
Boise State (20-12)
YesSome analysts believe Boise State can compete in the new Pac, but that seems unlikely, at least for next season.
In fact, the Broncos could fall to the bottom of the conference.
They lost most of their guards to the transfer portal and it seems like too much to overcome with the departures of Drew Fielder, RJ Keene II and Dylan Andrews.
It’s troubling because BSU was average on defense a year ago, ranking 330th in blocks per game and 167th in points allowed nationally.
The Broncos were still solid in 2025-26, finishing 20-12, but declined an invitation to play in the NIT.
They have a lot of holes to fill in the offseason. Aginaldo Neto and Julian Bowie return, but they can’t be expected to make a big leap.
If Boise State can find a decent big man, a reliable point guard, and some fearless scorers, they could be fine.
It would be a good season to make some noise, as they are upgrading their student section, known as “Blue Chaos.”
Washington State (12-20)
W.Ashington State had an unsettling year, suffering unfathomable losses to Portland, Pepperdine and San Diego.
Head coach David Riley seemed lost during his second season in the Palouse.
You’re probably lucky the school is going through a financial crisis, or else you might have found yourself looking for a new job.
The Cougars ended their campaign on a four-game losing streak, including a loss to the Pilots in their first game in the WCC Tournament.
After impressive performances against Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s earlier in the year, WSU looked poised for a respectable season, until they blew a 17-point lead in Corvallis.
Three things kept the Cougars from fulfilling their potential last season: a porous defense, a tendency to blow big leads and difficulty winning on the road.
Wazzu ranked 279th in points allowed per game, despite solid post-game play from ND Okafor, and collapsed down the stretch.
Entering the new Pac-12, a bounce-back season depends on whether Ace Glass returns.
The Cougs already lost most of their roster from a season ago with Rihards Vavers and Okafor. If Glass leaves too, they’ll be making pizza from scratch.
It’s hard to imagine he’ll stay, given the depleted roster, but interestingly, WSU is still in a decent position.
If Riley loses the purse in next year’s non-conference, it could be enough to get him fired.
On the other hand, a completely new roster could prove to be a blessing, considering last year’s results.
Texas State (19-13)
dDue to its lack of basketball history, Texas State may be overlooked.
The Bobcats aren’t going to be a top team anytime soon, but they could finish near the middle of the conference with a few breaks.
TXST, the coolest acronym of all time, returns DJ Hall, which is everything to them.
Hall, the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year last season, averaged 15.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
The Bobcats also have an experienced coach in Terrence Johnson, who won back-to-back Sun Belt championships early in his tenure.
However, the big caveat with Texas State is that they will play a tougher schedule than they are used to.
They’ll probably get beat a couple of times, but the combination of Hall and Johnson should keep this team competitive.
Fresno State (13-19)
FResno State is improving, but the Bulldogs aren’t there yet.
Vance Walberg did a good job in his second year on the show. But after taking over a team that went 12-21 the year before, it’s going to take a while.
And things are going to get more difficult.
Fresno State has already lost key players to the transfer portal, including DeShawn Gory and Zaon Collins. And many other players are expected to leave as well.
FSU also graduated its leading scorer, Jake Heidbreder, who led the team in scoring with 17 points per game.
He was also the glue, playing 37 minutes per game.
Without him, and with eight players potentially down, this could prove to be a difficult year for Fresno State basketball.
The Bulldogs could very well be the last team in the group.
He writes about football and basketball as a senior writer and hosts “The Nick Bartlett Show” for SuperWest Sports.
