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# Washington State, Rebuilt Pac-12 Welcome New Opponent in Utah State
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/washington-state-cougars-rebuilt-pac-12-welcome-new-opponent-utah-state/
- Published: 2026-07-23T23:24:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-23T23:24:15.000Z
- Author: Jacob Stevenson
- Tags: News, Cougars Football, Cougars Men's Basketball

A former member of the Mountain West, the Utah State Aggies will be among the newcomers set to join the rebuilt Pac-12 this season. While the Aggies may not carry the national brand recognition of some schools, few programs outside the Power Four have been as consistently competitive in both football and men's basketball over the past several seasons.

For Washington State fans, Utah State is a familiar opponent. The two programs have met on the football field in recent years, but those non-conference matchups will now carry much more significance as conference games in the new-look Pac-12.

The Aggies' football program has experienced both success and transition over the last several years. Utah State captured the Mountain West championship in 2021 with an 11-win season under Blake Anderson, turning in one of the best campaigns in school history. The Aggies have made a bowl game in three of the last four seasons and seven out of the last eight. 

The program underwent significant change heading into 2025, hiring veteran coach Bronco Mendenhall - who previously coached at BYU and Virginia - to lead the Aggies into a new era. Mendenhall quickly brought stability to Logan, guiding Utah State back to bowl eligibility while laying the foundation for the program's transition into the Pac-12.

Men's basketball has been an even more consistent source of success, even as coaches have seemingly come and gone on a yearly basis, including Danny Sprinkle bolting to become Washington’s new coach two years ago.

Over the last several seasons, Utah State has established itself as one of the premier programs in the Mountain West. Since 2022, the Aggies have been a fixture near the top of the conference standings while earning multiple NCAA Tournament appearances. Even with coaching changes and roster turnover, Utah State has continued to win at a high level.

The Aggies have done a great job evaluating not only talent but coaches in this ever changing landscape. With that, Utah State has made four straight NCAA tournaments and six of the last seven. 

Much of that success has come inside the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, widely regarded as one of the more difficult road environments in college basketball. Opposing teams have consistently struggled in Logan, where Utah State has built one of the best home-court advantages in the West.

The move to the Pac-12 presents a new challenge. The conference will feature perennial NCAA Tournament contenders such as Gonzaga, San Diego State, Boise State, and Colorado State creating one of the deepest basketball leagues in the country. Still, Utah State enters the league with a track record that suggests it can immediately compete for postseason berths and challenge for conference championships.

As the rebuilt Pac-12 begins a new chapter, Utah State brings recent success in both major sports, which should help the conference find its footing on the national scene. Football is looking to continue building momentum under Bronco Mendenhall, while men's basketball arrives as one of the conference's most accomplished programs over the past few years.

For Washington State and the rest of the league, the Aggies represent a program that has consistently found ways to win and should be a factor in shaping the future of the new Pac-12 moving forward.