The Pac-12 is back with new teams, new coaches, and new stars on the field.
Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State, Texas State, and Gonzaga (non-football) are joining Oregon State and Washington State in the newly reformed conference this season.
Like most programs in the country, Pac-12 teams have been busy searching for stars in the transfer portal this offseason. Here’s a look at some of the top transfers to keep an eye on in the conference in 2026:
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QB McCae Hillstead, Utah State
Utah State head coach Bronco Mendenhall has added 32 transfers so far this year, including McCae, who Mendenhall named the starter not long after the conclusion of spring ball. The 5-foot-10, 190-pound junior spent the past two seasons at BYU, redshirting in 2024 and appearing in five games last fall.
This will be McCae’s second stint as an Aggie. He began his collegiate career at Utah State in 2023, starting four games and setting program freshman passing records with 399 yards and four touchdowns against James Madison.
QB Khristian Martin, Fresno State
In an effort to create more explosive, downfield plays this year, Fresno State added Martin, a 6-4, 230-pound quarterback known as much for his cannon arm as his power as a runner. The former three-star recruit racked up 2,388 passing yards and 30 touchdowns with just one interception and added 773 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground as a senior at Highland Springs High in his home state of Virginia.
Martin spent the past two seasons at Maryland, redshirting in 2024 and appearing in five games last season. He threw the first touchdown pass of his college career against Michigan. The sophomore is competing with returning quarterback Jayden Mandal to win the starting job at Fresno State this fall.
CB Caleb Presley, Colorado State
New head coach Jim Mora’s first roster at Colorado State is filled with transfers, including plenty of his former players at UConn and two quarterbacks who are dueling for the starting job. But Presley has a chance to be the best of the bunch.
The former four-star recruit emerged as one of San Jose State’s top defensive backs last season after beginning his career at Washington. His stats were modest (22 tackles and three pass breakups), but he was highly sought after in the transfer portal and should compete for a starting job right away.
WR Justius Lowe, San Diego State
The former four-star recruit appeared in 24 games in three seasons at Oregon. The 6-1, 190-pound senior should immediately step into a starting role at San Diego State and could emerge as one of the Pac-12’s top receivers. He started five games for Oregon in 2024, catching 21 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown.
WR Darren Morris, Boise State
Morris should see plenty of passes coming his way this season, and he has a chance to emerge as the top receiver on a Boise State team that is desperate for pass-catchers. The 6-2, 190-pound fifth-year senior caught 74 passes for 1,111 yards and eight touchdowns in four seasons at Southern University. He hauled in a 98-yard touchdown in 2023 and posted career highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (434) in 2024.
EDGE Linus Zunk, Washington State
Zunk played in 26 games the past two seasons and appeared in 35 during his Vanderbilt career. The 6-6, 262-pound redshirt senior has five career sacks, three of which he recorded last season. He should step into a starting role right away and could emerge as one of the top defensive linemen in the new-look Pac-12.
LB Dylan Layne, Oregon State
Layne led FCS program Idaho with 88 tackles last season, and he joined the Beavers after playing in 37 games in four seasons with the Vandals. He racked up 137 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception, and 16 pass breakups during his Idaho career. Layne should step into a starting role right away at Oregon State, and he has a chance to be one of the top linebackers in the Pac-12.
DL Phillip Bradford, Texas State
Bradford led McNeese State with 5.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season. The 6-6, 308-pound defensive end played in 24 games at McNeese State the past two years. He has a chance to compete for a starting job this fall on a Texas State defense that is desperate for pass rushers.
