Happy Tuesday, Readers! We are now only a few weeks away from our first weekend of college football. With that, we are going to take a deep dive into previewing the top offenses and defenses in the PAC 12 and Mountain West. With that being said, this week’s edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly” is going to dive in to some defensive units from the PAC 12 and Mountain West.
A Tier
Fresno State
Matt Entz and elite defense. These go together and it was apparent with Fresno State’s 10th ranked defense last season. The Bulldogs are among the leaders in returning starters on defense with seven players coming back. Continuity gives this team an advantage that other PAC-12 programs don’t have.
San Diego State
The Aztec defense was elite last fall, thanks in large part to an elite secondary with NFL talent. A lack of returning starters is a bit concerning, but the Aztecs have built a culture of elite defensive play that will continue to be big part of this team’s success this fall.
B Tier
Boise State
The Broncos were a bit of enigma on defense last season. They finished 37th in the nation in total defense, but struggles against the run kept this unit from being elite. The Broncos should be really good on the edge and at corner but need to show significant growth on the interior.
Wyoming
It’s not really a shocker that the Cowboys were pretty good on the defensive side of the ball last season. They were elite in pass coverage but struggled in the run game. Typically, you would expect those to be flipped. I don’t have too many concerns about this team’s defense, but there is some room for improvement on the interior defensive line.
C Tier
NIU
It will be interesting to see how this unit competes against improved competition in the Mountain West. They were pretty good last season, finishing 56th in total defense. However, the MAC didn’t have many high-powered offenses and they will have an interim head coach leading the way this season. Their defense will need to be above average if they want to compete in the Mountain West.
Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors were respectable on defense last season, finishing 61st in total defense. While they sometimes struggled in the secondary, they were usually pretty stout up front. They return only three starters on the defensive side, which is concerning. But this unit has shown a lot of growth since Timmy Chang’s staff took over.
D Tier
Texas State
The Bobcats were inconsistent on the defensive side of the ball last season. A tougher conference and a lack of returning starters have me concerned about this unit’s potential to compete at a level high enough to contend in the PAC 12. While I think the offense will be fun to watch, the defense is likely going to keep them from finishing near the top of the standings.
UTEP
The Miners finished 86th in total defense, and like the Bobcats above, they will face tougher competition in their new conference. Their defensive line will need to show significant improvement this fall, because they will be facing some teams with elite rushing attacks.
F Tier
Air Force
The 2025 Air Force football team had the worst defense I have ever seen from this program. For a school that typically prides itself on physical, disciplined play, the Falcons were clearly out-matched on the defensive side of the ball in nearly every game last season. It was a young group last season and they should be improved this fall, but this unit still has me feeling cool about this team’s chances of competing for a championship.
Utah State
Last season, the Aggies surrendered over 440 yards-per-game and looked flat out lost at times. For the second consecutive season, Bronco Mendenhall’s team finished near the bottom of the national rankings in total defense. That is a terrifying statistic that should leave Aggie fans worried. The good news is, it would be hard for this group to be any worse than it was last season.
How do you feel about your team’s defense heading into the 2026 season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.