Utah State’s College Football 27 ratings revealed
Jun 24, 2026, 4:02 PM | Updated: Jun 25, 2026, 12:18 pm
LOGAN, Utah – Utah State did not land at the top of the new-look Pac-12 in EA Sports’ College Football 27 ratings, instead falling toward the middle of the pack.
EA Sports recently revealed its College Football 27 team ratings, listing Utah State at 76 overall — tied with Fresno State, Oregon State, and Washington State, and only four points behind conference leader Boise State.
That feels about right for a program entering Year 2 under Bronco Mendenhall: not quite one of the league’s headliners but clearly seen as a program with enough pieces to make some noise.
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Our @EASPORTSCollege team ratings to start the year!
What do you think Aggie Nation? 👀
🎟️: https://t.co/ogxb0J9CUS pic.twitter.com/Et5GOpxfQ6
— USU Football (@USUFootball) June 23, 2026
Boise State’s 80 overall rating leads the group, while San Diego State and Texas State sit just ahead of Utah State at 77.
- Boise State: 80 overall (82 offense, 78 defense)
- San Diego State: 77 overall (78 offense, 76 defense)
- Texas State: 77 overall (78 offense, 75 defense)
- Fresno State: 76 overall (76 offense, 77 defense)
- Oregon State: 76 overall (76 offense, 77 defense)
- Utah State: 76 overall (76 offense, 77 defense)
- Washington State: 76 overall (78 offense, 73 defense)
- Colorado State: 74 overall (73 offense, 75 defense)
College Football 27 is scheduled to launch worldwide on July 9, according to EA Sports. MVP+ members can play beginning July 2, while Deluxe Edition and MVP Bundle purchases include early access starting July 6.
The video game ratings are one offseason snapshot.
Phil Steele’s preseason All-Pac-12 teams offer another, and that list was even kinder to the Aggies.
Nine Utah State players land on Phil Steele’s preseason All-Pac-12 teams
Utah State placed nine players on Steele’s preseason All-Pac-12 teams, including four first-team selections, two second-team picks, and three third-team honorees.
Junior center Jimmy Liston gives the Aggies a proven option in the middle of the offensive line after being named first-team All-Pac-12. Liston began his college career at Purdue before transferring to Utah State ahead of the 2025 season. He started all 13 games for the Aggies last season.
He was the third-rated center in the conference in negative run blocking, according to PFF, and played more snaps than any center in the league.
First Team @pac12 preseason @philsteele042 honors for @jimmyliston64! 🥇🤘 pic.twitter.com/xU9qqkYx8e
— USU Football (@USUFootball) June 19, 2026
The defensive core is where Utah State’s preseason respect starts to show up.
Linebackers Bronson Olevao Jr. and Harrison Taggart joined safety Brevin Hamblin among the Aggies’ first-team selections.
Olevao returns for his senior season after starting all 13 games and earning honorable mention All-Mountain West recognition last year. His 90 tackles ranked third on the team, and he added four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
First Team @pac12 preseason @philsteele_official honors for @BronsonOlevao! 🥇🤘 pic.twitter.com/JMpdny49kX
— USU Football (@USUFootball) June 19, 2026
Hamblin, also a senior, was second on the team with 114 tackles in his first season with the Aggies. He earned honorable mention honors after breaking up eight passes and recording four double-digit tackle games.
Taggart brings a well-traveled résumé to Logan.
After redshirting at Oregon in 2022, he transferred to BYU and appeared in 24 games, including 16 starts, for the Cougars. Taggart totaled 97 tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery at BYU before making 38 stops in 13 games last season at California.
Second and Third Team @pac12 preseason @philsteele042 honors for @_JavenJacobs! 🥇🤘 pic.twitter.com/dz6KZS1uRU
— USU Football (@USUFootball) June 19, 2026
Senior running back Javen Jacobs gives the Aggies another versatile name on the list, earning recognition as both a running back and punt returner.
The Chandler, Arizona, native was named the second-team punt returner after finishing with 250 return yards on 17 attempts. He also landed on the third team at running back after posting five games with 100-plus all-purpose yards, rushing for 447 yards and five touchdowns, and adding 43 catches for 379 yards and three scores.
Senior kicker Kian Afrookhteh arrives at Utah State with first-team recognition after earning All-Sun Belt Conference honorable mention in 2025 at Coastal Carolina. He finished last season 15 of 19 on field-goal attempts and made all 32 of his extra-point attempts.
First Team @pac12 preseason @philsteele042 honors for @kianafrookhteh! 🥇🤘 pic.twitter.com/9jSPFI36HR
— USU Football (@USUFootball) June 19, 2026
Sophomore defensive tackle Carson Tujague earned a spot on Steele’s second team after a breakout freshman season in which his 72 tackles were the most by a defensive tackle in school history.
Junior punter Landon Rehkow and wide receiver/kick returner Jovan Robinson rounded out Utah State’s selections on Steele’s third team.
Put it all together, and Utah State enters its first Pac-12 season in an interesting spot. The Aggies are not being treated like the team to beat, but between video game ratings and multiple preseason all-conference selections, there is at least some outside belief that Mendenhall’s second team in Logan has a chance to climb quickly.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and the Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball here. Find Brian on X, Instagram, and BlueSky at @bpreece24.
