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Boise State Athletics
Five Broncos Land on Pac-12 Preseason Impact List
8/5/2026 9:00:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho – The Pac-12 announced the addition of five Boise State football players to its 2026 Preseason Impact List. Quarterback Maddux Madsen, running backs Sire Gaines and Dylan Riley, and EDGEs Max Stege and Jayden Virgin-Morgan were recognized for the Broncos.
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Madsen, who was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List for the second straight year, threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, ranking 17th in the nation with 13.26 yards per completion. He was the Mountain West Championship Offensive MVP, leading the Broncos to a third consecutive title with 299 total yards and four touchdowns. In 2024, he earned All-MW honorable mention, passing for a league-best 3,018 yards. The fifth year was named Preseason All-Pac-12 second team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. He also secured a spot on the Shriners Children's East-West 1000 and was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Hands Team.
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Gaines enters his junior year with 967 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, including 811 yards and eight scores last season. His 88.9 Pro Football Focus rushing grade was the best in the MW in 2025 and he was a two-time MW Freshman of the Week. Before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, he ran for 156 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries while adding three catches for 44 yards and a score, collecting another MW Freshman of the Week honor. The running back was named Preseason All-Pac-12 by Athlon Sports (first team) and Phil Steele (second team). In 2025, he was a Phil Steele All-MW fourth team selection.
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Riley led the Broncos with 1,125 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, ranking second in the league with 5.8 yards per carry. He became the first Boise State player to score four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in a game, doing so at Air Force. He notched a career-high 201 rushing yards against UNLV, averaging 13.4 yards per carry, the fourth-highest single-game total in school history. He earned All-MW second team and is a three-time conference player of the week. The junior is also featured on the Maxwell Award Watch List and was named Preseason All-Pac-12 first team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
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Stege started all 14 games in 2025, totaling 27 tackles, including seven for loss. He also forced one fumble and notched a half-sack. A native of Germany, he saw action in all 14 games in 2024, tallying 14 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks, contributing to a unit that led the nation with 55 sacks. As a true freshman, he appeared in 10 games, notching a pair of tackles, including 0.5 sacks. The senior was tabbed Preseason All-Pac-12 first team by Athlon Sports and secured a Preseason All-Pac-12 third team nod from Phil Steele.
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Virgin-Morgan earned Preseason All-America fourth team honors from Athlon Sports, entering his fifth year with 31.0 tackles for loss and 16.0 sacks. He has led the Broncos in both categories the past two seasons, securing a pair of All-MW selections. He was a first team pick in 2024, ranking 14th in the nation with 10.0 sacks and 17th with 15.5 TFLs. The EDGE also has four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles in his career. He was featured on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List and Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000. He also captured Preseason All-Pac-12 first team honors from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
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The Pac-12 will announce the members of the Impact List by team, twice a day throughout the week. Each team has a minimum of two offensive players, two defensive players and a flex spot that can be filled by a player of any position.
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Madsen, who was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List for the second straight year, threw for 2,334 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, ranking 17th in the nation with 13.26 yards per completion. He was the Mountain West Championship Offensive MVP, leading the Broncos to a third consecutive title with 299 total yards and four touchdowns. In 2024, he earned All-MW honorable mention, passing for a league-best 3,018 yards. The fifth year was named Preseason All-Pac-12 second team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. He also secured a spot on the Shriners Children's East-West 1000 and was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Hands Team.
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Gaines enters his junior year with 967 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, including 811 yards and eight scores last season. His 88.9 Pro Football Focus rushing grade was the best in the MW in 2025 and he was a two-time MW Freshman of the Week. Before suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, he ran for 156 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries while adding three catches for 44 yards and a score, collecting another MW Freshman of the Week honor. The running back was named Preseason All-Pac-12 by Athlon Sports (first team) and Phil Steele (second team). In 2025, he was a Phil Steele All-MW fourth team selection.
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Riley led the Broncos with 1,125 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025, ranking second in the league with 5.8 yards per carry. He became the first Boise State player to score four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in a game, doing so at Air Force. He notched a career-high 201 rushing yards against UNLV, averaging 13.4 yards per carry, the fourth-highest single-game total in school history. He earned All-MW second team and is a three-time conference player of the week. The junior is also featured on the Maxwell Award Watch List and was named Preseason All-Pac-12 first team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
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Stege started all 14 games in 2025, totaling 27 tackles, including seven for loss. He also forced one fumble and notched a half-sack. A native of Germany, he saw action in all 14 games in 2024, tallying 14 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks, contributing to a unit that led the nation with 55 sacks. As a true freshman, he appeared in 10 games, notching a pair of tackles, including 0.5 sacks. The senior was tabbed Preseason All-Pac-12 first team by Athlon Sports and secured a Preseason All-Pac-12 third team nod from Phil Steele.
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Virgin-Morgan earned Preseason All-America fourth team honors from Athlon Sports, entering his fifth year with 31.0 tackles for loss and 16.0 sacks. He has led the Broncos in both categories the past two seasons, securing a pair of All-MW selections. He was a first team pick in 2024, ranking 14th in the nation with 10.0 sacks and 17th with 15.5 TFLs. The EDGE also has four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles in his career. He was featured on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Preseason Watch List and Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000. He also captured Preseason All-Pac-12 first team honors from Phil Steele and Athlon Sports.
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The Pac-12 will announce the members of the Impact List by team, twice a day throughout the week. Each team has a minimum of two offensive players, two defensive players and a flex spot that can be filled by a player of any position.
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--BroncoSports.com--
Players Mentioned
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