QB
CTop-3 of 71.3, the structural risk under the Spread.
**Dynasty-start roster (CFB 26)**DC Rating 5.4 / 10
Utah State
Scheme Guru Mendenhall with Larsen at FS senior 88 (stamina 99 / injury 98), a three-deep HB room, and a Utah Tier-3 home behind F coach stability.
The Dynasty Verdict
If you want a Bronco Mendenhall program where Larsen at FS senior 88 anchors the secondary, Utah State is the Mountain West team built for one Year 1 ride before the F-stability rebuild. Larsen patrols the deep middle at stamina 99 and injury 98 — the highest two-stat ceiling on the roster. Jacobs takes the junior HB1 reps at 82 with acceleration 93 and jumping 92. Davis rotates at senior HB 82 with acceleration 92. Avinger locks down at senior CB 77 with acceleration 93. Iniguez Jr. plays the interior at senior DT 77 with injury 93. Miller reads run-pass at junior MIKE 76 with toughness 89. The home pipeline is Utah Tier-3 plus dual Tier-2 (Pacific Northwest, Southern California) — a tight West-Coast cluster.
What makes Utah State different from the other 2-prestige Mountain West programs is the launch's defensive identity. UNLV under Mullen at 1.5 prestige asks you to ride a junior backfield with a Spread offense. Utah State asks you to ride Larsen at FS senior 88 with an extreme stamina-and-injury cluster, plus a junior MIKE plus junior HB pair as multi-year bridges. Same conference, different prestige tier, different launch identity.
The 5.4 lands on Larsen's 88 OVR plus the multi-year bridges (Jacobs junior, Jameson junior, Miller junior). The catch is the F coach stability mark plus 71 overall plus 6-of-10 senior cliff. Don't pick Utah State for a four-year build. Pick Utah State for the one-year Mountain West save where Mendenhall's Scheme Guru tactical edge stretches Larsen and the junior cohort into a bowl-eligibility window before the F-stability rebuild reality lands.
Head Coach
Bronco Mendenhall
Scheme GuruMendenhall is a Scheme Guru archetype with C coach prestige and F coach stability. The launch hands him Larsen at FS senior 88, the senior CB pair (Avinger, Taylor), the senior DT pair (Iniguez Jr., Fahina), and the junior HB pair (Jacobs, Jameson) plus junior MIKE Miller as multi-year bridges. The Scheme Guru archetype gets tactical depth from defensive design, which fits the Base 3-4's coverage flexibility behind Larsen. The catch is the F stability mark: Mendenhall can scheme around the launch defense for Year 1, but the dynasty math depends on the F stability not triggering a coach turnover before the junior cohort becomes seniors.
Team at a Glance
| Conference | Mountain West |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Bronco Mendenhall · Scheme Guru |
| Team Prestige | 2 stars |
| Team Overall (in-game) | 71 |
| Top Position Group | Defensive Backs · B · top-3 avg 80.3 |
| Weakest Position Group | Tight End · C- · top-3 avg 68.7 |
| Stadium Atmosphere | D |
| Brand Exposure | D- |
| Coach Prestige | C |
| Coach Stability | F |
| Top-10 Senior Departures After Year 1 | 6 of 10 |
Top 10 Players
By overall rating at dynasty start
| # | Player | Pos | Yr | OVR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ike Larsen | FS | Sr | 88 | Stamina 99 |
| 02 | Javen Jacobs | HB | Jr | 82 | Acceleration 93 |
| 03 | Miles Davis | HB | Sr | 82 | Acceleration 92 |
| 04 | Broc Lane | TE | Sr | 80 | Stamina 91 |
| 05 | Derrick Jameson | HB | Jr | 77 | Toughness 90 |
| 06 | Gabriel Iniguez Jr. | DT | Sr | 77 | Injury 93 |
| 07 | Noah Avinger | CB | Sr | 77 | Acceleration 93 |
| 08 | Bryson Taylor | CB | Sr | 76 | Acceleration 92 |
| 09 | John Miller | MIKE | Jr | 76 | Injury 92 |
| 10 | Naki Fahina | DT | Sr | 76 | Injury 98 |
Position Group Grades
RB
BJacobs at HB (82, junior, acceleration 93), Davis at HB (82, senior, acceleration 92), and Jameson at HB (77, junior, toughness 90). Top-3 of 80.3.
WR
CTop-3 of 73.7.
TE
C-Lane at TE (80, senior, stamina 91). Top-3 of 68.7.
OL
CTop-3 of 73.3.
DL
C+Iniguez Jr. at DT (77, senior, injury 93) and Fahina at DT (76, senior, injury 98). Top-3 of 75.3.
LB
CMiller at MIKE (76, junior, injury 92). Top-3 of 73.3.
DB
BLarsen at FS (88, senior, stamina 99), Avinger at CB (77, senior, acceleration 93), and Taylor at CB (76, senior, acceleration 92). Top-3 of 80.3, the strongest unit on the roster.
ST
C-Top-3 of 69.3.
Recommended Playbooks
Offense
Spread (Utah State Default)
Run Spread because the three-deep HB room is the design's whole point. Jacobs accelerates at junior HB with acceleration 93 and jumping 92. Davis rotates at senior HB with acceleration 92 and stamina 91. Jameson punishes contact at junior HB with toughness 90 and trucking 87. Lane operates as the senior TE chain-mover at stamina 91.
Why this fits
A B RB grade with three top-10 HBs (two junior, one senior) gives the Spread the run-game depth the scheme demands. Jacobs's and Jameson's junior eligibility carries the multi-year backfield bridge into Year 2. The C QB grade caps the design's downfield ceiling at quick-game throws.
Defense
Base 3-4 (Utah State Default)
Run the Base 3-4 because Larsen at FS plus the senior CB pair plus junior MIKE anchors the design. Larsen patrols deep at stamina 99 and injury 98. Avinger locks down at senior CB with acceleration 93. Taylor mirrors at senior CB with acceleration 92. Miller plays the middle at junior MIKE with injury 92 and toughness 89. Iniguez Jr. plays the interior at senior DT with injury 93. Fahina rotates at senior DT with injury 98.
Why this fits
Three top-10 DBs (Larsen, Avinger, Taylor) carry the Base 3-4's coverage. Miller's junior eligibility carries the multi-year LB bridge.
Recruiting Outlook
Pipeline regions
- UtahTier 3
- Pacific NorthwestTier 2
- Southern CaliforniaTier 2
- ArizonaTier 1
- North CarolinaTier 1
- OklahomaTier 1
- HawaiiTier 1
- NevadaTier 1
- North TexasTier 1
- East TexasTier 1
You'll recruit hard in the West. The Utah Tier-3 home plus dual Tier-2 (Pacific Northwest, Southern California) is the only above-Tier-1 reach on the entire board, anchoring the recruiting plan in a tight West-Coast cluster. Below that, seven Tier-1 reaches don't compound. Mendenhall at C coach prestige and F coach stability lands specific in-state Utah recruits the bigger Pac-12 successor programs also pursue, but the recruiting math caps at the 2-prestige floor with F stability dragging on multi-cycle continuity.
Position priorities for Year 1 are dictated by the 6-senior cliff. Quarterback is critical; the QB room grades C with no top-10 returner. After QB, replacement DB depth behind Larsen and the senior CB pair, replacement DT behind Iniguez Jr. and Fahina, replacement HB behind Davis, replacement TE behind Lane.
Avoid the deep South and East entirely beyond a single targeted player. The Tier-1 cluster (Arizona, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Hawaii, Nevada, North Texas, East Texas) is for filling specific position gaps with single-player targets only.
Your Year-by-Year Path with Utah State
Year 1
The Larsen Year
You're inheriting a 2-prestige roster with a 71 overall and Larsen at FS senior 88. Don't experiment. Run Spread, ride the three-deep HB rotation (Jacobs, Davis, Jameson), let Larsen and the senior CB pair anchor the secondary. Year 1 is bowl eligibility and a 6-7 win Mountain West baseline behind Larsen and the junior backfield. While you're winning, sign the Year 1 QB and DB classes that the Utah Tier-3 home closes.
Goal
Mountain West bowl eligibility, 6-7 wins, top-150 recruiting class with QB and DB at the top.
Years 2-3
The Junior Window
Six senior anchors graduate. Jacobs, Jameson, and Miller all return as multi-year top-10 players, with Jacobs taking senior HB1 reps in Year 2 alongside Miller as the senior MIKE. The Year 1 QB recruit becomes Year 2 starter behind a real backfield. Mendenhall's Scheme Guru archetype combined with F stability means the rebuild proceeds under coaching pressure that compounds across cycles.
Goal
5-6 wins, Jacobs at 86+ as a senior, top-150 recruiting class maintained.
Year 4+
The Stability Question
By Year 4, the dynasty depends on whether Mendenhall's coaching tenure survives the F stability mark. If the F stability triggers a coach turnover, the rebuild restarts. If it holds, Utah State settles into a 5-6 win Mountain West floor with the junior cohort developed.
Goal
Stable 5-6 win Mountain West program if Mendenhall's tenure holds; full rebuild if the F stability triggers turnover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Utah State good for dynasty mode in CFB 26?
Yes for a Scheme Guru Mendenhall one-year Mountain West save with Larsen at FS senior 88, with caveats. Utah State enters CFB 26 with a 71-overall roster, C coach prestige and F coach stability under Mendenhall, and a B DB grade plus B RB grade anchored by Larsen and the junior backfield. The 2-prestige floor, F stability mark, and 6-of-10 senior cliff are the structural caps.
What's Utah State's prestige in CFB 26?
Utah State enters CFB 26 with a 2-star prestige rating, paired with C coach prestige and F coach stability. The Utah Tier-3 home plus dual Tier-2 (Pacific Northwest, Southern California) is the only above-Tier-1 reach on the recruiting board.
What playbook does Utah State use in CFB 26?
Bronco Mendenhall's Utah State runs the Spread offense and the Base 3-4 defense. The Spread fits Jacobs at HB, Davis at HB, Jameson at HB, and Lane at TE. The Base 3-4 deploys Larsen at FS (88, senior, stamina 99), Avinger at CB (77, senior, acceleration 93), Taylor at CB (76, senior, acceleration 92), and Miller at MIKE (76, junior, injury 92).
Who is Utah State's best player in College Football 26?
Ike Larsen at 88 OVR, senior free safety, with stamina 99, injury 98, and awareness 93. Larsen is the highest-rated player on the roster and the deep-middle anchor of Mendenhall's Base 3-4. Javen Jacobs at HB (82, junior, acceleration 93) and Miles Davis at HB (82, senior, acceleration 92) round out the top three.
Should I rebuild Utah State or take an easier team?
Utah State is a one-year Mountain West save with a real F-stability rebuild risk, not a four-year build. The Year 1 ceiling is bowl eligibility behind Larsen; the Year 2-3 floor depends on Mendenhall's tenure surviving the F stability mark. Take Utah State if you want the highest-rated single defender at 2 prestige (Larsen at 88) plus a junior backfield. If you want a similar Mountain West profile with stable coaching, look at Air Force.