The next chapter of what has been the Mountain West’s most heated rivalry the past couple of years may also be a preview of this year’s conference championship game.
Undefeated UNLV (6-0, 2-0 Mountain West) hits the road to face the conference’s flagship program, Boise State, on Saturday.
The Broncos (4-2, 2-0) beat the Rebels in the past two Mountain West championship games, winning 21-7 last season in Idaho and 44-20 in 2023 in Las Vegas. The UNLV football team has never won a Mountain West title. Boise State has won five and played in the title game eight times since 2014.
UNLV has one last chance to unseat the Broncos before Boise State joins San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Utah State, Texas State, Oregon State, and Washington State in the Pac-12 next season. And a win on the blue turf in Albertsons Stadium would be the cherry on top of what is already a historic season for the Rebels.
UNLV has opened a season with six straight wins for the first time since 1974, and the Rebels are on a seven-game winning streak, dating back to a victory over California in the LA Bowl last season. They beat UCLA this year to earn their first-ever win over a Big Ten program, and they’re led by one of the top backfields in the Mountain West.
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Quarterback Anthony Colandrea and running backs Jai’Den Thomas and Keyvone Lee have been a problem for defenses. Colandrea is completing 68.1% of his passes, and he has thrown for 1,403 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. He’s also No. 2 on the team with 323 rushing yards.
Thomas might be the early favorite to win Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. He’s averaging eight yards a carry and leads the Rebels with 577 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Lee is averaging 5.4 yards a carry and has found the end zone four times.
Boise State has a nasty running game of its own. Sire Gaines, Dylan Riley, and Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod give defenses fits, and quarterback Maddux Madsen is one of the most efficient passers in the conference. He’s completing 61% of his passes and has thrown for 1,507 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions, four of which were thrown against Notre Dame.
UNLV vs. Boise State Betting Odds
Boise State is a 12.5-point college football betting odds favorite on BetMGM as of this writing, and the Over/Under is 63.5 points. The moneyline is at -450 for Boise State and +350 for UNLV.
The Broncos have won 15 straight games at Albertsons Stadium, tying Alabama for the longest active home winning streak in the nation. Boise State’s offense has averaged 41.3 points a game in that span.
Boise State leads the all-time series against UNLV 11-3, and the Broncos have won nine consecutive games against the Rebels.
UNLV vs. Boise State On TV
The Mountain West game featuring Boise State and UNLV at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, will be televised on FS1.
Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
UNLV vs. Boise State Prediction
I predict UNLV wins 38-35.
These have been the best two offenses in the Mountain West at times this year, but neither defense has been all that consistent. Boise State has done a better job pressuring quarterbacks and covering on the back end in recent weeks, and UNLV has done a great job creating turnovers, but both have been gashed.
Boise State really does have a massive advantage playing at home. Albertsons Stadium is loud, and every team gets the Broncos’ best there. There is a real chance that one of their running backs gets hot or Madsen has a big day and Boise State makes it 10 straight wins against the Rebels.
I just think UNLV is a battle-tested team. That’s not to say the Rebels have played better competition. USF and Notre Dame are far better than any team the Rebels have played, but UNLV has been in close games and found ways to win. Four of its wins have been by seven points or less. If this is a one-possession game in the fourth quarter, I think the Rebels are the more likely team to gut out a big win. If they create a few turnovers, they could run away with this one.
