The UNLV Rebels are in the Mountain West Championship Game following a dominant game against the Nevada Wolf Pack. Now, with their opponent set, the rematch between UNLV and the Boise State Broncos may be the most important Group of Five championship game of all time.
Let it be known, for UNLV’s playoff chances and Boise State’s, the MWC Championship could be seen as a playoff elimination game. Or simply, a playoff play-in contest.
UNLV’s Mountain West Championship Chances
The Rebels punched their ticket to the Mountain West Championship Game by defeating Nevada in Week 14, 38-14. UNLV utilized impressive performances from both their offense and defense in dismantling their rivals to earn the second-place finish in the Mountain West.
Next up is a rematch against Boise State. If you remember, the Rebels and Broncos played a thriller earlier in the year in which BSU edged UNLV, 29-24, in a game that wasn’t decided until the final whistle.
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Now, UNLV will be given another chance to defeat Boise State, only this time, the stakes are much higher. And right now, the CFN Playoff Predictor gives the Rebels a pretty good chance to upset the Broncos.
Currently, the CFN Predictor gives UNLV a 49.2% chance to beat Boise State in the MWC Championship Game.
The Mountain West’s outright title and what appears to be a spot in the College Football Playoffs will be on the line in this outing.
How Can UNLV Make the Playoffs?
With the College Football Playoff rankings show being revealed, it’s clear that Rebels and Broncos have the inside track to making the playoffs.
Once again, only three Group of Five programs were ranked inside the top 25.
- Boise State checked in at No. 10
- UNLV clocked in at No. 20
- Army was ranked No. 24
Even with Army set to play Tulane in the AAC Championship Game, there is no world in which the Black Knights would leap frog either UNLV or Boise State as the winner of the MWC Championship Game.
Ultimately, the biggest deciding factor here was how these teams stacked up against common — or in this case common-ish — opponents. UNLV held tough against Syracuse (who just knocked out Miami) and lost a close one to Boise State. The Broncos lost a one-possession game to Oregon (undefeated). Army, however, were blown out by Notre Dame in a game that felt like it was over in the first quarter.
With the rankings revealed, it’s clear that the winner of the game between UNLV and Boise State will earn the right to be the lone G5 representative in the playoffs.
So, there you have it, UNLV fans. Win against Boise State and earn the right to be the Mountain West Champions in 2024.
And play your way into the College Football Playoffs at the same time.
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