No. 10 Boise State will face off against No. 19 University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) for back-to-back years in the Mountain West Championship this Friday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. for what could be the biggest game in Albertsons Stadium history.
This upcoming game holds higher stakes than last season because the winner will secure the lone Group of Five (G5) spot in the College Football Playoffs.
“When you play in a championship game you want to play the best,” Head Coach Spencer Danielsen said. “UNLV coming to the Blue we know we’re getting their best. They’ve got a lot of talent and drive to win this game just like us. And now both sides have to earn the right to go play their best.”
Last year the Rebels hosted the Broncos in the championship and Boise State came out on top with a final score of 44-20. In addition, earlier this season the Broncos won with a closer score of 29-24.
Boise State is favored to win the game by 3.5 points according to Fanduel Sportsbook.
“Whenever you play a team twice, you know each other better than any team you’ve played at that point from schematically to personnel wise to how they’re gonna respond to things,” Danielsen said. “We knew UNLV was going to be a heavyweight fight and round two on the blue is no different.”
It is going to be a battle between the Broncos offense and the Rebels defense as each are ranked #1 in the Mountain West.
Boise State: What to know
Boise State stands with a 11-1 record this season with their only loss against the No. 1 team in the country, University of Oregon.
A win for Boise State would not only earn them a spot in the College Football Playoffs but it will likely give them a first round bye. This would mean that the Broncos would play in a quarterfinal bowl game which has not happened since their victory against University of Arizona in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl.
Key Players:
Ashton Jeanty: It’s no secret that Jeanty is the number one running back in the nation right now with 2,288 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns this season. Although the Rebels have an impressive defense, Jeanty should have no problem putting up some high numbers this game.
Maddux Madsen: Madsen stepped up to the plate as starting quarterback this season and now leads the conference with 21 passing touchdowns.
UNLV: What to Know
UNLV lost to Boise State and Syracuse University earlier this season bringing their record to 10-2.
If UNLV defeats Boise State in the title game, they will likely secure the #12 spot in the College Football Playoffs.
Key Players:
Hajj-Malik Williams: Williams, a senior transfer from Campbell, stepped up as starting quarterback in game four. He became the first UNLV quarterback in history to throw for at least three touchdowns in each of his first three starts behind center. He has thrown 17 touchdowns since starting, three against the Broncos earlier this season.
Ricky White III: As wide receiver, White leads the Mountain West with 1,020 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns.
Score Prediction: 24 (Boise State) – 21 (UNLV)
