UNLV On Another Collision Course With Boise St.

The rankings were unveiled during Mountain West Media Days held at Circa Las Vegas, providing an early look at the power structure for the upcoming season. Both programs enter the year with significant transitions. Dan Mullen steps in as UNLV’s head coach after Barry Odom departed following a historic two-year run. Under Odom, the Rebels posted a 19-8 record and broke through with an 11 win campaign in 2024, including a bowl victory and the school’s first ever national top 25 ranking.

Big shoes to fill

Most new head coaches are afforded a grace period, a year to build culture and establish footing. But Dan Mullen won’t have that luxury at UNLV. After back-to-back title runs under Barry Odom, anything short of another Mountain West championship berth would be seen as falling short of expectations.

“When change comes, you have to adapt to it,” said veteran linebacker Cameron Irvin. “Coach Mullen came in and was quick to set the standard. He let us know how he feels about things, and more importantly, he let us know he wants to win. That’s a big thing.”

Quarterback Maddux Madsen returns to lead the Broncos, providing continuity under center. However, replacing Ashton Jeanty, now with the Las Vegas Raiders, won’t be easy. Jeanty was the heart of the offense in 2024 none more evident than his 209 yard outburst against UNLV in the Mountain West Championship Game, where he single handedly wore down the Rebels’ defense.

With Jeanty gone, Boise State will lean more heavily on Madsen’s arm and decision making. The offense may look more balanced, but the pressure will fall on their new running back corps to replicate Jeanty’s explosive production.