Which bowls are UNLV projected to go to?

The UNLV Rebels still aspire to go to the College Football Playoffs, but its chances will rely solely on winning its last two games against Nevada-Reno and Boise State in the Mountain West Championship game.

UNLV coach Barry Odom firmly said he believes that the Mountain West Champion will get a seat at the College Football Playoffs, but let’s take that out of the equation for now.

Where can UNLV fans expect the Rebels to play if they don’t make the playoff?

It looks like the Rebels will make the four-hour drive to Los Angeles and So-Fi Stadium for its postseason plans.

Sports Illustrated has the Rebels playing Cal in the LA Bowl; CBS College Football insider Jerry Palm also has the UNLV playing the Golden Bears. Other sites with the same matchup include 24/ Sports, The Athletic, and ESPN.

The last time UNLV took on Cal was in 2022 – a 20-14 victory by the Golden Bears, but a lot has changed since that first and only meeting between the two teams. The two teams are tentatively scheduled to meet again in 2026, according to FBSchedules.com.

UNLV is technically 2-4 in bowl games, with one win forfeited due to NCAA sanctions on ineligible players. The Rebels have lost their last two bowl outings, most recently to Kansas 49-36 in last year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl.

Now the Rebels can completely shake up the bowl scene by winning its last two games, but first, the team must take care of rival Nevada-Reno on Saturday.

A loss ends playoff talk and solidifies a trip to Los Angeles, but a win keeps dreams of a bigger bowl game alive.

Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.