UNLV football gets favorable closing schedule to chase MW title game berth

They’re still in front of them. All the goals UNLV’s football team set for itself before the season.

All the hopes for a Mountain West championship and spot in the College Football Playoff. Those things are still possible.

Some more than others.

The Rebels (6-1, 2-1 Mountain West) certainly could reach the conference title game for the third year in a row. There will be competition, of course. UNLV’s 56-31 loss at Boise State on Oct. 18 also showed it has several flaws to fix.

The Rebels have five Mountain West games remaining, beginning with a home date against New Mexico at noon Saturday. They could (should) be favored to win all five.

Winning out and capturing a conference championship still wouldn’t guarantee UNLV a place in the College Football Playoff as the Group of Five participant. No. 25 Memphis (7-1) and South Florida (6-2) from the American Athletic Conference may have the inside track. There is also Navy (7-0), Tulane (6-1) and North Texas (7-1).

The Rebels, more than anything, just need to worry about their remaining games. UNLV — which has serious issues on defense — isn’t talented enough to lose focus and still win.

Here’s a look at what awaits the Rebels in their final five games:

Nov. 1, vs. New Mexico: The Lobos (5-3, 2-2) are middle of the pack in most statistical categories under first-year coach Jason Eck.

New Mexico and UNLV have played three common opponents this season. They both defeated UCLA and Idaho State and both lost to Boise State.

Nov. 8, at Colorado State: The Rams (2-6, 1-3) are a mess. They fired coach Jay Norvell last week in the middle of his fourth season. He was 18-26 during his time at Fort Collins.

Colorado State’s two wins came against Northern Colorado and, surprisingly, Fresno State (5-3, 2-2). The Rams have struggled to score, as their 19.1 points per game rank 11th in the Mountain West.

UNLV can’t look past Colorado State, but this should be a win for the Rebels.

Nov. 15, vs. Utah State: The Aggies (4-4, 2-2) are a strange team. They’ve played well at times and poorly at others.

First-year coach Bronco Mendenhall’s team, like UNLV, has had few problems moving the ball but has struggled on defense. Neither team can stop the run, but they have two of the Mountain West’s most efficient passing attacks.

Nov. 21, vs. Hawaii: The Rainbow Warriors (6-2, 3-1) are bowl eligible for the first time since 2021. They also have one of the league’s rising stars in redshirt freshman quarterback Micah Alejado, a Bishop Gorman alum.

Alejado threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Colorado State last week, making him the only FBS quarterback to throw for 300-plus yards and three scores in three consecutive games this season.

Hawaii also has two of the Mountain West’s better wide receivers in Pofele Ashlock and Jackson Harris. Its defense is no slouch either, as it ranks third in the league in points allowed per game (23.3).

Nov. 29, at UNR: The battle for the Fremont Cannon doesn’t look like a fair fight on paper.

The Wolf Pack (1-7, 0-4) don’t match up with the Rebels well. UNR is last in the Mountain West in points per game (14) and ranks eighth in points allowed per game (27.5).

Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.