3 takeaways from UNLV’s loss to Boise State: 3rd time isn’t the charm
BOISE, Idaho — UNLV has finally built a football program capable of competing for league championships, but the Rebels haven’t been able to slay the final boss.
The Rebels fell short again Friday night, losing to Boise State 38-21 in the Mountain West title game at Albertsons Stadium.
It’s the third consecutive year UNLV (10-3) has lost to the Broncos (9-4) for the league championship, just the third time in Football Bowl Subdivision history the same two teams have played for a conference crown in three straight seasons.
“You work so hard to get to this moment and third straight year against the same team, and you put in all the work and do everything you can,” senior linebacker Marsel McDuffie said. “Sometimes it doesn’t work out the way you want it to.”
The return of Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen was a major reason the Broncos added to their trophy case in their final year in the Mountain West. He had missed the past three games after suffering a foot injury, and the offense stagnated in his absence.
Not so Friday.
Madsen threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for one. He outplayed MW Offensive Player of the Year Anthony Colandrea, who threw for 225 yards and a touchdown and ran for 66 and a score.
“It sucks,” Colandrea said. “You work so hard during the offseason, and we came in January with 70 transfers to get this moment right here. We wanted this game, and Boise just outplayed us.”
The Rebels will learn their bowl destination Sunday. Boise State most likely will play in the LA Bowl.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Late start
The Rebels hung around despite digging a huge hole early.
It was a predicament they couldn’t afford against a team that has dominated the series.
After picking up two first downs on the opening drive, UNLV wide receiver Jaden Bradley lost a fumble on a third-down reception at the Boise State 41-yard line.
UNLV punted on three of its next four drives, with the exception a missed 50-yard field-goal attempt.
Madsen settled in much quicker despite the time he had missed, and the Broncos scored three touchdowns on their first four possessions to take a 21-0 lead in the second quarter.
The Rebels found themselves chasing the game the rest of the way.
2. Big plays reappear
The Rebels had done a good job shoring up their defense the second half of the season, but their penchant for allowing big plays returned at the most inopportune time.
It was also a major problem in the first meeting, when the Rebels lost 56-31 in a game in which they allowed five touchdowns of more than 20 yards and surrendered 12 such plays.
Boise State had five plays Friday in which it gained at least 35 yards, and they came in key moments.
Perhaps the most devastating was a 46-yard pass from Madsen to Chase Penry on a third-and-3 on the second play of the fourth quarter after UNLV had cut the deficit to seven points.
It was a misdirection play that worked several times, in which the Broncos popped a receiver free against the flow of the action and hit him with open blue turf in front.
“Miscommunication,” coach Dan Mullen said. “We were in man coverage. We bumped and double-teamed one guy, and nobody went with the other guy. Coverage error. That was frustrating.”
Penry was tackled on the 1-yard line, and Boise State extended its lead two plays later.
The two connected on a similar 46-yard gain to convert a third-and-17 in the first quarter that set up the Broncos’ first score.
After a missed field goal by UNLV, Madsen hit Cameron Bates for 44 yards to set up the second touchdown.
The Rebels also had tackling issues reappear, particularly on a 35-yard run by Sire Gaines in the second quarter and a short pass that Malik Sherrod turned into a 39-yard touchdown.
UNLV had won four straight games, with its defense allowing a total of 63 points.
3. House of horrors
UNLV has never won at Albertsons Stadium, falling to 0-8 in a building that was constructed in 1970.
The Rebels have lost 11 consecutive games to Boise State. The Broncos lead the series 12-3, with the last UNLV win in 1976.
UNLV hasn’t been close lately despite bringing some pretty good teams to Boise. And it’s not as if the Rebels struggle away from home in general.
They lead the FBS with 11 road wins since the start of the 2024 season and are 15-5 in true road games since 2023. They had won just eight times away from home in the previous six seasons.
It could be the final trip to the venue, with the Broncos set to leave the conference for the Pac-12 after this season.
Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.
