BOISE, Idaho — The 2023 Mountain West Football Championship is on the horizon, with Bronco Nation eagerly awaiting Boise State's seventh appearance in the title bout, this time against UNLV at Allegiant Stadium.
After starting 4-5, losing its leading receiver and firing its head coach, Boise State (7-5, 6-2 MW) can add to its trophy case and earn a trip to the LA Bowl with a win over the Rebels on Saturday. A victory would also make Spencer Danielson the first interim head coach to ever win a conference championship game.
The showdown in the Sin City kicks off at 1 p.m. MT (12 p.m. PT) and will be nationally televised on FOX. UNLV (9-3, 6-2 MW) is making its debut appearance in the finale under first-year head coach Barry Odom. Boise State, the MW preseason favorite, is riding the mentality of "finishing what we started."
Whether you made the trip to Las Vegas, or stayed in the City of Trees, start championship game day with KTVB Sports Director Jay Tust on the official TV station for Bronco Nation! A pair of pre-game shows will provide fans with all they need to know ahead of kickoff.
The first Bronco Roundup Game Day Show airs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. MT on KTVB Channel 7, KTVB.COM, KTVB+ on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, and the KTVB mobile app.
One hour before the Mountain West title game gets underway, Tust returns for a second exclusive pre-game show on KTVB's digital platforms. Tune into KTVB.COM, KTVB's YouTube channel, KTVB+ and the KTVB mobile app at 12 p.m. MT Saturday to see the sights and sounds of Allegiant Stadium from the sidelines.
While the shows differ in content, both editions of Bronco Roundup will hit on matchup storylines, players and trends to watch, in-depth analysis with former players, what lies ahead for Boise State football and more. Saturday afternoon's online program gives fans an up-close look at players and coaches on the field prior to game time.
ESPN's Matchup Predictor, created using its Football Power Index, gives Boise State a 55.9% chance of knocking off the Rebels Saturday afternoon. The Broncos and Rebels earned a spot in the championship after earning the highest averages in the computer rankings following a three-way tie with San Jose State.
The line is nearly unanimous across major sportsbooks, per VegasInsider. The likes of DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars, Bet365 and BetRivers all have a 2.5-point spread favoring the blue and orange.
Odom's impact in Las Vegas this fall has been impressive – UNLV captured its most overall wins since 1984 and its most MW wins ever in a single season. The Rebels tout a high-powered offense that ranks 19th among all FBS teams averaging 35.6 points per game. UNLV also sits at No. 25 with 187.8 rushing yards per outing, and No. 40 nationally with 424.3 yards of total offense per game.
UNLV will be tasked with slowing down sophomore standout running back Ashton Jeanty, who joined Kellen Moore and Brett Rypien as the only Broncos to earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. Jeanty was one of 12 Boise State players who received all-conference honors this week.
The Broncos' two-headed monster of Jeanty and George Holani could be in for another big day in Las Vegas, with UNLV allowing 150.8 rushing yards per game.
Check out KTVB's Game Day Guide for more information on Saturday's matchup, how to watch and listen to the game, predictions, series history, a stats comparison, top players, and more.
KTVB will live stream Boise State's post-game press conference on KTVB.COM, the KTVB YouTube channel, KTVB+ and the KTVB mobile app immediately following the game. Fans will hear from interim head coach Spencer Danielson and select Bronco players.
Post-game interviews will also be posted online shortly after the press conference ends, so Bronco Nation can watch whenever and wherever they want. Stay tuned to KTVB.COM Saturday evening for a game recap, extended highlights, a photo gallery and comments from the Mountain West title game.
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