Game Day Guide: No. 10 Boise State looks to win consecutive Mountain West conference championships in rematch against No. 19 UNLV
No. 10 Boise State aims to secure a playoff berth in a rematch and conference championship game against No. 19 UNLV on Friday.
Steve Conner & David Becker/Associated Press
No. 10 Boise State is hosting the Old Trapper Mountain West Conference Championship game at Albertsons Stadium and is poised to face the No. 19 UNLV Rebels. The Broncos are 7-0 in conference play, and the Rebels are 6-1, with their only loss coming to the Broncos earlier this season.
Boise State is currently ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25 Poll, the highest the Broncos have been ranked since the Chris Petersen era. The Broncos are also on a 10-win streak, with their only loss of the season coming to the No. 1 Oregon Ducks.
The Rebels are coming off a historic season of their own. With Barry Odom as their head coach, the Rebels are on their first 10-win season since 1984. Odom has also turned the Rebels around, delivering them their first winning and bowl-eligible season in 2023 since 2013. The Rebels are checking in at No. 19 in the AP, the highest they have been ranked in conference history.
This meeting marks the second match against UNLV in the 2024 season after the Broncos' 29-24 victory in October. Ashton Jeanty put up 128 hard-fought yards on 33 carries in Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Head Coach Spencer Danielson said the Broncos leaned on Jeanty in this first match-up.
This matchup is also a rematch of last year's conference championship game when the Broncos and the Rebels met at Allegiant Stadium, where the Broncos took home the trophy, beating the Rebels 44-20. Last year's matchup looked a little different for both teams, with the Broncos being led by quarterback Taylen Green and the Rebels by quarterback Jayden Maiava. But our returning Bronco, Ashton Jeanty, still had a great game, rushing for 153 yards against the Rebels on 21 carries.
Boise State is looking to win consecutive Mountain West championships for the first time since joining the conference. In program history, Boise State has won 5 Mountain West championships but has not been able to win them consecutively. Boise State won WAC titles consecutively from 2002-2006 under Dan Hawkins.
"It will be huge to see the Bronco Nation selling out. They have done it all year; it has been huge for us all year, on defense and offense, just to look out in the stands and be like, 'Wow, man, this is really the best atmosphere that I can ever be at,'" said senior defensive end Ahmed Hassanein. "I'm really grateful."
"You talk about one of the best home-field advantages in the country. It may not seat 100,000 people, but it sounds like 100,000 people," said quarterback Maddux Madsen. "Bronco Nation does a great job of showing up every week. The fact that the student section was full on Thanksgiving break shows the support we are getting and receiving."
Due to Boise State and UNLV both being the highest-ranked Group of Five teams, this conference championship game is essentially a play-in game to the College Football Playoff.
Boise State is the favorite to win the championship by four points. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. MT Friday, Dec. 6, on FOX. This article includes information on how to watch the conference contest.
Scroll down or use the tabs at the top of this article to find game predictions, stat comparisons, players to watch, streaming and radio information, details on KTVB's pre-game shows and post-game coverage and more.
Game Information Broncos host UNLV
No. 10 Boise State (11-1, 7-0 MW) vs. No. 19 UNLV (10-2, 6-1 MW)
- Friday, Dec. 6
- Kickoff: 5 p.m. MT
- Channel: FOX
- Albertson's Stadium – Boise, Idaho
- Capacity: 36,387
- Weather: High of 44 | Low of 27 | Partly cloudy
How to Watch TV, Radio, Streaming
ON TV
No. 10 Boise State's showdown with UNLV will be televised on FOX, with the Big Noon Kickoff crew coming to Boise. FOX is available on the following channels:
- Broadcast: KNIN Channel 9
- DirecTV: Channel 9
- Dish Network: Channel 9
- Sparklight: Channel 9 / 1009 HDTV
- Cox: Channel 6
ON THE RADIO
Fans can listen to the game on the Bronco Radio Network, which is hosted by Bob Behler (play-by-play) and Pete Cavender (analyst). The Network is available online and through the 2024 affiliates listed below. The call can also be heard on SiriusXM Channel 83.
- Boise: KBOI 670 AM
- Boise: KBOI 93.1 FM
- Idaho Falls: KSPZ 980 AM
- Idaho Falls: KSPZ 98.7 FM
- McCall: KDZY 98.3 FM
- Pocatello: KSPZ 94.5 FM
- Salmon: KSRA 960 AM
- St. Maries: KOFE 1240 AM
- Twin Falls: KSNQ 98.3 FM
STREAMING
Streaming for Friday's game is available through most popular platforms, including Paramount+, FuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV and more.
For more information on ways to watch FOX outside of standard TV channels, click here and visit the website's "watch" dropdown.
Bronco Roundup Live from the Blue
BRONCO ROUNDUP GAME DAY SHOW
Gear up for kickoff with KTVB's Jay Tust and Brady Frederick on the official TV station for Bronco Nation! An exclusive pre-game show on the famous blue turf will provide an in-depth breakdown of the Old Trapper Mountain West Championship with UNLV.
The Bronco Roundup Game Day Show airs live at 4 p.m. Friday on KTVB Channel 7, KTVB.COM, KTVB+ on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV, and the KTVB mobile app.
At 5 p.m. you can stream our Bronco Roundup Live from the Field show on KTVB.COM, KTVB+ and the KTVB mobile app.
Tune in for a preview with an up-close look at players taking the field, Boise State warmups, last-minute injury updates, sideline interviews, matchup storylines, comments from coaches and captains, and more.
POST-GAME COVERAGE
KTVB will livestream Boise State's press conference Friday night immediately after the game on KTVB.COM, KTVB's YouTube channel, KTVB+ and the KTVB mobile app.
Bronco Nation can expect to hear from head coach Spencer Danielson and select players. All interviews will be made available via streaming and online following the press conference.
Coverage of Boise State's bout with UNLV continues on KTVB.COM with an in-depth game recap, photo gallery, interviews and key takeaways, extended highlights and more.
Series History Bronco Dominance
History: Sep. 16, 1972 – Oct. 25, 2024
- Overall: Boise State leads 10-3
- In Boise: Broncos lead 5-0
- In Vegas: Broncos lead 5-3
- Current streak: Boise State – 8
- Longest win streak: Boise State – 8 (1977-2024)
- Largest margin of victory: Boise State – 45-14 (1977) | UNLV – 24-19 (1973)
- Smallest margin of victory: Boise State – 29-24 (2024) | UNLV – 37-35 (1974)
Boise State's all-time record against UNLV:
- Oct. 25, 2024: Win - 29-24 (Las Vegas)
- Dec. 2, 2024: Win - 44-20 (Las Vegas)
- Dec. 4, 2020: Canceled (Las Vegas)
- Oct. 5, 2019: Win - 38-13 (Las Vegas)
- Nov. 18, 2016: Win - 42-25 (Boise)
- Oct. 31, 2015: Win - 55-27 (Las Vegas)
- Oct. 20, 2012: Win - 32-7 (Boise)
- Nov. 5, 2011: Win – 48-21 (Las Vegas)
- Sept. 24, 1977: Win – 45-14 (Boise)
- Nov. 6, 1976: Loss – 31-26 (Las Vegas)
- Oct. 18, 1975: Win – 34-21 (Boise)
- Oct. 19, 1974: Loss – 37-35 (Las Vegas)
- Oct. 13, 1973: Loss – 24-19 (Las Vegas)
- Sept. 16, 1972: Win – 36-16 (Boise)
Odds and Predictions Broncos Favorited
ESPN's Matchup Predictor, generated using ESPN Analytics, gives Boise State a 68.8% chance of beating UNLV and extending their win streak to 11.
The Broncos are 4-point favorites on ESPN Bet as of Monday afternoon, with an over/under of 58.5 on the platform. The spread opened at 4.5 on ESPN Bet, while the point total opened at 60.5.
Bally Sports, Bet365, BetMGM, BetRivers, Caesars, DraftKings and FanDuel have Boise State as a 4.0-point favorite with three days until kickoff, according to VegasInsider.
Team Stats FBS Ranks
Team: Stat Per Game | FBS Rank
TOTAL OFFENSE
- Boise State: 478.3 YPG | No. 5
- UNLV: 434.0 YPG | No. 29
SCORING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 40.6 PPG | No. 3
- UNLV: 38.7 PPG | No. 7
RUSHING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 253.5 YPG | No. 6
- UNLV: 254.1 YPG | No. 4
PASSING OFFENSE
- Boise State: 224.8 YPG | No. 71
- UNLV: 179.9 YPG | No. 117
TOTAL DEFENSE
- Boise State: 364.8 YPG | No. 65
- UNLV: 349.3 YPG | No. 49
SCORING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 23.2 PPG | No. 52
- UNLV: 22.0 PPG | No. 38
RUSHING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 106.6 YPG | No. 17
- UNLV: 101.1 YPG | No. 10
PASSING DEFENSE
- Boise State: 258.3 YPG | No. 120
- UNLV: 248.2 YPG | No. 110
Individual Stats Players to Watch
PASSING
- Maddux Madsen: 206-of-334 (61.7%), 2,556 yards, 21 TDs, 3 INTs
- Hajj-Malik Williams: 132-of-206 (64.1%), 1,735 yards, 17 TDs, 4 INTs
RUSHING
- Ashton Jeanty: 312 carries, 2,288 yards (7.3 avg.), 28 TDs
- Jai'Den Thomas: 139 carries, 832 yards (6.0 avg.), 7 TDs
RECEIVING
- Cameron Camper: 51 receptions, 811 yards (15.9 avg.), 4 TDs
- Ricky White: 75 receptions, 1020 yards (13.6 avg.), 11 TDs
TACKLES
- Ty Benefield: 65.0 total tackles (49 solo, 16 assisted)
- Jackson Woodard: 114.0 total tackles (57 solo, 57 assisted)
TACKLES FOR LOSS
- Jayden Virgin-Morgan: 14.0 TFLs
- Jackson Woodard: 17.0 TFLs
SACKS
- Jayden Virgin-Morgan: 9.0 sacks
- Antonio Doyle Jr.: 5.0 sacks
INTERCEPTIONS
- Ty Benefield: 2 INTs
- Jalen Catalon: 5 INTs
