CFP berth at stake when No. 10 Boise State hosts No. 19 UNLV in Mountain West title game

By JASON CHATRAW The Associated Press

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) is tackled by Oregon State defensive lineman Jojo Johnson (90) from behind in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Steve Conner]

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The playoffs start Friday night for No. 10 Boise State and No. 19 UNLV with a winner-take-all showdown for the Mountain West championship.

With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams this season, there’s a guaranteed berth for the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion. The playoff committee’s penultimate rankings released Tuesday made clear the Mountain West winner will be in.

Boise State (11-1, 7-0, No. 10 CFP) even has the potential to earn a first-round bye if the Broncos defeat UNLV (10-2, 6-1, No. 20 CFP) for the second time this season.

“When you play in a championship game, you want to play the best,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “UNLV … is one of the best teams around. They’ve got a bunch of talent. They play well together. They’re very motivated and driven to win this game, just like us.”

If the title game goes anything like the teams’ matchup earlier this season — a 29-24 Boise State victory — it promises to be a competitive clash. At least much closer than last year’s title game when the Broncos coasted to a 44-20 win over the Rebels.

BetMGM Sportsbook has made the Broncos 4-point favorites.

“We’re thankful to have an opportunity for the second year in a row to be playing in the Mountain West championship game,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said. “The guys that were here last year can use those experiences to maybe put us in a better situation this year on how we prepare, how we play and and the understanding that we’ve been in a lot of big games this year already. We know a lot about our opponent, and on on the other side, they know a lot about us.”

Everyone knows about Boise State star running back and Heisman Trophy hopeful Ashton Jeanty.

The bruising back leads the nation in rushing with 2,288 yards this season, just 340 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. But in the teams’ first matchup this season, UNLV’s defense held Jeanty to 128 yards on 33 carries, his lowest yards-per-carry average in a game at 3.9.

“(Jeanty) is a tremendous player,” Odom said. “I think he is the best player in college football. He’s got all the great traits you want to see in a running back — unless you’re trying to tackle him. We know it’s going to take all 11 guys. We need to try to eliminate as many one-on-one tackles with him as we can in that situation.”

Glaring absence

Although most of the spotlight on Boise State this season has focused on Jeanty and the offense, the Broncos’ defense ranks second in the country in sacks with 45.

Boise State, however, will be without senior safety Alexander Teubner, who has been out since injuring his left leg Nov. 9 against Nevada.

In the Oct. 25 matchup with UNLV, Teubner led the team in tackles with 14, including two for loss, with a sack and a forced fumble.

It’s cold outside

The gametime temperate is expected to be around 40 degrees.

UNLV won twice in inclement weather, with rainy skies at Hawaii and San Jose State.

“It’ll be perfect weather for (the) UNLV Rebels,” Odom said. “That’s the way you’ve got to approach it. If you look at it any differently, then you’re letting something that you have no control over mess with your emotions, and you can’t do that.”

Points machine

Jeanty isn’t the only Boise State player hitting the FBS record books this season. Kicker Jonah Dalmas is fourth in FBS history with 503 points and his 93 made field goals is third best and just four behind record holder Christopher Dunn. His career field-goal percentage of 87.7 is also seventh all-time.

Dalmas has hit all 60 of his extra points this season and is 13 of 16 on field-goal attempts with a career long of 56 yards.

Perfect away from Vegas

UNLV is 6-0 on the road this season and is on a program-record eight-game winning streak away from home. The active streak is the nation’s third-longest behind Texas (11) and SMU (10).

The Rebels’ last road loss was Oct. 28, 2023, at Fresno State, which scored 24 points in the third quarter of a 31-24 defeat of UNLV.

The money

Conferences will receive $4 million for each team that makes the CFP and each team that advances to the quarterfinals and $6 million for each team that advances to the semifinals and championship game. In addition, each conference will receive $3 million to cover expenses from each round for a team participating in the CFP.

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AP Sports Writer Mark Anderson in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

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