The Mountain West trophy, left, and National Championship trophy are displayed during the 2026 Old Trapper Mountain West Football Media Days astatine the Palms Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Photo by: Steve Marcus
By Ray Brewer (contact)
Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 2 a.m.
With each the speech of UNLV shot having a morganatic way to the College Football Playoff, 1 question looms: Do the Rebels request to tally the array to gain the Group of Five’s automatic bid?
Coach Dan Mullen, successful a wide-ranging interrogation astatine Mountain West Media Days, doesn’t deliberation so.
“Let’s accidental we are 12-1. I deliberation the 1 could find it potentially,” Mullen said. “It depends connected who the 1 was, right? You look astatine past year. (We) mislaid 2 games successful the regular season. We mislaid the incorrect one. We mightiness person hosted the (Mountain West) championship. And each of a abrupt we triumph the title crippled and mightiness person gotten the past playoff spot.”
Oddsmakers person acceptable UNLV’s triumph full astatine 7.5, a motion that sportsbooks spot plentifulness of landmines connected the schedule.
The slate includes conscionable 1 Power 5 hostile — Cal, connected Oct. 3 astatine Allegiant Stadium — but it’s inactive loaded with challenges. Mullen calls it 1 of the toughest schedules of immoderate Group of Five school.
UNLV opens its play Aug. 29 astatine location against Memphis successful 1 of the marquee matchups of Week 0. Memphis carries its ain playoff hopes, and the crippled volition aerial connected Fox arsenic the header contention successful a week erstwhile lone a fistful of games footwear disconnected the season.
Then it’s disconnected to Hawaii — arguably the biggest menace to an undefeated play for UNLV.
Many UNLV-Hawaii games are close, particularly successful Hawaii. UNLV rallied for a 29-27 triumph determination successful 2024 but dropped roadworthy games successful the bid successful 2018, 2020 and 2022. Hawaii is coming disconnected a nine-win play and has its ain eyes connected a Mountain West title.
Survive the Hawaii matchup — some the hostile and the question — and it’s backmost connected the roadworthy the pursuing play to look different prime opponent, North Texas. UNLV plays 3 of its archetypal 4 games distant from Allegiant Stadium.
Mullen says 1 vantage of the aboriginal Hawaii travel is his squad should beryllium caller due to the fact that it’s aboriginal successful the season.
“The docket is what the docket is, and you conscionable spell upwind it up and spell play,” helium said.
The Rebels besides person roadworthy games astatine Akron (Sept. 26), Air Force (Oct. 17), New Mexico (Nov. 14) and San Jose State (Nov. 21). UNLV and New Mexico are co-favorites to triumph the league.
The revamped Mountain West present includes North Dakota State, UTEP and Northern Illinois. Boise State, which defeated UNLV successful the past 3 league rubric games, on with Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State near for the caller Pac-12.
With Boise State retired of the picture, 1 could reason that UNLV is present the apical canine successful the Mountain West. And winning the Mountain West is the lone mode to drawback the coveted playoff spot, though it's nary guarantee.
While this surely won’t beryllium the past clip Mullen is asked astir the playoff, the absorption close present is connected the opener adjacent period against Memphis and continuing to spot gradual improvement. That betterment is the champion mode to capitalize connected what could beryllium a historical season.
“The extremity for our guys is: Let’s interest astir what we tin control, spell triumph our games, and if we person that accidental to support playing, we spell instrumentality vantage of it,” helium said.
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