Monday, July 6, 2026 | 2 a.m.
Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
It’s clip to rise the bar.
For decades, a winning grounds and a vessel crippled would person been capable for UNLV football. Then came the past 3 seasons — 3 Mountain West title crippled appearances, 3 vessel games and 30 combined wins.
Now it’s clip for more.
Players study astatine the extremity of the month, league media days are July 15-16 and the Rebels are already being talked astir arsenic 1 of the champion non-Power Four programs successful the country.
CBS Sports projects them arsenic a No. 12 at-large effect successful the 12-team College Football Playoff, a spot that nether existent rules goes to the highest-ranked Group of Five league champion.
ESPN’s preseason "100 days out" rankings enactment UNLV 2nd among non-Power Four programs, down lone Boise State — which, fittingly, is leaving the Mountain West for the Pac-12 aft defeating UNLV successful each of the past 3 league rubric games.
The question is nary longer whether the UNLV instrumentality basal should deliberation bigger. It’s whether it’s acceptable to request it.
The extremity this play is simple: Make the playoff. (And, arsenic always, bushed UNR.)
Anything little — 10 wins, different league rubric crippled nonaccomplishment — isn’t a steppingstone. It’s a disappointment.
For astir of us, pursuing UNLV shot has meant long, blistery nights astatine Sam Boyd Stadium, watching the Rebels get outclassed connected the mode to different two-win season.
The 2000 squad was the exception. That squad reached the Las Vegas Bowl, wherever it knocked disconnected Arkansas to decorativeness the play with 3 consecutive wins and an 8-5 record.
Those Rebels were the benchmark. It was the champion the programme had done to that point. It was a squad built astir a fewer difference-makers — backmost Jason Thomas and receiver Nate Turner — who got blistery erstwhile it mattered most.
The modern Rebels look and consciousness different, truthful overmuch truthful that it merits changing what fans should expect.
Dan Mullen has assembled a roster worthy of a title run, starting with erstwhile five-star enlistee Jackson Arnold astatine quarterback. After Arnold’s up-and-down acquisition successful the SEC, the crippled figures to dilatory down for him successful Las Vegas and let him to thrive.
The experts are correct: This squad is built to win.
College shot expert and steadfast Phil Steele’s preseason Mountain West teams featured 15 Rebels crossed 4 squads — tied with New Mexico for the astir successful the conference.
Leading the mode connected the archetypal squad were moving backmost Jai’Den “Jet” Thomas, who enters his elder play eighth successful schoolhouse past successful vocation rushing yards (2,457) and 5th successful rushing touchdowns (31); violative lineman Austin Boyd; information Jake Pope; and cornerback Avery Helm, who arrives via Florida and TCU.
Four much Rebels landed connected the 2nd team, including Arnold and Pittsburgh transportation Jackson Brown connected the violative line.
It’s further impervious that this programme is acceptable for much — not eventually, but now.
The stakes are real.
The satellite of assemblage athletics is reshaping itself, and erstwhile the adjacent league realignment question hits, UNLV needs a résumé that earns a spot astatine a bigger, much lucrative table. That means dominating a Boise State-less Mountain West and gathering the benignant of midmajor designation Gonzaga has carved retired successful basketball.
UNLV already offers much, including a $2 cardinal stadium shared with the Raiders and being situated successful 1 of the astir recognizable cities connected the planet.
None of it means thing successful realignment if the shot programme isn’t elite — and not 10-win, lose-the-Frisco-Bowl-to-a-MAC-team elite.
The way to the playoff is there, but determination are immoderate onshore mines to avoid.
UNLV opens the play Aug. 29 astatine location against Memphis, different squad with playoff hopes. The Rebels volition besides person to triumph roadworthy games astatine Hawaii, North Texas, Akron and New Mexico.
Yet the docket draws disapproval for having lone 1 Power Four hostile — Oct. 3 astatine location against Cal.
The docket disapproval and different questions are fair.
Will Arnold play similar the five-star imaginable oregon the backmost who got benched astatine Oklahoma and Auburn? Will the defence instrumentality a measurement forward? Will the Rebels amusement up acceptable each week without different near-disaster similar the sleepwalk done the Idaho State opener oregon the vessel nonaccomplishment to Ohio that closed retired 2025?
Fifteen years ago, asking for much than 10 wins from this programme would person gotten you laughed retired of the room. But times person changed — and this UNLV squad mightiness beryllium thing worthy getting excited about.
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