Boise State vs UNLV live updates: Score, highlights for Mountain West championship

Amid a conference championship weekend where College Football Playoff seeding is determined are fought over and Power Four conferences jockey for national supremacy, a gem of a game awaits in Boise, Idaho.

Boise State (8-4) will host UNLV (10-2) in the Mountain West championship game in Albertsons Stadium. It's the last opportunity for the Broncos — who will join the remade Pac-12 Conference beginning in the 2026 college football season — to win the MWC title.

They have won at least a share of the championship six times in program history, including five MWC championship games.

Watch the Mountain West championship game on Fubo (free trial)

Standing in there way is a UNLV coach led by former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen, who has the Rebels challenging for a conference title in just his first season in Las Vegas. The teams met earlier in the season, however, with Boise State earning a commanding 56-31 on Oct. 18.

Can Boise State beat UNLV twice in the same season for one final Mountain West title? Or will Mullen lead revenge against the Broncos en route to a Year 1 conference title?

USA TODAY is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along:

UNLV vs Boise State score

TEAM	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	F
UNLV	0	14	—	—	—
Boise State	14	14	—	—	—

UNLV vs Boise State live updates

This section will be updated.

Halftime: Boise State 28, UNLV 14

Boise State seems content taking a 28-14 lead into halftime. Despite the disparity in score, the Broncos are only out-gaining the Rebels 288-270.

Anthony Colandrea leads another touchdown drive

Anthony Colandrea rushes for gains of 19 and 20 yards before throwing an 11-yard touchdown to Troy Omeire just inside the pylon, bringing the score to 28-14 Boise State with 49 seconds. Impressive drive by the Rebels to face a manageable second half ... assuming the defense gets a stop.

Boise State responds with quick scoring drive

Whatever momentum UNLV hoped to gain from its previous drive has been undone. Boise State responds with a lightning-quick scoring drive, highlighted by a 35-yard run by Sire Gaines and stamped with a 39-yard Malik Sherrod touchdown reception off a nifty screen play. The Broncos lead 28-7 after just three plays and 72 seconds.

Anthony Colandrea finally gets UNLV on the board

Finally, a score for UNLV. The Rebels take the ball at their own 5-yard line and go the length of the field in nine plays and 3:46 of game clock. Colandrea finishes the drive with a 5-yard touchdown scramble on third-and-4.

UNLV forces punt, moving ball on offense

While not much has gone right for the Rebels thus far in the Mountain West championship, credit the team for not giving up. Following a Boise State punt, UNLV has gained multiple chunk plays. Those are a 9-yard JoJo Earle run; a 21-yard run by running back Jalen Lee; a 13-yard catch by Taeshaun Lyons; a 22-yard reception by Earle; and a 19-yard run by Lee to the Boise State 11.

UNLV punt upcoming

Four plays, negative-7 yards for UNLV on the Rebels' latest drive. Here comes another punt, this time from the UNLV 18-yard line. If it wasn't already over, another score could spell the end of this game.

Maddux Madsen scores hat trick

Maddux Madsen's in his bag right now, scoring his third touchdown of the night. This time he has all day in the pocket to find a wide-open Cameron Bates in the back of the end zone for the 7-yard touchdown. The drive traverses 67 yards across 12 plays and takes off 5:36 of game clock. The Broncos lead 21-0 with 8:42 left in the first half.

UNLV punts again

Stop us if you've heard this: UNLV has punted. The Rebels are unable to convert on third down to open the second quarter and, following a shanked punt by Cam Brown, the Broncos take over at their own 33-yard line looking to make it a three-score game.

First quarter: Boise State 14, UNLV 0

Boise State lengthens lead with another touchdown

Another Boise State drive, another touchdown. Madsen checks it down to running back Dylan Riley and he walks it in from 9 yards out to lengthen Boise State's lead to 14-0. The drive traverses 67 yards in five plays and 2:17 of game clock. The big play of the drive is a 44-yard catch by Cameron Bates that gets Boise State to the UNLV 23-yard line.

UNLV misses field goal

UNLV's third drive doesn't end with a punt or a fumble, but a missed field goal. Ramon Villela's 50-yard attempt misses just wide right, and will give Boise State the ball at its own 32-yard line.

Maddux Madsen scrambles for touchdown

And just like that, Boise State gets on the board. Two plays after Madsen's 45-yard pitch-and-catch, he scrambles 10 yards to the corner of the end zone to open the scoring. The drive goes 51 yards in five plays, taking 2:48 of game clock. Boise State leads 7-0 with 6:40 in the first quarter.

Boise State breaks long play, in scoring position

Great play by Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen who, following a UNLV to bring up third-and-17, connects with Chase Penry for a 45-yard gain all the way down to the UNLV 12-yard line.

UNLV fumbles, goes three-and-out to open game

Not the greatest start for UNLV's offense, which opens the game with a fumble in Boise State territory followed by a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, which started at its own 11-yard line. Following the punt, Boise State will take over just shy of midfield for its second drive of the game.

Boise State recovers fumble

A promising UNLV drive is undone in Boise State territory. Anthony Colandrea connects with Jaden Bradley for a first-down conversion on third-and-11 at the Broncos' 40-yard line, but has the ball dislodged by Boise State's Boen Phelps. The Broncos jump on the ball and take over at their own 41-yard line.

Pregame

Boise State kicks off, giving quarterback Anthony Colandrea and the Rebels the ball first. We're underway in Boise!

Boise State vs UNLV in MWC championship

Of note: This is the third straight Mountain West championship between Boise State and UNLV. The Broncos won each of the last two.

UNLV warming up

Here are some early looks at UNLV warming up at Albertsons Stadium. Temperature at kickoff is expected to be in the low-to-mid 40s.

Mountain West tiebreaker, explained

For those curious how the Mountain West determined UNLV and Boise State as its two championship game participants, here's an explanation from commissioner Gloria Nevarez:

Who is coaching UNLV?

College football fans tuning in for their first Mountain West game this season may recognize a familiar face on the UNLV sidelines: Former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen, who was hired by the Rebels on Dec. 12, 2024. Mullen has led UNLV to a 10-2 record in his first regular season in Las Vegas.

Is Boise State leaving Mountain West Conference?

The Dec. 5 game between Boise State and UNLV is bittersweet for Mountain West fans: It marks the penultimate game the Broncos will compete as a Mountain West team, and the last one against another Mountain West opponent. The Broncos will join the reformed Pac-12 Conference beginning with the 2026 college football schedule.

What time does UNLV vs Boise State start?

Date: Friday, Dec. 5
Time: 8 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. MT
Where: Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)

Boise State and UNLV will kick off at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local) on Saturday, Dec. 6 from Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho.

What TV channel is UNLV vs Boise State on today?

TV channel: Fox
Livestream: Fox Sports app | Fubo (free trial)

The Mountain West championship game between UNLV and Boise State will be broadcast on Fox. The announcers will be Jason Benetti (play-by-play), Robert Griffin III (analyst), and Alexa Landestoy (sideline reporter).

Streaming options for the game include the Fox Sports app and Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

UNLV vs Boise State predictions

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY: Boise State 33, UNLV 28

Boise State really lucked out getting a team it has already beaten this season and playing this game at home. While this game shouldn't be a blowout like the first matchup, Boise State is able to limit UNLV's offense from taking control of the game, and a late stop seals one last Mountain West title for the Broncos.

Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Network: UNLV 30, Boise State 27

It'd only be fitting for Boise State, the most dominant Mountain West program in recent years, to go out with a conference title before it moves to the Pac-12 next season. However, UNLV and first-year coach Dan Mullen play spoiler, as Mullen puts together one of the best coaching jobs in college football this season.

Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network: Boise State 34, UNLV 30

The Broncos had their way with the Rebels the first time these teams met up, a decisive 56-31 victory on Oct. 18 in Vegas. Ashton Jeanty isn't walking through that door for Boise State, but its running back tandem of Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines has come on in recent weeks. Between that and what are projected to be cold, rainy conditions for the game against a team from the desert that plays in a climate-controlled environment, I like the Broncos to leave the Mountain West as its champion, once again.

UNLV football schedule 2025

Here's a look at UNLV's schedule in 2025, including past scores.