UNLV Rebels Gaining Respect Could Help Earn Them A College Football Playoff Bid

People are beginning to take notice of this UNLV Rebels football team, and that can go a long way in influencing voters in both the AP Poll and College Football Playoff.

Dec 2, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; The UNLV Rebels logo at midfield during the Mountain West Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The UNLV Rebels are gaining respect around the college football world. We have seen it in the AP Poll, in power rankings, and from the talking heads on TV and radio. They are widely considered the top team in the Mountain West Conference so far in 2025. It didn't take long for them to jump over the Boise State Broncos and, in some cases, the San Jose State Spartans. Many of the top outlets in the region have bought in on UNLV, including Wyoming Sports Net, Mountain West Connection, and Cache Valley Daily. This kind of positive attention can impact their ability to earn a College Football Playoff bid come time.

Wyoming Sports Net's Take

"The Rebels (3-0 overall) have separated themselves from the pack early, beating UCLA 30-23 last weekend in Las Vegas. UNLV built an early 23-0 advantage in the first half to clinch its first win over a Big Ten team in 22 years. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea finished 15-of-21 for 203 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 59 yards on the ground. The Rebels are second in the conference in total offense at 429 yards per game, but they're dead-last in total defense at 438.3 yards allowed. UNLV received five points in this week's AP Top 25 poll."

Mountain West Connections Take

"The Rebels improve to a steady 3-0 after the P4 win, looking better each week. While not a perfect team (see the penalty yards which are a growing concern), their offense has found its rhythm and the defense is matching up against opponents well. Seemingly every Mountain West team has struggled in at least one game this season, so UNLV getting to three wins despite not playing perfect ball is a major accomplishment."

Cache Valley Daily's Take

"The Rebels seem to be the only team that actually wants to be considered a top team in the Mountain West. Sure, things haven't been pretty. UNLV narrowly avoided embarrassment against Idaho State. And it nearly blew things against UCLA by letting the Bruins march down the field for what almost became a game-tying touchdown. But through it all, the Rebels are 3-0 and that's what counts. No other team in the Mountain West can say that, with only two other teams able to claim undefeated status (and neither were preseason contenders, so they're not getting a spot near the top of these rankings)."

More UNLV Rebels On SI News