BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Maddux Madsen delivered four first-half touchdowns and Boise State claimed its third straight Mountain West Conference championship, overpowering UNLV 38–21 on Saturday in the final title game the Broncos will play before leaving for the rebuilt Pac-12 in 2026.
Madsen tore through the Rebels early. He stacked up 196 total yards, opening with a 10-yard keeper and adding touchdown throws to Dylan Riley, Cameron Bates and Malik Sherrod as the Broncos (9-4) built a 28–14 lead. Sherrod’s 39-yard score came one snap after a UNLV fumble.
UNLV (10-3), in its first season under head coach Dan Mullen, fought back behind quarterback Anthony Colandrea. He led a 95-yard march capped by his 5-yard touchdown run and later found Troy Omeire from 11 yards out to keep the Rebels within two scores at the half. JoJo Earle’s 7-yard run cut the deficit to 28–21 late in the third.
The Broncos forced three consecutive stops to open the fourth quarter and turned a 78-yard drive into Sire Gaines’ 1-yard touchdown run for a 35–21 cushion with 13:21 left. Colton Boomer’s 50-yard field goal sealed the margin.
Madsen finished with 289 yards passing, while the Broncos outgained UNLV 460–409 and never trailed.
Boise State also beat the Broncos, 56–31, in October.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up hereand here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
-
WATCH: UNLV community welcomes Dan Mullen as new head football coach
Dan Mullen returns to the sidelines in Las Vegas after spending the last three seasons as an ESPN college football analyst. He previously coached at Florida and Mississippi State.
UNLV Rebels will enter the season with new head coach Dan Mullen
The UNLV Rebels will enter the new season with a new head coach. Dan Mullen was hired in hopes of continuing the past two years of making history on the field.
Dan Mullen to become UNLV's next football coach, AP sources say
The 52-year-old Dan Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who left for Purdue on Sunday after going 19-8 and helping the Rebels receive back-to-back bowl invitations for the first time in program history.
Here are the Mountain West teams UNLV football will face in 2025
UNLV football will play four Mountain West teams in 2025 that it did not face this season, as the conference announced future opponents on Tuesday.
