College Football Game of the Week: No. 17 Boise State vs. UNLV

If you had said this game would be the game of the week before the college football season started many people would call you crazy.

But now with eight weeks of football behind us Boise State and UNLV have become must-watch television this Friday Night.

This game holds more weight than just bragging rights, however, for the winner will take sole possession of the top spot in the Mountain West Conference.

Both of these squads have had the attention of the media albeit for very different reasons.

The Broncos have been led by their star running back Ashton Jeanty who has burst into the Heisman conversation after his incredibly strong start to the season.

Jeanty leads the country in rushing yards with 1,248 along with being tied for second in the country with 17 rushing touchdowns. Jeanty has set the media alight going viral across multiple platforms for his highlight reel plays.

The Broncos are more than just their running back. Quarterback Maddux Madsen has thrown for 12 touchdowns and has completed 63.8% of his passes. The only loss the Broncos have suffered was to the Oregon Ducks in a 37-34 thriller.

UNLV on the other hand, caught media attention for a more negative reason. After a 3-0 start to the season, starting quarterback Matthew Sluka announced he would sit out the season to redshirt and enter the transfer portal in the offseason.

His reasoning was due to an NIL dispute in which he was reportedly shorted over $100,000. Though the controversy brought negative media attention, UNLV has continued to perform above expectations.

Their success has largely been due to the performance of former backup quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams.

Williams took over the starting role against Fresno State and led the team to a 59-14 win. He was stellar in an overtime loss to Syracuse which remains the only blemish on the Rebels’ record so far this season.

These two teams both feature high-powered offenses. Boise State ranks third in the country with 46.8 points per game, while UNLV ranks fifth scoring 43.6 points per game.

Both offenses feature dangerous rushing attacks with Boise State ranking second in the nation with 289.8 yards per game and UNLV ranking fifth with 251.4 yards per game.

The defenses for both squads have shined and struggled in some games this season. The Broncos defense has allowed both 45 and seven points in a game this season so far. The Rebels have allowed 44 and seven points throughout the season.

Ironically, both teams' best wins so far this season have come against the two remaining PAC-12 conference teams. Boise State would pick up a win over the Washington State Cougars in Week 5 45-24.

UNLV captured a 33-25 win over the Oregon State Beavers in Week 8. Boise State is currently slated to join the PAC-12 in 2026, while the status of UNLV in the Mountain West is up in the air.

The game is set to kick off at 10:30 p.m. EST this Friday, Oct. 25. With both teams’ offenses being as explosive as they are and both teams’ defenses struggling, expect this one to be a thrilling shootout under the lights.

Luke Stefanisko is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ljs6415@psu.edu.