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UNLV Football Preview 2026: Can the Rebels Rule the New Mountain West?
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- UNLV Football Preview 2026: Can the Rebels Rule the New Mountain West?
UNLV
has figured out the formula now.
Power Four-level coaching, a dynamic offense, just enough defense, and relatively easy schedules.
If it were that easy, everyone would do it, and for decades, UNLV couldn't, with 18 losing seasons in 19 years before Barry Odom took over in 2023.
Dan Mullen stepped in last year, the wins kept coming, and now the program that couldn't win anything has won 30 games in the last three years.
Now it's time to win the Mountain West Championship.
UNLV Has to Be the Mountain West's Power Program
Nov 8, 2025; Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; UNLV Rebels running back Jai'Den Thomas (9) runs the ball in the third quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium.
© Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Rebels lost three straight Mountain West Championships to Boise State
. Boise State is now in the Pac-12 – problem solved.
San Diego State
is gone, and so are Colorado State
, Fresno State
, and Utah State. (How UNLV isn't in the Big 12, or at least the Pac-12, is crazy, but that's for another day).
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New Mexico
is still around, and North Dakota State
will come in roaring, but this has to be UNLV's Mountain West now.
It might not have the elite talent, and it might be flawed, but it's okay now for the Rebels to dream of being the star of the new-look league, and maybe even make a push for the College Football Playoff as the top Group of Six program.
UNLV Quick Hits
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Head Coach:Dan Mullen (2nd year: 10-4; 15th year overall: 113-65)
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Best Case / Worst Case:Win the Mountain West and get to the College Football Playoff/The first losing season in the last four years
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Key Player: Jackson Arnold , QB Sr.
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2025 Record:10-4
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Biggest Question:Can UNLV keep winning with yet another overhaul of talent on both sides of the ball?
UNLV Key 2025 Stats
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Rushing Yards Per Game: UNLV 203.1, Opponents 175.1
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UNLV 1st Quarter Scoring: 71, UNLV 2nd Quarter Scoring: 179
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Third Downs: UNLV 73-of-158 (57%), Opponents 52-of-159 (33%)
Offense
Offensive coordinator Corey Dennis just wants to keep it all going.
The Rebel attack led the Mountain West in total offense with 446.4 yards and scoring with 34 points per game.
There's enough back to be good, and with the lighter conference schedule, potentially be even better.
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What's Working
Jackson Arnold has found a home.Former star quarterback Anthony Colandrea
left for Nebraska
, but UNLV should at least hold serve with Arnold, a one-time super-recruit for Oklahoma
who left for Auburn and is now in the right spot in Vegas.
If he's not the one to make it work, former Michigan Wolverine Alex Orji
is a terrific option.
The running game will continue to be great.Arnold can run a little bit, but most of the load will be carried by Jai'Den Thomas, who ran for over 1,000 yards with 12 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry. He can catch, too.
Former Utah Ute Jaylon Glover was a strong part of the rotation last season, averaging six yards per pop.
The scoring has to keep on rocking.UNLV is 7-0 when scoring more than 35 points, 3-4 when it doesn't. The program is 23-2 since 2019 when putting up 35 or more. This year's offense has the talent and potential to average more than that.
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What Needs Work
The receiving corps is going through an overhaul.Most of the top playmakers are done – DeAngelo Irvin is the one key returner after making 18 grabs – and the portal will have to do the work.
Taz Reddicks (Oregon State) needs to be an instant top target, 6-4 Amorion Walker ( Middle Tennessee
) has deep ball skills, and Troy Stellato ( Kentucky
) has Power Four tools but needs a spot to show them.
Can the offensive line be better with the new parts?It was good for the ground game – it worked well with Mullen's system – but it wasn't great at keeping defenses out of the backfield.
There weren't any portal losses, and now it's up to tackles Will Thomas and Austin Boyd to be rocks around new guards Griffin Scroggs (App State) and Jackson Brown
(Pitt) in the interior.
Keep completing passes.For the most part, the four losses were on the defensive side, but as long as UNLV can keep control of games with midrange throws, everything else should work.
Two of the worst days hitting throws were in the two losses to Boise State, but in general, there's a problem when the offense has to press.
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Player to Watch
Jai'Den Thomas, RB Jr.A star for the attack over the last three years, Thomas has Mountain West Player of the Year potential. He averaged close to six yards per carry with 2,457 yards and 31 scores, and caught 57 passes with two touchdowns so far.
Defense
The defense was going to take a hit going from the Barry Odom era – the current Purdue
head coach is a defensive coaching whiz – but the Rebels weren't totally awful under coordinator Paul Guenther.
They allowed 419 yards and 28 points per game, but for the most part, the offense took care of things when the defense was struggling.
As long as this bunch can be just okay, UNLV will win.
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What's Working
Third down stops.It was one of the strange things about the UNLV defense. It couldn't keep too many good offenses from moving the ball, but it was amazing at coming up with big things on the money downs.
The Rebels only allowed teams to convert 33% of their tries, and kept seven teams to 30% or under.
The linebacking corps will be strong right away.There's a little bit of turnover, but Blesyng Alualu-Tuiolemotu is back after making 61 tackles with five broken up passes, and Cam Santee was a whale of a get from Holy Cross – be shocked if he doesn't lead the team in tackles.
Kamuela Ka'aihue is a 240-pound hybrid defender who needs to be used more to get into the backfield.
The defense needs to keep coming up with takeaways. Only Fresno State came up with more than the 24 the Rebels produced.
The big plays came in bunches, but there were only two games without a takeaway. The Rebels forced three or more turnovers four times, and two in three other games.
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What Needs Work
There's little to no proven production at defensive end.Top pass rusher Tunmise Adeleye is gone to Syracuse, but Tennessee's Herb Gray
was a good signing.
The line needs Landen Thomas to do way more on one end – he's about it for experience on the ends with just 13 tackles and a sack last year.
There need to be more at tackle.The Rebels get back Lucas Conti at one tackle, and then it's trial by fire among a whole slew of very young, but very promising options.
Here come the corners.The Rebels lost starter Andrew Powdrell to West Virginia , but Avery Helm (TCU) and Kyron Chambers ( SMU ) come in to boost an already decent situation. Without a sure-thing pass rush, though, the pressure will be on this bunch.
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Player to Watch
Cam Santee, LB Sr.The 6-3, 235-pounder from Holy Cross has all the makings of the next great UNLV statistical linebacking star. Over the last two seasons, he made 163 tackles with six sacks, 20 tackles for loss, and seven forced fumbles.
Keys to the Season
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The defense has to be tighter overall with more against the run, more red zone stops, and a disruptive pass rush.
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Jackson Arnold and the offense have to keep the production going.
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Limit the penalties – the 107 were way too many – and don't lose the turnover margin.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Jackson Arnold, QB Sr.
UNLV has had a nice run of quarterbacks with now-USC starter Jayden Maiava
, then the combination of Haj-Malik Williams and Matthew Sluka
, and new Nebraska starter Anthony Colandrea.
Arnold was never able to break through as expected at Oklahoma, and while he was okay last year at Auburn, the offense didn't move.
Even though he's been a disappointment after the prep hype, he hasn't been bad, completing 63% of his passes for almost 3,300 yards and 22 touchdowns with eight picks. He can run, too, with 871 career yards with 12 scores.
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Biggest Concern
The pass rush.It was just okay last year, and there isn't anything certain in place to make it any better this season.
Biggest Game
at Hawaii
, September 5
The rest of the Mountain West road games – Air Force, New Mexico, and San Jose State
– all have their issues, but this is Week 2, and it's in Honolulu.
Hawaii will once again be a bear at home, but if UNLV can win, there's a shot a spot in the Mountain West title game will be locked down.
Transfer Portal
UNLV did its job.
It's used to losing a few key players, but there weren't enough massive departures to matter. On the flip side, it was able to load up on enough good prospects to fill in the gaps and keep it all going.
As long as Jackson Arnold is good, this is a good class of transfers, but other than him …
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Best Signing
Kyron Chambers, CB (SMU)The Rebels needed veteran presences at corner, and they got a fifth-year player who started out at TCU, grew into a gig at SMU, and last year made 30 tackles with two broken up passes. He'll be a playmaker for the Rebels.
Biggest Loss
Anthony Colandrea, QB (Nebraska)
Jackson Arnold should
be more than good enough to keep the attack going, but Colandrea led the Mountain West in passing yards, pushed the ball deep, and was second on the team in rushing with ten scores.
Arnold has a lot to play up to.
Other Names to Know
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Taz Reddicks, WR (Oregon State)
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Keyan Burnett, TE ( Arizona )
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Avery Helm, CB (TCU)
CFN Season Prediction
The pressure is different now – UNLV is no longer a nice story.
Everyone will think the Rebels will show up and roll now that most of the top programs are out of the Mountain West, but this won't be quite so simple.
Memphis
isn't an easy opener, going to North Texas
won't be a breeze, and hosting Cal will be a bear.
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Over the last three seasons, the Rebels are a respectable 5-3 against Power Four programs, and if they want to be in the College Football Playoff discussion, beating Cal is a must.
CFN Prediction: 9-3
Missing UTEP
is a bad break, but UNLV gets North Dakota State at home. This won't be easy, though, with road games at Hawaii, Air Force, and New Mexico.
If UNLV is really the star of the Mountain West, no matter what the schedule, it'll prove it by taking its title.
Related: North Dakota State Finally Makes the Move: Mountain West Gets a Powerhouse
