UNLV Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

The 2025 UNLV Rebels football season is upon us with a schedule that could help take them over the top. New head coach, Dan Mullen, has made his voice loud and clear that in the world’s entertainment capital, he wants his Rebels to be the best show in town. 

As the Scarlet and Gray embark on the Mullen era, I will take my shot at predicting UNLV’s record this year. Will these Rebels finally overcome the Boise State Broncos and keep the Fremont Cannon red by defeating Nevada? Let’s dive in. 

UNLV Football: 2025 Game-By-Game Schedule Predictions

August 23: vs Idaho State Bengals

It is a common theme that UNLV starts its schedule with a football program from the Big Sky Conference. This year, the Idaho State Bengals will travel from Pocatello to Las Vegas, where the Rebels have a 7-2 record against them. 

Both teams will be fired up to hit someone different for once after a long summer of cracking the same pads over and over again. Along with all of the hype surrounding this Rebels roster, UNLV could come out of the gates about as hot as that Vegas sun. 

On paper, the Rebels have one of the most talented rosters in the entire Mountain West Conference. This game will allow the Rebels to evaluate various position groups in action. Expect them to get ahead and stay ahead. 

Prediction: 48-14, Win (1-0)

August 29: at Sam Houston Bearkats

The first road game of the year is no gimme. The Sam Houston Bearkats went 10-3 in 2024. And much like UNLV, they closed their season with a bowl game victory. 

Like UNLV, Sam Houston has a new head coach in Phil Longo. Longo inherits the same offensive line and quarterback from last year. Yet, with Hunter Watson at the helm, the team still lost a ton of talent on the defensive side of the ball. 

The Rebels’ defense was outstanding last year. Now, with a new system and personnel, Sam Houston may be able to use its continuity to put some points up on UNLV and make this game tight. 

Still, the Bearkats’ losses on the defensive side of the ball may be too much to handle. UNLV will be able to give themselves enough breathing room to win this game on the road. 

Prediction: 34-24, Win (2-0)

September 6: vs UCLA Bruins

In what may be the most entertaining home game for UNLV, the UCLA Bruins make their way into Allegiant Stadium for a prime-time showdown. This is where we see some of the early-season growing pains for Mullen’s Rebels. 

The Bruins’ head coach, DeShaun Foster, returns for his second season at UCLA. Over the off-season, he landed one of the nation’s best arms in Nico Iamaleava. Forged by the Big 10 last year, the Bruins will come into Allegiant and lean on some early growing pains the Rebels may have. 

With a roster as new and put together for UNLV, with top recruits scattered around multiple spots, this may be a matchup where some continuity is still meshing. This will not be a make-or-break loss for UNLV by any means. However, they may just not have enough time on task to defend home turf against an opponent like UCLA. 

Prediction: 17-27, Loss (2-1)

September 20: at Miami Redhawks

Now this is fun: Chuck Martin versus Dan Mullen. The Rebels will be coming off an early bye week to take on the Miami University Redhawks. 

The Redhawks now feel confident they have found a quarterback in Dequan Finn, who was a star at Toledo but did not see the field much in 2024 at Baylor. If he is healthy in this game, UNLV will look to slow him and another group of transfer weapons down.

Where Miami was great last year was generating takeaways. After all, the Redhawks’ secondary is a significant strength to their defense. But up front? This is where UNLV should be able to give them fits and rush their way to a road win. 

Prediction: 34-21, Win (3-1)

October 4: at Wyoming Cowboys

I love a good trap game, and it’s safe to say things get weird up in Laramine, where UNLV has struggled to win. UNLV will make its way to the elevation to take on the Cowboys in their first Mountain West conference game of the year. 

The Wyoming Cowboys found some late-season rhythm to close their 3-9 2024 season. They closed out strong and found some better quarterback play behind Kaden Anderson and a big offensive line. The Cowboys showed signs of growth last year and likely will remain as home underdogs in this matchup. 

It is only August; I am taking my best guess here. But if a team won every game they were favored to win on paper in the summer, everyone would be perfect. Football is far from perfect. 

This may be a slip-up game in which Wyoming’s returning linebacking core and defensive line stuff the Rebels’ rushing attack and pull one out late down the wire. 

Prediction: 20-23, Loss (3-2)

October 11: vs Air Force Falcons

Returning home after back-to-back road games, this afternoon Mountain West battle feels like a classic dog fight. Perhaps not the highest scoring game of the year for the Rebels, but also a grind of a win. 

The Air Force is known for its famous rushing attack. Yet the design of that offense all starts with the signal-caller, who is still in question at this point. The Air Force defense, though, will always be stout and can keep them involved for as long as possible. 

I foresee UNLV winning this game, but it may be ugly and slow. Time of possession plays a key role against Air Force, who, if they have the rushing attack going, prefer to play keep-away. 

Prediction: 24-14, Win (4-2)

October 18: at Boise State Broncos

UNLV is 0-6 all-time against Boise State. And before last year’s success for the Rebels, Las Vegas was not as high on the Broncos’ radar as it is now. This is the first meeting between these teams after the Broncos defeated the Rebels in the Mountain West Championship last year. 

Boise State is focused on returning to the college football playoffs this year, and they have quite a talented roster. One missing component for this Broncos team may be the wide-receiving core. If UNLV is able to stop the run and force some tight throws, this Rebels secondary has the talent to make things difficult. 

I do believe that UNLV will eventually get a win versus the Broncos. Just not in this match-up. At least, not yet with the amount of continuity Boise State has compared to a roster that is although very talented on paper, it is just not something I can confidently say would be ready to beat the Mountain West champions. 

Prediction: 21-33, Loss (4-3)

November 1: vs New Mexico Lobos

New Mexico is in total rebuild mode. This home game for UNLV is the opportunity for them to spark a match and close the 2025 on a high note. 

This could be one of the most complete games from UNLV in 2025, baring any injuries or unforeseen circumstances of course. The Rebels should take care of the Lobos and start a string of wins. 

Prediction: 42-13, Win (5-3)

November 8: at Colorado State Rams

This football game may fly under the radar as one of the more entertaining match ups on the schedule for UNLV. Colorado State shows up and fights hard on Saturday’s. For a team that remains steady of being in the middle of the road in the Mountain West, this makes for a great game. 

Expect points in this one. Colorado State wants to keep that air raid attack going and also balance some of it out by taking the offense into another level by adding in some of the run game. 

This will be a lot of fun to watch. Expect UNLV to go blow for blow with the Rams on the road and pull out the victory behind a strong run game and hitting the cylinders in the RPO scheme. 

This will be a game that may come down to the wire, and one that I am siding with the Rebels on the road. 

Prediction: 27-23, Win (6-3)

November 15: vs Utah State Aggies

Utah State and UNLV share a lot of narratives this year. Two very successful coaches are leading their sidelines in Dan Mullen and Bronco Mendenhall. They both also have quarterbacks who like to use their legs. 

Utah State, likely will be rolling with Bryson Barnes who they hope can be the dual-threat weapon they need to kick their offense into gear. Meanwhile, the Rebels have Alex Orji who fits a lot of the Dan Mullen RPO style. They also have Anthony Colandrea, who may end up getting the nod as the starter before this entire season kicks off. 

This will be a nail-biting match between two teams led by successful coaches with polished resumes. It will come down to the wire, where UNLV will hang on to win a thriller as the time expires. 

Prediction: 24-21, Win (7-3)

November 21: vs Hawaii Rainbow Warriors

The Golden Pineapple. One of the most unique trophies in college football, as the Rainbow Warriors and Rebels battle on the ninth island for a late-night game in Allegiant Stadium. 

Hawaii has yet to put together a reliable running game, and that has often spelled them troubled especially inside the red zone. After two back-to-back nail bitters, the UNLV defense is leaned on and smothers the Run-N-Shoot efforts of Hawaii and retains the Golden Pineapple trophy. 

It may not be fireworks offensively, but I foresee the Rebels defense forcing turnovers in this game and getting a win on senior night. 

Prediction: 31-14, Win (8-3)

November 29: at Nevada Wolf Pack

The in-state rivalry for the Battle of the Fremont Cannon heads up to Reno this November. The Rebels have put together their longest win streak of all time over the Wolfpack, with three straight wins, keeping the cannon scarlet red. 

Rivalry games are never easy. It does not matter the record, the time or place, there is always a whole lot of pride at stake. 

Nevada had lost multiple one-score games last year. They were a team plagued by penalties and misfortune, looking to turn that around in 2025. As for the roster, UNLV is one of the best on paper in the entire conference. 

It’ll be chilly, possibly snowy, and that is what makes football around Thanksgiving the best. UNLV will have to lean on their rushing attack which I foresee them doing all year long, and they will close their season on a four-game winning streak and keep the Fremont Cannon red. 

Prediction: 23-17, Win (9-3)

UNLV Football: Final Thoughts on the Schedule

I have UNLV going 9-3 in 2025 (with an eventual bowl game win). Heading into this year, the Rebels will have a decision to make at quarterback, and it is possible that even with a starter named, fans might still see more than one signal caller at times.

An offense and defense loaded with transfers and a brand new coaching staff brings excitement, we will see if the Rebels can back it on Saturdays and become the most entertaining show in the entertainment capital of the world.