The new-look Mountain West in 2026 certainly won’t have the cache the current membership does in certain sports.
Gone will be the likes of Boise State in football and San Diego State in men’s basketball.
They, along with Colorado State, Fresno State and Utah State, are headed to the Pac-12.
Which means UNLV needs to rule the Mountain West in its two most important sports after the transition.
Rule it in most all sports.
The idea that UNLV could become one of the better Group of Five programs nationally is hardly far-fetched. It has advantages that others don’t.
That type of success would also go a long way toward the Rebels securing an invitation to a Power Four conference like the Big 12. Which should be the ultimate goal.
A legitimate program
Football is the key. It’s the engine that drives any athletic department’s bus.
The Rebels now have a legitimate Division I program thanks to the work of former coach Barry Odom, who left for Purdue after two historic seasons at UNLV.
But the program gave itself more than a puncher’s chance at continuing its winning ways by hiring former Mississippi State and Florida coach Dan Mullen. And once the Rebels no longer have to play Boise State, which has defeated them in the last two conference championship games, they should become the league’s premier team.
UNLV can’t afford to take a step back in football, especially in a watered down Mountain West. The Rebels need to compete for a conference championship annually and give themselves a chance to earn a College Football Playoff berth. They came up just one win short last season.
UNLV needs to keep it up when the league consists of the likes of Air Force, Hawaii, UNR, New Mexico, Northern Illinois, San Jose State, UTEP and Wyoming. The Mountain West will also add Grand Canyon and UC Davis as non-football playing members.
Winning football games would make the Rebels more attractive to the Big 12. But it’s more than that.
Winning creates interest and interest often leads to more folks attending games. Which means more folks spending money on your program. Which means a much better bottom line.
UNLV has significant athletic debt at $27 million. Getting more people to Allegiant Stadium could obviously help reduce that.
The same can be said for men’s basketball. It’s on new coach Josh Pastner to build a program capable of making the NCAA Tournament on a regular basis. Easier said than done. The Rebels haven’t qualified for March Madness since 2013.
That can’t continue. Basketball in the new-look Mountain West should be more competitive than football, but some of the conference’s better programs are still leaving. UNLV will have every chance to fight for titles.
That’s what needs to happen. There should be no excuses.
Believe in winning
The Rebels have what it takes. Their facilities are on par with several Power Four schools. UNLV is a top-tier research institution with a medical school and law school. The Las Vegas market continues to grow in the sports world.
The pieces are in place for the Big 12 to take an interest.
But UNLV can prove it’s ready for a jump up by dominating on the field. There is no reason the Rebels cannot do so when 2026 arrives and the Mountain West is full of new members.
UNLV needs to set a standard. It needs to be the one everyone else in the league chases.
Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.
