UNLV beaten by Boise State for first loss of the season

UNLV football head coach Dan Mullen calls out to players during warmups before an NCAA football game between UNLV and Air Force Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Las Vegas. ( Photo by: Steve Marcus

The UNLV football team's historic start to the season came to a crashing halt Saturday.

The Rebels were overwhelmed by Boise State in a 56-31 road defeat, surrendering 558 yards as their perfect record fell for the first time this season.

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen threw four touchdown passes and running back Dylan Riley torched the UNLV defense for a career-high 201 yards. The Broncos seized control with 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

The loss ends UNLV's 6-0 start — the program's best opening since 1974. Head coach Dan Mullen acknowledged his team made "too many mistakes" in the lopsided affair.

"We had some opportunities at different times," Mullen continued. "... In big games you have to make those plays to go do that and too many mistakes can catch up to us. We’ve been talking about how we’ve been finding ways to win, even though we haven’t played exceptionally well at times. And today, you make those mistakes against a really good football team it catches up to you.”

Cameron Bates had a 35-yard touchdown run for a 14-3 Boise State lead in the first quarter and Riley's 49-yard run made it 28-17 in the second quarter. Riley also had a 65-yard scoring run.

The Broncos (5-2, 3-0 Mountain West) led 28-24 at halftime, then Madsen took over in the second half, throwing touchdown passes of 20 yards to Sire Gaines, 32 yards to Chris Marshall and 21 yards to Malik Sherrod. A’Marion McCoy added a 60-yard an interception return for a touchdown.

Madsen threw for 253 yards on 14-for-23 passing. The Broncos had 294 yards rushing — one week after the Rebels gave up more than 400 rushing yards to Air Force.

For UNLV (6-1, 2-1), Anthony Colandrea threw for 215 yards with two touchdowns and Jaylon Glover had six carries for 112 yards rushing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.