2025 UNLV Football Predictions: Rebels Ranked 72nd in RJ Young's Ultimate 136
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Aug. 10, 2025 9:19 p.m. ET
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This isn't your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it's my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
Who do I think is good?
Why do I think they're good?
What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here is a look at where UNLV lands in my Ultimate 136.
UNLV ranking: 72
Last year's ranking: 69
Top player: RB Jai'den Thomas: Second-team All-Mountain West selection last season, finishing with 918 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns; set the UNLV single-season freshman record with 12 rushing touchdowns in 2023.
[UNLV's 2025 schedule]
RJ's take: Don't look now, but Dan Mullen made his return to coaching in Las Vegas with one of the best transfer classes in the country on paper. New Rebels include former Michigan QB Alex Orji, Penn State RB Keyvone Lee, Texas WR Troy Omeire, Alabama WR JoJo Earle, LSU WR Koy Moore, Texas State DE Tunmise Adeleye, Texas A&M DB Denver Harris and former Georgia DB Jake Pope.
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That's 16 former four-star and five-star players, and with former Urban Meyer and Ryan Day assistant Corey Dennis calling plays, UNLV is the team to watch early in the Group of 6.
[ Check out RJ Young's Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here ]
UNLV Win Total Odds: Over 8.5 (+110) Under 8.5 (-134)
Have an issue with my rankings? Think your alma mater is too low, or your school's rival is too high? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young , and I'll select my favorite tweets and respond to them in a future article.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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