The most underrated team in college football isn't being talked about at all, but they might make the CFP

The No. 19 UNLV Rebels will take on the No. 10 Boise State Broncos in the Mountain West Championship game this Friday, Dec. 6. For all intents and purposes, this Conference Championship game is a play-in game.

The winner is likely to receive the fifth automatic bid into the College Football Playoff, while the loser will be left out. All of the talk has been about one of the competitors, the Boise State Broncos, led by Heisman candidate Ashton Jeanty, but the Rebels are just as interesting a story.

UNLV has succeeeded despite season transfer woes

The Rebels were expected to compete for the Mountain West Conference Championship, being picked to finish second in the pre-season poll, behind only Boise State. After starting the season 3-0 with wins over Houston and Kansas, all was looking good for UNLV.

However starting QB Matthew Sluka decided to enter the transfer portal over an NIL dispute after the teams win over Kansas. Sluka transferred into the UNLV program last offseason after spending four seasons at FCS school Holy Cross and threw for 6 touchdowns to only 1 interception to go along with 253 rushing yards in the three games he started for the Rebels.

After the departure of Sluka, fellow FCS senior transfer Hajj-Malik Williams took over at QB for the Rebels. Williams first start came against Fresno State in UNLV's first MWC game. Williams led the Rebels to their most points against an FBS opponent on the season in a 59-14 victory, more than double their previous high of 27 against Houston.

Williams was highly efficient in his first start for the Rebels, completing 13 of his 16 passes for 182 yards and 3 touchdowns, adding 119 yards and a touchdown on the ground. His performance not only showed that UNLV would be fine without Sluka, but they may be better.

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The Rebels first loss came in a overtime thriller against Syracuse, where Williams continued to shine. UNLV followed up their first loss with back to back wins over Utah State and Oregon State. In the four games that Hajj-Malik Williams started up to this point the Rebels lowest point total was 33 points, six higher than the most they scored with Sluka under center. UNLV's next test was its biggest, and most important of the season, taking on the Boise State Broncos at home.

A small set back, to set up revenge?

Boise State came to Las Vegas and took care of business over UNLV, 29-24. However, a positive sign for UNLV was their ability to keep Ashton Jeanty in check, at least as much as you can keep a Heisman candidate. Jeanty carried the ball 33 times for 128 yards and a touchdown. 128 yards is Jeanty's second in a game this season, he only had fewer against FCS Portland State when he had 127 yards on only 11 carries. The 3.9 yards per carry was Jeanty's lowest of the season, with his second lowest being almost a full yard higher at 4.8.

UNLV went on to finish the rest of the regular season undefeated, winning their final four games over Hawaii, San Diego State, San Jose State and Nevada. The win over Nevada secured the Rebels' their place in the MWC Championship game, for a rematch against Boise State.

It's win and in for UNLV

Under the new 12 team College Football Playoff, the 5 highest ranked conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the field. The "Power Four" conferences are likely to occupy four of the spots, leaving one spot for the highest ranked Group of Five winner.

Thanks to Memphis upsetting at the time No. 18 Tulane in the final regular season of their season, that leaves UNLV and Boise State as the highest ranked G5 schools. Unlike power conferences, in the Mountain West the regular season champion gets to host the conference championship, so the Broncos get the privilege of hosting UNLV.

The winner of the Mountain West will be representing the Group of Five in the Playoffs, and the Rebels, who were written off after losing their starting QB have one chance to be the college football story of the year.