Ashton Jeantythe nation’s leading rusher, didn’t play up to his standards, but still ran for 128 yards and the game-winning touchdown to help No. 17 Boise State beat UNLV 29-24 Friday night in a game with implications for the College Football Playoff.

Jeanty’s 1-yard TD on fourth-and-goal with 12:38 left put the Broncos (6-1, 3-0 Mountain West) in front for good.

Maddux Madsen passed for 209 yards and a touchdown as Boise State kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Broncos are eligible for the 27th consecutive season, the second-longest active streak in the country behind Georgia with 28. They are also 28-1 after bye weeks since 2001.

“This UNLV team is legit,” Madsen said. “This defense played hard and fast until the end. We talked all week about how this was going to be a heavyweight fight. Their only loss was to Syracuse in overtime. This match was going to be difficult.

The Rebels (6-2, 2-1) needed a win to stay in contention for a playoff spot.

“I’m devastated for our team because we couldn’t find a way to win this one,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said. “Our guys fought. We have a very good team. Boise too. There is no consolation. We lost the game. »

Jeanty’s production was his second-lowest of the season, just a yard better than his performance in a blowout win over Portland State. He averaged at least 7 yards per carry in each of his previous games this season, but was held to 3.9 yards per attempt by the Rebels.

“You talk about an absolute warrior,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “Every (yard) was earned. He is the best footballer in the country.

UNLV’s Hajj-Malik Williams passed for 179 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 105 yards and a TD.

This game was played before an announced crowd of 42,228 at Allegiant Stadium, breaking a 22-year attendance record for a UNLV home game. The previous high occurred on August 31, 2022, when 42,075 people watched the Rebels play Wisconsin at Sam Boyd Stadium, where the game was canceled midway through the fourth quarter due to a power outage . It was UNLV’s home stadium until moving to Allegiant in 2020.

The Broncos appeared to take control with two touchdowns in the final 1:50 of the first half to lead 20-10.

Madsen scored on a 7-yard run when the middle opened up for him for the first TD. Then linebacker Andrew Simpson intercepted a pass to give Boise State the ball at the UNLV 7-yard line and set up Madsen’s 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matt Lauter on fourth-and-1. aim. It was only the second touchdown the Rebels allowed after a turnover.

The Rebels immediately cut the lead to three points to open the second half, but remained in chase mode the rest of the way. UNLV then regained the lead at 24-23 with 1:03 left in the third quarter when Williams hit Jaden Bradley on a go route for a 34-yard touchdown.

That lead was short-lived, with Boise State getting back in front early in the fourth quarter.

UNLV wide receiver/return specialist Jacob De Jesus left the game in the first half with an unspecified injury.

Takeaways

Boise State: Jeanty is the 2-1 Heisman favorite at BetMGM, although his odds could have taken a hit, especially for those looking for any reason not to give their first vote to a Group of Five player. BYU quarterback Ty Detmer in 1990 is the last player to win the award outside of a power conference. Jeanty has other opportunities to make a good impression on voters and he will need to make the most of them. Danielson said any skeptics should “watch the film” because of UNLV’s overbearing defense that made limiting Jeanty its priority.

UNLV: Untimely penalties were particularly costly in the Rebels’ other loss, against Syracuse, and two calls in the fourth quarter were particularly damaging against the Broncos. An unsportsmanlike penalty on left tackle Jalen St. John all but killed a drive, and a defensive call on cornerback Tony Grimes extended a Boise State series that otherwise would have ended with a punt. The Broncos instead made the final at 8:07.

Survey Implications

The Broncos at least made sure they stayed in place rather than potentially falling out of the standings. UNLV could have moved back into the Top 25 with a win, but seriously hurt its chances of making the ballot this season.

To be continued

Boise State: Hosts San Diego State on Friday. UNLV: at Hawaii on November 9.___This story has been edited to correct that Boise State has the second-longest active bowl eligibility streak in the country, not the longest.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season.