UNLV will make the Mountain West championship with a victory and play at No. 11 Boise State with a potential shot at the College Football Playoff. The Rebels could lose and still make the conference title game, but it becomes more complicated and their chances to make the playoffs would almost be nil.

UNLV is preparing to play the most important game in its relatively short and mostly miserable history, and even its heated up-state rival gets the significance of this matchup. Nevada coach Jeff Choate called it "a meaningful game for the state of Nevada” because there is so much more on the line than state bragging rights and which team gets to paint the Fremont Cannon in its school's primary color.

There's one last chance to salvage what has been a disappointing season for the Nevada football team. This one involves a fierce in-state rivalry as Nevada plays UNLV at 5 p.m. Saturday (TV- CBS Sports Network) at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas, there's none bigger than the Battle for Nevada. The 50th meeting between in-state rivals UNLV and Nevada-Reno will be played at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday night.

UNLV Rebels climbed to No. 21 in AP and Coaches' polls after defeating San Jose State, holding a 9-2 record and eyeing the Mountain West Championship with an upcoming game against Nevada.

The victory left the Rebels, No. 2 in this week's Nevada Appeal Mountain West rankings, at 9-2 overall and 5-1 in the Mountain West. The Rebels are tied with Colorado State (7-4, 5-1) for second place in the Mountain West behind Boise State (10-1, 7-0), which will host the Mountain West title game on Dec. 6.

Nevada coach Jeff Choate called it “a meaningful game for the state of Nevada” because there is so much more on the line than state bragging rights and which team gets to paint the Fremont Cannon.