Frisco Bowl: Ohio Ran Over UNLV — 5 Takeaways and What’s Next
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This wasn’t how it was supposed to go in any way, shape, or form.
The 2025 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl was supposed to be one of the wildest scoring fights of the bowl season – and it was anything but.
Ohio was without its head coach, but it pulled out a 17-10 win. Here are five takeaways and what’s next for both programs.
Ohio vs UNLV: Key Takeaways and What This Bowl Win Means
5. Ohio got past the loss of Brian Smith
The Bobcats finished ninth in the nation in rushing, were great on third downs, and should’ve been in the MAC Championship if not for a tough loss to Western Michigan.
They might have been without head coach Brian Smith – let go for a few alleged issues – but they still had Sieh Bangura, who ran for 149 yards and a score. Quarterback Parker Navarro threw will, ran well, and came up large as team took over late.
And the defense held the high-powered UNLV offense in check time and again. The three turnovers weren’t ideal, but it was a win, and now …
4. The Mountain West has yet to show up this bowl season
Mountain West champion Boise State got rocked by Washington in the LA Bowl. Utah State didn’t leave the hotel in a lifeless loss to Washington State in the Famous Idaho Potato, and now UNLV was blah in a bizarre loss to a MAC team.
The Rebels started to struggle a bit down the stretch, but scored 30 or more in every game but a 29-26 win over Utah State, and in the Mountain West Championship to Boise State.
Hawaii plays Cal in the Hawaii Bowl game on Christmas Eve, San Diego State still gets its shot against North Texas in the New Mexico.
New Mexico faces Minnesota in the Rate, and Fresno State faces Miami University in the Snoop Dogg Arizona.
There are four more chances, and with the changes coming with the conference losing almost all the top programs to the Pac-12, the Mountain West needs to show up fast.
3. Ohio knows how to win bowl games
Frank Solich won his last three bowl games with the Ohio program, Tim Albin won two, Brian Smith filled in and one last year’s Cure Bowl, and now interim – but soon, maybe more – head man John Hauser has a win.
That’s seven straight bowl wins for the Ohio program. Minnesota has won eight straight going into the Rate Bowl against New Mexico.
2. What’s next for UNLV going into the offseason?
Head coach Dan Mullen is still around, and he’s got a nice-looking team returning.
The Rebels are staying in the Mountain West, and they should dominate depending on how quickly they can rebuild the offensive line through the transfer portal. The quarterback situation should be good, and the receivers will show up to play in this attack.
The defense has to be better.
It was fine against Ohio – the run defense struggled, but it only allowed 17 points. It forced a slew of takeaways and was aggressive all year, but knock down the yards per game to under 400 an outing, and look out.
1. What’s next for Ohio going into the offseason?
Who’s the next head coach?
Despite the quick loss of Albin to Charlotte and the one-and-done with Smith, the program keeps winning. It knows how to keep it all going, and Hauser showed in this that he might be the guy.
The offensive backfield has to be replaced, the line needs an overhaul, and a few transfers need to come in for the defensive side, but nothing stops.
Ohio will still be a MAC powerhouse in 2026.
Related: Boca Raton Bowl: Louisville Outlasts Toledo — 5 Takeaways and What’s Next
This story was originally published by College Football News on Dec 24, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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