The bowl season kicks into high gear, and one of the most intriguing matchups lands just before Christmas Eve. The UNLV Rebels take on the Ohio Bobcats in the Frisco Bowl, a game filled with storylines, emotion, and mismatches. UNLV is coming off a tough loss in the Mountain West Championship, while Ohio has been waiting nearly a month to get back on the field. Seniors are playing their final games, quarterbacks are looking to leave a legacy, and defenses will be tested. This game promises excitement, scoring, and a chance for one team to finish the season on a high note.
2025 Frisco Bowl: UNLV vs. Ohio | December 23, 2025
Written by: Colby Marchio
Last Update: Mon Dec 22, 2025, 7:26 pm ET
Read Time: 5 minutes
ncaaf
FINAL
UNLV Rebels
10
Ohio Bobcats
17
Write Up Transparency
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Bowl Games Results: 3-2 (+0.22u)
2025 Season Record: 64-57-2 (+12.62u)
UNLV vs. Ohio Odds
Can Parker Navarro will the Bobcats to a win on Tuesday?
You can find all of these great College Basketball odds on Lucky Rebel. Get a $1,250 deposit bonus & 50 Slot Spins when you sign up!
Spread
- UNLV: -6.5 (-115)
- Ohio: +6.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- UNLV: -260
- Ohio: +215
Total
- Over: 65.0 (-110)
- Under: 65.0 (-110)
UNLV vs. Ohio – December 23
The Festivus Bowl is here! Get the pole out of the crawl space, folks! Oh, that says Frisco Bowl. Regardless, it goes down on the day before Christmas Eve. The UNLV Rebels take on the Ohio Bobcats after falling to Boise State in the Mountain West Conference Championship. The Bobcats, on the other hand, have been waiting since November 28th for this matchup, missing out on their own conference championship. Will UNLV find the motivation to take down Ohio, or will the Bobcats come ready after nearly a month off? Let us dive into this exciting bowl game.
Get in Get out
Tuesday evening will be an emotional one, with all the Ohio Bobcat seniors playing the final games of their college careers. Most notably, quarterback Parker Navarro, one of the most underrated dual-threat quarterbacks in college football. This season, Navarro threw for 2,232 yards, rushed for 843 yards, and totaled 22 touchdowns. With one final game to play as a Bobcat, Navarro and the Ohio offense should explode against the Rebels defense. That is why I grabbed their first-half team total over 13.5 at -145 in this matchup.
This season, the UNLV defense has struggled to stop scoring, allowing nearly 30 points per game, including 15 in the first half. The Bobcats averaged around 14 points in the first half this season. On the road, that number dips to roughly 11 points, but I am not concerned, especially when UNLV ranks 1265th in opponent red zone scoring percentage, allowing teams to convert over 91% of the time. If the Bobcats reach the red zone, they should put up points.
Ohio, being a run-heavy team, faces a defense that has struggled to stop the ground attack all season. The Rebels rank 124th in yards per rush and 97th in rush yards allowed per game. Even if UNLV manages to step up against the run, their pass defense is equally vulnerable. Opponents average 7.6 yards per pass and 237 yards per game. Navarro should be able to carve up this defense through the air and on the ground.
Alternative Play
I do not have a strong feel for a side, but I lean toward this game having a lot of points. UNLV has a solid offense that I do not believe the Bobcats can contain. If you are not willing to pay the $1.45 juice on the first-half team total, just take the full-game over. This Ohio offense is too talented not to finish on a high note, and with the seniors playing their final games, expect them to put on a show.
Best Bet: Ohio First Half Team Total Over 13.5 (-145) odds via Lucky Rebel
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Former D1 (club) baseball player, Colby has been betting since his college days at DePaul, where he had to endure the worst collegiate basketball the Big East has ever seen. He is an advanced analytics nerd and has never seen an underdog he has not liked. Hot. Corn. Bull. It does not matter the dog he loves them all.
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