UNLV has drawn plenty of attention following the abrupt departure of quarterback Matthew Sluka, who left Vegas last week due to what he described as unfulfilled NIL promises.
While Sluka used his dual-threat ability to lead UNLV to a 3-0 start, the Rebels improved to 4-0 with Hajj-Malik Williams taking over under center last time time out.
Williams was the starting quarterback in the spring before Sluka transferred from Holy Cross.
In his first start, Williams guided UNLV to a 59-14 victory over Fresno State, completing 13-of-16 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns.
While his performance could help the Rebels forget all about Sluka, he might need similar heroics to get past a pass-happy Syracuse team Friday night.
Syracuse vs. UNLV odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Run Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | +6.5 (-108) | +200 | o58.5 (-108) |
| UNLV | -6.5 (-112) | -245 | u58.5 (-112) |
Syracuse outlook
The Orange have one of the more explosive offenses in the country. According to CFB Stats, they rank 34th in Explosive Plays with 25.
Quarterback Kyle McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, is just 10 touchdowns away from eclipsing his 2023 mark of 24 touchdowns.
Landing McCord in the transfer portal was quite a coup for first-year head coach Fran Brown. The two were already familiar with one another, dating to McCord’s days in youth football. Brown knows that getting the best out of McCord is also critical to his success as a first-time head coach.
With the coaching staff intimately in tune with McCord’s strengths, they’ve succeeded in putting together an offensive game plan to showcase his talents.
UNLV outlook
UNLV’s dominance over Fresno State showed it was ready to move on from Sluka. Head coach Barry Odom deserves credit for his ability to recruit two quarterbacks with similar traits that fit his style of play.
While it’s only a one-game sample size, UNLV’s offense might be better without Sluka, whose biggest strength was running the ball. He racked up 253 yards on 6.5 yards per carry and has 3,831 rushing yards in his college career.
Despite completing 57.4% of his passes, which includes his time at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) with Holy Cross, Sluka’s completion percentage plummeted to 43.8% at UNLV.
Thus, Williams made quite the statement in his first start by completing 81.3% of his passes. He also bolstered the rushing attack with 12 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown.
UNLV’s Go-Go offense with coordinator Brennan Marion is all gas, all the time. It thrives on multiple formations, tempo, no-huddle and spacing to move the ball down the field.
Syracuse vs. UNLV pick
Given the aggressiveness of the two offenses, it’s difficult to see where the stops will come from in this game. While my initial lean was to take the points with Syracuse at +6.5, I must admit that I’ve been thoroughly impressed with this UNLV team.
One clear thing is that Syracuse will not back down to anyone. The Orange have the third-highest pass-play rate at 63.81% to compensate for its inability to run the ball. They rank 89th with a rush success rate of 39.6%, which puts the onus squarely on McCord to get the offense going.
Betting on College Football?
- Check out the best College Football betting sites
- Read our expert’s guide on how to bet on College Football
- Get the latest College Football National Championship winner odds
The Orange’s passing offense will be on full display from the start of the game, improving the likelihood that it puts up points. Their alternate team total to exceed 24.5 points at DraftKings is an intriguing play.
Best bet: Syracuse ALT team total over 24.5 points (-125, DraftKings)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Arinze handicaps most major sports for the New York Post. He’s cashed two 15-leg teasers in his betting career as well as a 12-leg parlay that included eight Little League World Series games. More recently, he accurately picked finalists in the 2024 European Championships and Copa America.
