UNLV has drawn a lot 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 out.

Williams was the starting quarterback in the spring before Sluka transferred from Holy Cross.

In his first start, Williams led 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 about Sluka altogether, he may need similar heroics to get past a passing Syracuse team on Friday night.

Syracuse vs. UNLV odds

Syracuse prospects

The Dutch team has one of the most 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 knew each other, dating back to McCord’s days in youth football. Brown knows getting the best out of McCord is also crucial to his success as the new head coach.

With the coaching staff intimately aware of McCord’s strengths, they have been able to put together an offensive plan to showcase his talents.

UNLV prospects

UNLV’s dominance over Fresno State showed it was willing to move on from Sluka. Head coach Barry Odom deserves credit for his ability to recruit two quarterbacks with similar traits that fit his playing style.

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 gained 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, including his time in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) at Holy Cross, Sluka’s completion percentage dropped to 43.8% at UNLV.

So Williams made quite a statement in his first start by completing 81.3% of his passes. He also boosted the rushing attack with 12 carries for 119 yards and a touchdown.

UNLV’s Go-Go offense with coordinator Brennan Marion is always all gas. It thrives on multiple formations, tempo, no-huddle and spacing to move the ball around the field.

Syracuse vs. UNLV picks

Given the aggressiveness of the two offenses, it’s hard to predict where the stops in this game will come from. While my initial goal was to level the points with Syracuse at +6.5, I have to admit that I am thoroughly impressed with this UNLV team.

One thing is clear: Syracuse will not back down from anyone. The Dutch have the third highest pass play percentage at 63.81%, compensating for the inability to run the ball. They rank 89th with a 39.6% success rate, which puts the responsibility squarely on McCord to get the offense going.

Betting on college football?

The Oranje’s passing offense will be fully visible from the start of the match, increasing the chance that the Oranje will score points. Their alternate team total of over 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 has cashed two 15-leg teasers in his gambling career, as well as a 12-leg parlay featuring eight Little League World Series games. More recently, he carefully chose the finalists of the 2024 European Championships and the Copa America.