Syracuse vs UNLV Prediction, Game Preview, and Betting Lines

Can UNLV take a monster step forward in the fight to be the top Group of Five champion in the College Football Playoff?

It has to win the Mountain West to do that, but having a second win over a Power Four team on the resumé - Houston was the first - would be a big deal.

Syracuse has been good in the first month of the Fran Brown era, but this is the first road game. It gets worst - it’s the first of five road games in the next six dates. The ACC kicks back in next at NC State.

Syracuse vs UNLV Preview

Syracuse vs UNLV How to Watch
Date: Saturday, Friday, October 4, 2024
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
How to Watch: FS1
UNLV (4-0), Syracuse (3-1)

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Predicting the Rest of the Season
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC

Why Syracuse Will Win

The UNLV secondary has been hit a bit too much.

The defense as a whole bends without breaking, but it gave up over 300 yards to Fresno State - granted, that was in blowout mode - and should have its worse day of the season against this passing game.

Kyle McCord has been great. The former Ohio State starter has thrown for well over 300 yards in every game. The picks have to slow down - four in the last two meetings - but he’ll keep pushing the ball around the yard and should connect down the field far better than anyone UNLV has seen so far.

The pressure from the defensive front isn’t steady, but it’ll be fine against …

Why UNLV Will Win

Well that worked out just fine considering the spotlight.

After all of the Matthew Sluka drama - the former UNLV quarterback who left the team after an NIL dispute - in stepped Hajj-Malik Williams, a dual-threat playmaker who completed 13-of-16 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns in the 59-14 win over Fresno State, and he ran for 119 yards and a score.

The completion percentage is the key - it was good with the new guy.

Meanwhile, the UNLV defense continues to force a whole lot of big plays with one of the nation’s best pass rushes. It’s great on third downs thanks to all of the pressure, and that’s about to be a big issue for a Syracuse offensive line that’s better than previous seasons, but still iffy.

Syracuse vs UNLV: Who Will Win

The UNLV pass rush will take over in a fun back-and-forth game with more offense than Barry Odom’s club has seen all year.

Both offenses will be terrific, McCord and Williams will put up the big plays, and in the end, UNLV will get to Syracuse’s guy a bit more than the other way around.

This will be a great way to lead into your college football Saturday.

Welcome to 5-0 for the first time ever, UNLV.

Syracuse vs UNLV Prediction, Betting Lines

UNLV 30, Syracuse 27
Line: UNLV -6.5, o/u: 57.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Syracuse vs UNLV Must See Rating: 3.5

Week 6 CFN Expert Picks
Houston at TCU | Michigan St at Oregon
Syracuse at UNLV | UCLA at Penn State
Missouri at Texas A&M | SMU at Louisville
Iowa at Ohio State | Auburn at Georgia
Ole Miss at So Carolina | Rutgers at Neb
Clemson at Florida St | Tenn at Arkansas
Michigan at Washington | Miami at Cal
Texas Tech at Arizona