UNLV vs Houston prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1
It is time to continue our college football odds series with a UNLV-Houston prediction and pick. Find out how to watch UNLV-Houston.
There’s a big game between UNLV and Houston on tap. In the early 1980s, this would have been a high-profile college basketball game between Jerry Tarkanian and Guy Lewis, two of the greatest college hoops coaches of the past 50 years. Instead, we have a highly intriguing college football game in which the coaches will find out what they do — and don’t — have on their rosters.
UNLV was a surprise team last year under head coach Barry Odom, who had previously served as head coach at Missouri, failed, and then became defensive coordinator at Arkansas before taking the open job in Vegas and creating an overachieving team in 2023. Now Odom will try to stack together successful seasons, but he won’t have some of the key people who made good things happen last year for the Rebels. Quarterback Jayden Maiava threw for over 3,000 yards for the Rebels last season as a freshman. Odom probably figured Maiava would be his 2024 quarterback and, more broadly, would be his quarterback of the future in Las Vegas. Instead, Maiava transferred to USC to learn how to play the quarterback position from a master teacher, Lincoln Riley. Say what you want about Riley as a defensive coach, but one thing Riley definitely knows about football is how to teach quarterbacks. He has guided three quarterbacks to both the Heisman Trophy and No. 1 overall NFL draft pick status. A fourth quarterback taught by Riley, Jalen Hurts, was a Heisman runner-up and has already appeared in the Super Bowl as an elite NFL player. Maiava wanted to learn from Riley, and he gave up a guaranteed starting job at UNLV to do it. Maiava was so set on USC that he is willing to spend 2024 backing up Miller Moss to learn from Riley and consider his long-term path to the NFL.
UNLV faces an uncertain quarterback position. No one guy has clearly separated himself in preseason camp, lending more intrigue to this opener in Houston and to the season as a whole. The Rebel offense is a mystery because the QB spot is a question mark. Odom has to figure out the right answer, which — in Week 1 — might mean giving two quarterbacks several possessions and an equal chance to claim the QB1 job heading into Week 2. We don’t know exactly what Odom will do.
Houston enters this season under a new coach. Willie Fritz takes over for Dana Holgorsen. Fritz did a magnificent job at Tulane, leading a long-downtrodden program to a conference championship and to a Cotton Bowl win over Riley’s USC team and Caleb Williams two years ago. Fritz has long been identified as a coach who should have a Power Four job. He finally has his chance with Houston in the Big 12. Houstonians should be excited about the prospect of Fritz being able to recruit in the talent-rich Houston area, which could build something special in H-Town.
Here are the UNLV-Houston College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: UNLV-Houston Odds
UNLV: +2.5 (-115)
Moneyline: +112
Houston: -2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: -134
Over: 54.5 (-110)
Under: 54.5 (-110)
How to Watch UNLV vs Houston
Time: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why UNLV Could Cover The Spread/Win
Houston, being in Year 1 of a new coach’s tenure, is bound to have a sluggish and uncertain opener. Houston could become really good in time under Willie Fritz, but the first game of a new coaching era is often very sluggish.
Why Houston Could Cover The Spread/Win
Willie Fritz is a really good coach. UNLV has an uncertain quarterback situation. Houston is at home. The spread is not very large. Houston can cover merely by winning by a field goal. Sounds pretty simple.
Final UNLV-Houston Prediction & Pick
We love Willie Fritz and think UNLV’s quarterback uncertainties are a problem for the Rebels. With a spread this small, we think Houston is a solid play.
Final UNLV-Houston Prediction & Pick: Houston -2.5
The post UNLV vs Houston prediction, odds, pick for College Football Week 1 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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