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The Fresno State Bulldogs (3-1, 1-0 MWC) travel to Las Vegas to take on the UNLV Rebels (3-0, 0-0 MWC) Saturday afternoon. Check out our college football odds series as we give you a Fresno State-UNLV prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
Here are the College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Fresno State-UNLV Odds
Fresno State: -1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +105
UNLV: +1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -124
Over: 49.5 (-110)
Under: 49.5 (-110)
How to Watch Fresno State vs. UNLV
Time: 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Fresno State Could Cover The Spread/Win
The big storyline for this game is UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka. He has decided not to play the rest of the season as his NIL deal was not honored. This means their starting quarterback who has led them to the 3-0 start is taking a back seat. With that, there is no telling how UNLV's offense will change. Sluka was not only their leading passer (obviously), but their leading rusher, as well. Without him, UNLV's offense takes a massive hit.
Fresno State already does a pretty good job on the defensive side of the ball. The Bulldogs have allowed the fourth-fewest points, sixth-fewest pass yards, and third-fewest rush yards in the Mountain West Conference. With UNLV losing Sluka, Fresno State's defense is going to be that much better in this game. As long as they continue to play as they have, the Bulldogs will win on the road.
Outside of week one, Fresno State has been very good on offense. They put up 46 points on Sacramento State, 48 points on New Mexico State, and 38 points on New Mexico. Now, none of those teams are great, but it is a great sign that their offense has been able to play well after getting shut down by Michigan. If their offense can continue to play well, Fresno State will win this game.
Why UNLV Could Cover The Spread/Win
UNLV needs their defense to play well if they want to win this game. Losing Sluka is going to make it tough to win, but UNLV has played solid defense all season. They allowed seven points against Houston, 14 points against Utah Tech, and 20 points against Kansas. With their starting quarterback out, UNLV needs to be solid on the defensive side once again. If they can keep Fresno State to under 20 points, there is a chance UNLV will win this game.
Speaking of their defense, UNLV has allowed the fewest yards per game in the Mountain West. Along with that, the Rebels allow the fourth-fewest pass yards per game, and the fewest rush yards in the Mountain West. Fresno State has done well scoring-wise, but they have a tough matchup against the UNLV defense on Saturday. If UNLV can dominate the line, and be strong in their pass coverage, the Rebels are going to win this game.
Final Fresno State-UNLV Prediction & Pick
This is going to be a good conference game. However, it is hard to ignore what UNLV is losing in Sluka. Fresno State has been very good, their offense looks great, and they have all their key players. I think they will be able to squeak by this UNLV defense, despite it being the best in the Mountain West. Because the spread is so small, I am going to take Fresno State to not only win but cover the spread, as well.
Final Fresno State-UNLV Prediction & Pick: Fresno State -1.5 (-105)
