It didn’t take Barry Odom long to overhaul the UNLV football program in a positive way. UNLV hired Odom, who was the defensive coordinator at Arkansas, as head coach before last season when the Rebels were coming off their ninth straight losing year under three different head coaches. But Odom led UNLV to a 9-5 record last year and this season, the Rebels are 4-0 and ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history. No. 25 UNLV plays Syracuse (3-1) on Friday in non-conference play. Syracuse is coming off a 42-14 win over Holy Cross last week and the Orange are 1-3 against the spread this season.
Kickoff is 9 p.m. ET on Friday from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. After opening at -4, the Rebels are now 6-point favorites in the latest UNLV vs. Syracuse odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 55.5, up a point from the opener. Before making any Syracuse vs. UNLV picks, you need to see the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football spread picks. It also went a sizzling 6-0 on all top-rated college football picks in Week 5. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.
Now, the model has dialed in on Syracuse vs. UNLV and just revealed its coveted picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds on the spread, money line and over/under for UNLV vs. Syracuse:
- UNLV vs. Syracuse spread: Rebels -6
- UNLV vs. Syracuse over/under: 55.5 points
- UNLV vs. Syracuse money line: Rebels -223, Orange +181
- SYR: The Orange are 9-5-1 ATS after a win since the start of the 2022 season
- UNLV: The Revels are 4-0 ATS this season
- UNLV vs. Syracuse picks: See picks here
- UNLV vs. Syracuse streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why Syracuse can cover
The Orange are off to a fast start under first-year head coach Fran Brown with a 3-1 record. Brown quickly showcased his ability to bring in top talent from the transfer portal with the addition of Kyle McCord, who was the 10th-best quarterback in the transfer portal according to 247Sports after playing his first three seasons at Ohio State. McCord threw for 3,170 yards and 24 touchdowns with six interceptions while completing 65.8% of his passes as the Buckeyes won their first 11 games before losing to Michigan, 30-24, in the final game of the regular season and missing the College Football Playoff last year.
Syracuse has gone all-in on the McCord-focused offense, throwing on 63.8% of plays, the third-highest percentage in college football. The Orange are averaging the third-most passing yards per game (358) as well with the senior throwing at least 330 yards in all four games with three four-touchdown performances. Syracuse is allowing just 5.8 yards per pass, which is 18th in college football, and has recorded at least one interception in three of four games this season. McCord can lead Syracuse to keep pace with UNLV offensively on Friday, which gives the Orange a quality chance at covering the number or even winning outright. See who to back at SportsLine.
Why UNLV can cover
UNLV is ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time in program history and is looking to move on from the off-the-field distraction from quarterback Matthew Sluka redshirting due to a dispute over NIL money. The Rebels went 3-0 with Sluka but proved they could win without him last week as Hajj-Malik Williams completed 13 of 16 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 119 yards and a score in a 59-14 win over Fresno State. UNLV looked like a team looking to make a statement, scoring its most points against an FBS program since 2016.
Senior wide receiver Ricky White III leads UNLV with 20 receptions for 253 yards and five touchdowns, including 10 receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns last week. He has 54.1% of all UNLV receptions this season as an integral part of the team’s passing success. The Rebels have held each of their opponents to 14 points at home this season with an average margin of victory of 51.5 points. See who to back at SportsLine.
How to make Syracuse vs. UNLV picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 54 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can see the model’s pick at SportsLine.
So who wins UNLV vs. Syracuse, and which side of the spread hits well over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out.
