UNLV football betting: Rebels have highest season win total ever

UNLV’s football team reached unprecedented heights under former coach Barry Odom, finishing last season in the national rankings for the first time in program history.

Oddsmakers don’t expect the Rebels to miss a beat in their first season under coach Dan Mullen after Odom bolted for Purdue.

UNLV’s over-under season win total of 8½ at Caesars Sportsbook is the highest it has been in at least 20 years, according to sportsoddshistory.com, which has tracked the numbers since 2005.

“From a season outlook, they are currently favored in 10 games, with their most difficult opponents coming in Week 2 versus UCLA and Week 8 against Boise State,” Caesars head of football Joey Feazel said.

UNLV has eclipsed its season win total in each of the last four years. It soared over 7½ wins last season, when it won 10 regular-season games for the first time in 40 years. The Rebels finished 11-3 overall after losing to Boise State in the Mountain West title game for the second straight season and beating Cal in the LA Bowl for their first bowl win since 2000.

“UNLV is in a transition year with coach Barry Odom taking his talents to the Big Ten to coach Purdue. They bring in a familiar face to college football as his successor, Dan Mullen, has a significant amount of experience in the SEC, coaching both Mississippi State and Florida from 2009 to 2021,” Feazel said. “The Rebels bring in a slew of transfers, but also lost a significant number of transfers in the portal. One player in particular, (quarterback) Anthony Colandrea from the University of Virginia, is very talented and should make an impact right away.”

Colandrea and Michigan transfer Alex Orji are expected to compete for the starting job.

“The Rebs are a hard read because of the mass of portal adds,” CBS Sportsline handicapper Bruce Marshall said. “Orji was more a runner than passer at Michigan, though Mullen has worked with those types before.

“Regarding Mullen, I am thinking he views this job like Odom, one or two good years and an entree back to a Power 5 job. Short term for a place like UNLV, that actually might be a plus.”

Let me check my schedule

The Rebels open their season Aug. 29 at Sam Houston before playing UCLA in their Sept. 6 home opener at Allegiant Stadium. They then host FCS foe Idaho State before closing out their non-conference schedule at Miami (Ohio).

Marshall, who won the Review-Journal College Football Challenge last season with a 44-24-2 record against the spread (64.7 percent), leans to the Rebels going under their win total, which is a slight -120 favorite.

“They likely need to go 3-1 non-league to have a chance to clear 8½,” he said. “At the moment, I am thinking more a 7- or maybe 8-win regular season. Sam Houston is no gimme in the opener on the road, nor is the trip to Miami (Ohio). UCLA will be well-favored in that game.”

The Rebels play road games at Boise State and Colorado State before closing out the regular season at UNR in the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon. The lowly Wolf Pack have one of the country’s lowest win totals at 3½ (over-120).

Oddsmakers project Odom to have a rough first season at Purdue, which also has a win total of 3½ (u-210).

Mountain West odds

Boise State is the -130 favorite at Caesars to win the Mountain West title and UNLV is the +410 second choice. San Jose State is the 8-1 third pick, followed by Fresno State at 9-1, Colorado State at 12-1 and Air Force and Hawaii at 22-1.

UNR and New Mexico are tied for the longest shots at 125-1.

“UNLV to win the Mountain West at +410 would be a stretch. Can’t see (the Rebels) beating Boise,” Marshall said. “This league might not be too strong this season, but watch out for Air Force resurfacing.”

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.