Free NCAA Pick: UNLV vs. Houston Odds
Looking for UNLV Rebels vs. Houston Cougars free NCAA Week 1 picks & NCAA odds? NCAA betting sees the Rebels taking on the Cougars on Saturday, August 31st at the TDECU Stadium. Cappers Picks provides complimentary NCAA handicapping picks all season long including all NCAA Week 1 games so stay tuned for more FREE NCAA predictions like this UNLV Houston matchup.
2024 NCAAF Handicapping Analysis: Week 1
(0-0) UNLV Rebels vs. Houston Cougars (0-0)
Date: Saturday, August 31st
Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: TDECU Stadium, Houston, TX
Week 1 ATS Betting Lines: (BET NOW!) UNLV +2.5 | Houston -2.5
Week 1 CFB Moneyline Odds: UNLV +113 | Houston -137
College Football Betting Total: O/U 54.5
UNLV Rebels
UNLV enters the season with the 2nd best odds in the Mountain West Conference to make it to the Conference title game, with the futures market giving them a 43% chance (+130) to make it to the Mountain West Championship. The Rebels are coming off a season in which they were 9-5 overall, and our pre-season power rankings have them 86th in the country. However, the futures odds in the futures market have them at +18% (implied odds of 18%) to make it to the Mountain West Championship.
Last season, UNLV was 5-3 at home and 4-2 on the road. They were the underdog in seven of their 14 games, going 5-2 in those contests. This season, they have a 51.7% chance of being bowl-eligible, according to our power rankings.
UNLV Rebels Stats
Last season, UNLV’s offense was 13th in the country in scoring, putting up 34.4 points per game. The Rebels were also strong on third down, converting at a 49% clip, which was the 6th best rate in college football. Their success was driven by a balanced attack, as they averaged 173.9 rushing yards per game (30th) and 239.1 passing yards per game. Their average of 8.3 yards per pass attempt was 15th best in the nation.
Jai’Den Thomas, who rushed for 503 yards and 12 touchdowns last season, returns as the top running back for the Rebels. In the passing game, UNLV brought in quarterback Matthew Sluka from Holy Cross, who threw for 286 yards and two touchdowns last season. The Rebels also added transfer Michael Allen from NC State to bolster their backfield.
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UNLV’s defense struggled last season, allowing 28.6 points per game. They had particular trouble stopping the run, giving up 164.4 rushing yards per game, which ranked 114th in the nation. In the passing game, the Rebels allowed 253.7 yards per game, placing them 148th. Opposing quarterbacks completed 61.2% of their passes against UNLV and had a combined passer rating of 91.1.
Houston Cougars
Last season, the Houston Cougars finished with a 4-8 overall record, including going 3-4 at home and 1-4 on the road. They were favored in just three of their 12 games, going 1-2 in those matchups and 3-6 as the underdog. Heading into this season, Houston is ranked 78th in our pre-season power rankings, with a 22.6% chance of being bowl-eligible.
However, their odds of winning the Big 12, where they are +10785 to win the conference, are slim, with just a 0.3% chance. The futures market places them at +3750 to make it to the Big 12 Conference title game, with an implied probability of 3%, which is 14th out of the 16 teams in the conference.
Houston Cougars Stats
Donovan Smith returns as Houston’s top quarterback after throwing for 2,800 yards and 22 touchdowns last season. He completed 64.4% of his passes, but also threw 13 interceptions, leading to a passer rating of 90. The Cougars also added Zeon Chriss from Louisiana, who threw for 1,222 yards last season.
Last season, Houston’s offense averaged 23.7 points per game, ranking 77th in the country. They were more of a passing-focused offense, ranking 44th in passing attempts per game. However, the running game struggled, finishing 106th in rush yards per game. Parker Jenkins, who rushed for 464 yards last season, is the top returning running back for the Cougars. In the receiving corps, Joseph Manjack IV, who had 577 receiving yards last season, leads the returners, and they added Devan Williams from Tulsa.
Opposing offenses found success on the ground against Houston last season, as the Cougars’ defense allowed 170.1 rushing yards per game, ranking 125th in the nation. Overall, Houston gave up 31.5 points per game, placing them 73rd in the country. In the passing game, they allowed 255.3 yards per game, which contributed to their struggles on the defensive side of the ball.
UNLV Rebels vs. Houston Cougars NCAA Football Betting Trends
- The UNLV Rebels are 3-2 in their last five games as an underdog.
- Conversely, the Houston Cougars are 2-3 ATS in their last five games as a favorite.
- Also, the UNLV Rebels are 8-2 ATS in their last ten road games.
- On the other side, the Houston Cougars have gone 6-4 across their last ten home games.
- Over the UNLV Rebels’ last 3 road games, the over/under record is 2-1.
- The Houston Cougars’ have an over/under record of 0-3 in their last 3 games at home.
4* Free 2024 Week 1 NCAA Betting Prediction: Houston -2.5
Our combined score projection for this week one matchup between Houston and UNLV is 63 points, making the over (54.5) a strong play. Houston is the slight -2.5 point favorite, and we have them winning the game 33-30, but with the over hitting, there very well could be value in taking the Rebels to cover the spread.
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UNLV Rebels vs. Houston Cougars NCAA Betting Tweet Of The Day
It’s finally game week 🙌🏽https://t.co/S4kBwOPiMs pic.twitter.com/o9LZe973VV
— Houston Football (@UHCougarFB) August 26, 2024
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