UNLV in AP Top 25 for first time in program history

Hajj-Malik Williams finished 13 of 16 through the air for 182 yards, while he carried the ball 12 times for 119 yards to lead the UNLV Rebels to a 59-14 win over Fresno State on Saturday. The win propelled the Rebels into the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in program history.

PHOTO: Courtesy UNLV

By W.G. RAMIREZ

LAS VEGAS -- The UNLV Rebels are ranked in the Associated Press' Top 25 for the first time in program history. The Rebels are tied for No. 25 with Texas A&M

Saturday's dominating 59-14 win over Fresno State propelled the Rebels from a team receiving votes to what now should be considered a College Football Playoff contender.

Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, while all-American candidate Ricky White III returned a blocked punt for a score and caught two touchdown passes.

Jai'Den Thomas also returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

"Collectively you look on how we played together, the challenge to start fast this week was certainly at the top of our mind, I thought we did," UNLV coach Barry Odom said. "We needed to win the turnover margin and then we talked about going in attack mode in all three phases. ... I thought we played fast, I thought we played with a lot of confidence.

"The offensive line did a tremendous job protecting (Williams). I thought the receivers ran great routes. I thought the runners ran hard. We played well as an offense."

UNLV (4-0, 1-0 Mountain West) opened conference play after a week's worth of off-field turmoil created when former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka announced through his agent he would sit out the rest of the season over a $100,000 NIL payment he alleges was promised prior to transferring from Holy Cross.

Sluka's camp told members of the media that offensive coordinator Brennan Marion made the NIL promise, but all the quarterback received was a $3,000 relocation fee.

His absence didn't make a bit of difference, as the Rebels put together their best performance of the season and improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1976, when they were Division II.

Williams, who looked much more complete than Sluka did in UNLV's first three games, got the scoring underway with a 6-yard run to give UNLV a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter. Then, Rashod Tanner blocked a Clay Lawrence punt with 27 seconds left and White picked it up and raced in from 13 yards out to extend the lead to 14-0.

Williams later connected with White for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:57 left before halftime to send the Rebels into the locker room with a 21-0 lead at halftime.

Williams finished 13 of 16 through the air for 182 yards, while he carried the ball 12 times for 119 yards.

White finished with 10 receptions for 127 yards.

The chemistry between the dual-threat quarterback and UNLV's explosive wideout led to an important question for Odom after the game: "Why wasn't Williams named QB1 all along?"

"I think everybody knew what we had in Hajj, also have said numerous times, whether we listen or not to it, I think at the beginning of fall camp I said a number of times we have three quarterbacks on this roster that I feel can play winning football," Odom replied. "And I still stand by that. The guys continue to develop, they continue to take the reps, they continue to prepare and they did things in the team concept of understanding their role and knowing that they were a play or a day away from having their number being called.

"So that speaks volumes on not only Hajj, that speaks volumes on Cam Friel, and it speaks volumes on all the guys that played today when their number was called."

Next up for the newly ranked Rebels is ACC-member Syracuse, which figures to be their toughest opponent to date.

UNLV opened a 3-point favorite at the Westgate in Las Vegas, and quickly moved to a 3.5-point favorite shortly thereafter.

"It's a long season," Odom continued. "This year it's 15 weeks, 12 regular season (games), you got two bye weeks in there, you got a championship game and then whatever happens after that.

"And we're gonna need everybody. We've got 109 guys in the locker room now. We need all 109 to accept their role, to continue to improve on what they're doing, and then put the team first. And that's been our message from the jump."