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LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The only undefeated team remaining in the Mountain West, No. 25/23 UNLV (4-0/1-0) completes its non-conference slate by hosting a first-ever meeting with Syracuse (3-1/1-1) out of the ACC on Friday evening.
The game will be televised nationally on FS1.
This cross-country matchup was announced in January when a long-scheduled series between UNLV and Army was canceled after the Black Knights joined a conference and both the Rebels and Orange needed a replacement game.
UNLV is one of 19 undefeated teams left in the FBS and was ranked in this week’s AP poll for the first time since moving to Division I in 1978.
The Rebels earned their first-ever national ranking in the Coaches Poll on Sept. 15 and have since moved up to No. 23.
UNLV has won its first four games for only the fourth time in its 57-year history and for the first time since 1976.
UNLV is coming off a 59-14 win over Fresno State while Syracuse downed Holy Cross at home, 42-14.
With a win at Houston and a victory at Kansas, UNLV became the first non-conference team ever to have multiple road wins against Big 12 competition in the same season.
The 13 wins in 18 games under head coach Barry Odom represent the most victories over any two-season span since the Rebels went a combined 16-7-1 in 1984 and ‘85.
Odom’s win percentage of .722 ranks second in school history, trailing only Ron Meyer’s .771 mark set while competing in Division II from 1973-75.
With the August 31 victory at UH, Odom became the first UNLV coach to win his first two season-openers at the school since Tony Knap in 1976-77.
The Rebels are 12-0 under Odom when leading after the third quarter.
UNLV is tied for third in the nation with a plus-eight turnover margin. Under DC Michael Scherer, the UNLV defense has forced at least one turnover in 17 of 18 games.
The Rebels have scored 37 total points off turnovers while allowing zero such points from opponents.
UNLV returned two All-Americans for the first time in its history — WR Ricky White III and KR/PR Jacob De Jesus.
Both were tabbed 2024 preseason All-America.
REBELS vs. ORANGE NOTES…
These programs have never met on the football field.
In fact, the Rebels have only faced one team who was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the time of the game as UNLV was then a member of the Big West Conference fell at No. 22/21.
Clemson, 24-14, to open the 1993 season.
The Orange’s previous head coach, Dino Babers (2016-23), served as UNLV’s special teams coordinator and RB coach during the 1988 and ‘89 seasons.
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