LAS VEGAS — UNLV trailed Miami (Ohio) 24-10 at the end of the third quarter Saturday in Oxford, Ohio, when the Rebels, adhering to an incredible script that they began writing in 2021, awoke.
A wild fourth quarter made it 38-38 when UNLV walk-on sophomore Ramon Villela booted the go-ahead, 23-yard field goal with 15 ticks left.
The Rebels, giving 2½ points, improved to 4-0 overall and 3-1 against the spread.
Once again, the collegiate football team that plays in the sparkling –Allegiant Stadium on the Las Vegas Strip, in the heart of the sports-betting capital of the world, paid off those who had backed it with bucks.
Since 2021, among teams that have played at least 50 lined games through last weekend, according to TeamRankings, the Rebels have beaten the number at a 64.3% rate (36-20), second only to Notre Dame (38-18-2, .672).
Former UNLV quarterback Steve Stallworth, unaware of his alma mater’s national ATS stature, said, “Wow! Is that crazy, or what?”
In Iowa, ex-Rebels quarterback Jon Denton, raised in Vegas and weaned on the odds, profits on betting football and is aware of this magnificent run.
“You bet I am,” he said. “I try and stay away from the UNLV ATS bets. If I do [partake], it’s on the totals; too much emotion. It leads to some stressful games, especially that last game against Miami-Ohio.
“Data showed we should have blown the doors off them — too much for me!”
Denton, whose X moniker is “Jonny Yutah,” wagers with his head, not his scarlet-and-gray heart.
“But there’s been a few bettors here, in Iowa, who have greatly benefitted from the ‘Jonny Yutah’ [tips]. Sportsbooks have maybe been a step behind in our surge the last five years.”
Vision
UNLV had been college football’s laughingstock. On Sept. 2, 2017, at Sam Boyd Stadium, the Rebels lost 43-40 to Howard, an FCS squad that was supposedly a 45-point underdog on distant shores.
(That game wasn’t on Las Vegas tote boards, and I know nobody who actually saw, much less bet, the above line at any offshore outlet.)
Still, that game stands as the sport’s biggest upset. Two years later, at the start of his fifth and final UNLV season, coach Tony Sanchez predicted near-future excellence for the program.
The $2 billion Allegiant Stadium was being built for the Raiders, moving in from Oakland, as well as state-of-the-art on-campus facilities.
“Tony definitely had the vision,” Stallworth said. “He saw you could get it going. I’ve always appreciated what Tony did for us.”
Denton has visited more than 30 college football programs over the last five years and can compare amenities.
“We have the goods all other big-time programs have,” he said. “We have one of the only barber shops in college football! And Allegiant helps with the ‘next level’ chatter young kids are so focused on early in their careers.”
Turnaround
From losing to Howard to residing with Notre Dame in college football’s ATS penthouse is even more astounding when considering it has happened under three coaches.
Marcus Arroyo arrived from Oregon and went 1-5 during the 2020 coronavirus mess, when the Rebels moved into Allegiant. He went 7-17 during his last two seasons, but the plucky Rebels were 15-9 against the number.
Barry Odom went 20-8 in two seasons, 18-10 ATS. Former Florida boss Dan Mullen left ESPN to guide the Rebels, idle this weekend, this season.
On Sunday night, Stallworth returned from a weekend trip to Chicago, where he saw nephew Richard, a quarterback for Division-III Lake Forest College. Stallworth also ventured to Indiana to see Notre Dame smash Purdue and new coach Odom 56-30. He spent time with Odom.
“Every once in a while,” Stallworth said, “a coach will come along like Barry who can accelerate that process just by doing things right, with character, morals, integrity and hard work.”
Mullen spent nine seasons at Mississippi State and four at Florida, where he had the Gators among the nation’s top 10.
Stallworth added, “People are jumping on board. Dan is keeping it going. Shoot, none of us could imagine a coach like Dan Mullen being here.”
Gold
On Sept. 20, 1986, Stallworth led UNLV to a 17-7 triumph over Wisconsin at Sam Boyd, out among the tumbleweeds in the desert.
He had no clue about that game’s point spread. Then again, Silver State sportsbooks weren’t allowed to post odds on Nevada or UNLV until February 2001.
In 21 games in 1996 and ’97, Denton threw for 6,177 yards and 43 touchdowns.
“All I ever remember hearing was, ‘We lost, but we covered’ type talk from the older brothers or parents’ friends,” he said. “Something to be said about making someone some cash while playing above expectancy.”
Denton, young when he learned that the break-even ATS percentage is 52.38, sought offshore spreads and informed teammates.
“We knew what the books thought of us, and some of us kept that chip on our shoulders,” he said. “Rarely were we the ‘favorite’ in my time, so knowing we were ruining someone’s Saturday was gold.”
He’s amazed that expectations of UNLV football have altered so dramatically.
“Compete under Arroyo, win under Odom to win big with Mullen, and you better believe these coaches know the spreads and whatnot,” he said. “They know the town’s public Joes bet on their home team.
“So it goes back to feeling good about making someone some cash.”
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