00:00The biggest game that we've yet to hit is late night.
00:03It is UNLV against Memphis.
00:06Let me get the latest numbers here for you all,
00:08even though we're obviously a ways away from kickoff.
00:12We've got four and a half and some flat four out in the market
00:15as far as the side goes.
00:17Your total's sitting pretty steadily at 56 and a half.
00:21Now, the spread has moved around a little bit.
00:26This was a bit lower, but I think some people might have clipped
00:30some Memphis five and a half.
00:32This at one point, I think, was three and a half.
00:35And I really like this UNLV team.
00:41I think they're a really exciting bunch.
00:44I think that Jackson Arnold has found himself a real home here.
00:49I think Jackson Arnold is talented.
00:52Obviously, it didn't really work out for him
00:54at either of his stops at the SEC.
00:57That happens, right?
00:59This is still a five-star level recruit
01:02who now comes in and is joined
01:07by arguably the best player in the whole conference
01:12in running back Jaden Thomas.
01:15I think it gives this team just a silly offensive ceiling.
01:20I think that Dan Mullen, who people weren't sure how it was going to go,
01:26has earned a lot more respect for this program
01:32and for this team, even at a potential national level.
01:37And I think they've got enough on the defensive side of the ball.
01:40We talk about who's going to sneak into that final college football playoff spot.
01:45I think this could be the team.
01:47I defensively think Jake Pope will be the star of the group in that secondary.
01:53He's got, similar to Arnold, some SEC experience under his belt.
01:58And I really, really like what UNLV bring to the table.
02:02For example, this is a Memphis team who offensively,
02:08so Memphis, again, like everybody, right?
02:10Cleared out, coaches change, and that's how it goes.
02:15They bring in Charles Huff from Southern Miss.
02:18So this is kind of a flip from what we're used to with Memphis,
02:21high-flying, high-powered offense, defense, maybe not, right?
02:25This is now a defensive first team.
02:28I can't get there, though, when it's just Southern Miss' defense.
02:33Like, Southern Miss was a solid defense last year.
02:39Now they're here playing at a bit of a higher level.
02:43I'm not as in.
02:46Offensively, Marcus Stokes, who's an unknown from the D2 level,
02:49had a 40-total touchdown season.
02:52It's exciting, but it's not a guarantee.
02:56I just, I'm not as in on Memphis.
02:58I like UNLV quite a bit.
03:00The only thing I will just say, kind of waiting for the market here,
03:03is I think it's more likely that this goes down to 3.5
03:07than back up to 5.
03:09So I'm going to be patient on betting UNLV, Craig,
03:12but I like UNLV here in this spot against the Tigers.
03:17So, very intriguing game tonight, without a doubt.
03:21I'm going to turn this back over to you for a minute here,
03:25because this is a perplexing question.
03:29I'm going to ask you two questions here, Kevin.
03:32Question number one.
03:35If UNLV loses tonight, are they out of the college football playoff?
03:42Absolutely.
03:43They are out.
03:45They are out.
03:46I would agree.
03:47I would agree.
03:49Here's the second question for me in doing my research here today.
03:52Now, again, I think we are just as good in picking games as everybody else,
03:58and I think everybody else is just as good as picking games at us.
04:01I'm not a huge guy in terms of, like, best handicappers out there
04:05or anything like that.
04:06Everyone seems to be taking Memphis tonight, and I don't understand it.
04:11Why?
04:12What am I missing here?
04:14It seems like UNLV, on paper, at home, better quarterback, better offense,
04:20probably better talent, and then I'm reminded that in a home opener on week zero,
04:26on the standalone game on a Saturday night, they're only four-and-a-half point favorites.
04:31So what is it?
04:32What is the wackiness about this line, about this game,
04:36and about, you know, specifically Dan Mullen, probably a superior coach to Huff, too?
04:42Like, what is it?
04:44Why is everyone taking Memphis?
04:46Or not everyone.
04:47I take that back.
04:48Why are a lot of people siding with Memphis tonight?
04:51Yeah.
04:53I don't think you're reading, like, what people are doing incorrectly here.
04:58There's clearly – it's a reason why I just said, like,
05:00I'm not rushing to bet UNLV.
05:02I think, you know, what I'll do is – because sometimes I can get a little forgetful.
05:07Can I go put a little alarm on my phone, you know, for about 9.30 to remind myself,
05:12well, go bet UNLV.
05:15You know, the why, I think, is power ratings have changed a lot.
05:22The process has become a lot more difficult because of all of the turnover at these programs
05:27year over year over year.
05:29And you can end up with a lot of people thinking that this should just be a much shorter line
05:35than it necessarily is.
05:37Maybe they feel that the home field advantage is being a little bit inflated here.
05:42This game is at Allegiant Stadium.
05:44It is in Las Vegas.
05:46I think that that is a nice spot for the Rebels as well.
05:50Now, I'm working in the Times.
