UNLV has not honored an NIL payment to starting quarterback Matthew Sluka, who now plans to redshirt after the team’s 3-0 start.
UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka took to social media on Tuesday evening to announce he is redshirting the rest of the 2024 season.
“I have decided to utilize my redshirt year and will not be playing in any additional games this season,” Sluka wrote in his post. “I committed to UNLV based on certain representations that were made to me, which were not upheld after I enrolled. Despite discussions, it became clear that these commitments would not be fulfilled in the future.”
Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, who represents Sluka, told ESPN Sluka was promised a minimum of $100,000 by a UNLV assistant coach to transfer, and that none of that money was paid. Cromartie says no effort was made by UNLV’s collective to formalize a contract once Sluka arrived on campus, and that all he has received to date is a $3,000 relocation stipend.
The only money Sluka has received from UNLV, per Cromartie, is a $3,000 re-location stipend for his move. Cromartie said there was never an ask for more money after UNLV's hot start, only the initial amount he was promised up front.
Sluka’s decision was the talk of the SEC coaches teleconference on Wednesday, with both Brian Kelly of LSU and Kirby Smart at Georgia advocating for revenue sharing to help alleviate issues like this one.
“The NIL, because it becomes a third-party piece, you lose control,” Kelly said. “And that’s why the revenue sharing piece is so important and getting that legislation passed now puts that back through the universities. And now those contracts can be written a lot differently. When you’re dealing with a third party and collectives and NILs, the universities are at arms length.”
“Unless there’s a set contract where Person A has to stay a certain amount of time or they’re going to have to pay back this contract, we’re never going to get to where we want to get to,” Smart added. “There’s probably going to be more and more of this going on, especially as the year goes on, November, December. Athletic departments are going to struggle to be able to make their commitments come to fruition and I think we’re going to see some really tough times in college football when all this is said and done.”
For UNLV, losing Sluka when the program is not only competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, but in the midst of a tug-of-war between the Pac-12 and the Mountain West, is a disaster timing wise.
The Rebels will call on backup Hajj-Malik Williams to step into the starting role. Williams has yet to attempt a pass this year, but the five year vet from Campbell has rushed 10 times for 88 yards and has a history as a dual-threat quarterback.
Oregon State and Washington State did not extend a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West into 2025.
The Washington State Cougars and Oregon State Beavers each began the unprecedented 2024 college football season with a win on Saturday, but it wasn’t the big headline surrounding the two programs this weekend.
Rather, it was the lack of news.
Sunday, September 1 was the deadline to extend the football scheduling partnership with the Mountain West into the 2025 season, a deadline that passed without an agreement – although neither side felt any urgency to formalize plans.
“If there’s no agreement, that doesn’t mean we can’t still do something,” a source told Jon Wilner of the San Diego Union Tribune. “This is not a standoff situation.”
The current deal provides both Oregon State and Washington State with six games against Mountain West schools, three at home and three on the road, for the 2024 season.
The two schools plan to compete as a two-team conference for 2024 and 2025, and while the deadline has passed it does sound like the two sides could still agree to a similar, albeit restructured, scheduling agreement for 2025.
As of now, both Oregon State and Washington State already have six games scheduled for 2025. WSU will play North Texas, San Diego State, Idaho, Washington, Virginia, and Oregon State, while OSU will play Cal, Fresno State, Houston, Texas Tech, Oregon, and of course Washington State.
Take a look at our score prediction for the game between UNLV and Houston.
The UNLV Runnin’ Rebels are on the road at the Houston Cougars on Saturday, with kickoff slated for 7:00 PM ET. The game will be aired on FS1.
This is the first game for both teams in the 2024 season. The last time these two teams played was back in 2014 when the Cougars beat the Runnin’ Rebels by 33 points.
A season ago, UNLV went 9-5 and played in a bowl game, which they ultimately lost by 13 to Kansas. Still, they finished the season strong with a third place finish in the Mountain West Conference.
For Houston, last season was a big-time struggle. The Cougars went 4-8 and finished 12th in the Big 12. The Cougars lost their season finale on the road at Central Florida.
Rebels Seeking Another Strong Season
The signal caller for UNLV will be transfer Matthew Sluka. He and receiver Casey Cain are joining the Rebels offense. Returning is Jai’Den Thomas. Last season he rushed for 503 yards on 108 carries and led the team with 12 touchdowns.
Ricky White is also returning. He was the top receiver a season ago with 1,483 yards and 8 touchdowns.
UNLV will head home and host Utah Tech next, and then head out on the road to take on Kansas. The first Mountain West Conference game of the season will be on September 28th against Fresno State.
Cougars Looking to Rebound Season
Donovan Smith is back behind center for the Cougars. He threw for 22 touchdowns a season ago. His downfall was in his 13 interceptions, and 26 sacks. Smith will need to stay upright more often this season for the Cougars to be better.
The run game will once again be led by Parker Jenkins. He rushed 99 times for 464 yards and 3 touchdowns. Smith led the team with six touchdown runs. The receiving game will be anchored by Joseph Manjack IV. He finished with 577 yards and 6 touchdowns last season.
Houston will go on the road at Oklahoma next Saturday. Following that, they will host the Rice Owls. Then, the Big 12 season starts. The first conference game is on the road at Cincinnati on September 21st.
UNLV vs. Houston Score Prediction
This is set to be one of the best games the entire weekend. The two teams looking to be competitive and want to get off to a quick start to their season. The Cougars are looking to get back to competitive ways, and out of the Big 12 will face some major tests. This is a great game for them to get started with a big-time win.
Look for Houston and UNLV to go back and forth, but when push comes to shove, the Cougars win at home. The College Sports Wire final score prediction is Houston Cougars 31-28 over UNLV.
A look at Week 0, college football’s first four matchups of the 2024 season featuring Florida State and Georgia Tech in Dublin.
The 2024 College Football season is officially here. Four games are set to kick off this Saturday, August 24, as part of ‘Week 0’ ahead of a full slate of games the following week.
Week 0 opens with a conference matchup between ACC programs Florida State and Georgia Tech. The game kicks off at 12:00 PT ET and will take place at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The ‘Noles are 11.5 point favorites after running through the ACC last season, but especially in an overseas game anything can happen.
Next on the schedule is New Mexico hosting Montana State on campus, with a 4:00 PM start on FS1. The Lobos are projected at or near the bottom in the Mountain West, and the Bobcats are favored by more than a touchdown here despite being an FCS program from the Big Sky.
What follows is another matchup involving a Mountain West school, with Nevada hosting new ACC foe SMU at Mackay Stadium in Reno starting at 8:00 PM ET. The Mustangs will be favored big in this one, and have a chance to set the tone regarding their status as a legit player in the ACC.
Finally, the night closes out in beautiful Hawaii, where the Rainbow Warriors host Delaware State out of the MEAC right at midnight ET. It could be an ugly day for the Mountain West, with both Nevada and New Mexico projected to lose, although Hawaii should hold the fort down at home and give the conference their first win of the season.
Fans will wet their beak with four games this Saturday, and five days later things fully get underway with 21 games slated for Thursday, August 29.
Maddux Madsen won the Boise State Broncos starting quarterback job over USC transfer Malachi Nelson.
The Boise State Broncos held a quarterback battle throughout the spring and summer, but a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel indicated the program tabbed redshirt sophomore Maddux Madsen the starter under center in Week 1.
Madsen has appeared in 10 games in his two seasons in Boise, and he beat out highly regarded USC transfer Malachi Nelson for the starting spot.
Nelson battled injury in his one season at USC, only appearing in four snaps for the Trojans – all in one game against San Jose State. He had an extremely decorated high school career, however, throwing for nearly 8,000 yards and 105 touchdowns at Los Alamitos High School in California.
Now he’ll continue to work on his game in a backup capacity, while Madsen seeks an opportunity to thrive in coach Spencer Danielson’s offense. Madsen appeared in nine games for the Broncos last year, finally stealing the starting job for good in the New Mexico game – before he suffered a season-ending injury in that contest after throwing for 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Madsen’s familiarity with the offense and dual-threat ability as a runner gave him the edge in a competition that was close all summer according to the coaching staff.
The Broncos have a real chance to win 10 or more games and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, which has a guaranteed slot for the best Group of Five conference champion.
Boise State opens at Georgia Southern before taking on the No. 3 Oregon Ducks in Week 2 at Autzen Stadium.
Boise State secured a commitment from 2026 quarterback Jackson Presley, who picked the Broncos over Oklahoma State and Arkansas.
The Boise State Broncos have long been a powerhouse at the Group of Five level in college football, and that doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon.
Despite narrowly missing a preseason Top 25 nod, the Broncos are expected to compete for a spot in the CFP this season, and are already working on building competitive rosters in the future as well.
The latest addition for Boise State is quarterback Jackson Presley (Kalispell, MT) who committed to the Broncos over Oklahoma State and Arkansas on Monday.
Presley is a three-star in the 2026 recruiting class who comes in as the No. 31 ranked quarterback in the class. The 6’2 quarterback had 12 offers according to 247Sports, but chose Boise State after visiting the facilities and connecting with the coaching staff.
“The whole staff made it clear that Boise was home and the place for me,” Presley said. “I really enjoyed what Boise State has going on. They have a quarterback-friendly offense. They’ve had great quarterbacks come out of there. They have had guys who can really sling the ball. I just instantly fell in love with everything the moment I was there.”
Presley is Boise State’s first commitment in the 2026 class, and gives them a foundational piece to build around as this program looks to remain elite in the Mountain West and nationally.
Utah State wide receiver Micah Davis has entered the NCAA transfer portal following the firing of coach Blake Anderson last week.
Utah State wide receiver and kick returner Micah Davis has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal, with less than one month remaining until the 2024 college football season gets underway.
Davis is able to enter outside of the transfer portal window because his coach, Blake Anderson, was fired last week. The rising senior becomes a very high profile player available on the market, and could be one of multiple former Aggies looking for a new home over the next few weeks.
Davis began his career at Air Force, totaling 360 rushing and 221 receiving yards along with six touchdowns before coming to Utah State. Last year as a junior, the 5’11 wideout racked up 36 receptions for 628 yards and six touchdowns. He was also exceptional on the special teams, totaling 28 punt returns for 250 yards and six kick returns for 83 yards for the Aggies.
His 28 punt returns was the highest mark not only in the Mountain West but across all of college football, while his 250 total yards ranked 10th.
The Atlanta native was honorable mention all-conference last year as both a receiver and return specialist. Able to enter because of the firing of… pic.twitter.com/cXrxHq3ac0
That alone should get him plenty of interest across the country as it is a translatable skill that allows him to make an impact at a new school right away – an important factor for a coach looking to bring a kid in in August.
The Fresno State Bulldogs open the season Aug. 31 at Michigan, but will be without head coach Jeff Tedford after he stepped down on Monday.
The Fresno State Bulldogs will kick off the 2024 college football season in Ann Arbor against the Michigan Wolverines without legendary head coach Jeff Tedford after the 62-year-old announced on Monday he is stepping down for health reasons.
This is the second time Tedford has stepped down at Fresno State due to his health, first doing so in 2019 before he was rehired three seasons later after his replacement, Kalen DeBoer, went to Washington.
Tedford went 45-22 across five seasons at Fresno State, including 19-8 the past two years. The Bulldogs were picked third in a Mountain West preseason poll, and are searching their fourth consecutive nine-win season – which has not happened since the team’s memorable run from 2001-2004.
Known as a quarterback guru, Tedford coached Aaron Rodgers and Kyle Boller at Cal during an excellent 11-season run which included a Pac-10 Championship in 2004. He also worked as an assistant coach at Oregon and Fresno State, working with quarterbacks David Carr, Joey Harrington, Trent Dilfer, and Akili Smith among others.
Tedford will be replaced on an interim basis by Tim Skipper, the team’s current assistant head coach and linebackers coach. Skipper played for the Bulldogs from 1997-2000 and has been in multiple roles as an assistant coach for over 20 years.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Boise State Broncos will matchup for the first time ever in October 2025.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish announced they will host the Boise State Broncos on October 4, 2025, at Notre Dame Stadium. It will be the first ever matchup between the two schools.
Notre Dame is 32-6 all-time against Mountain West teams, and this matchup will be the 90th different FBS school the Irish have played at least once in program history.
Notre Dame went 10-3 last year, ultimately facing Oregon State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl and winning 40-8.
Boise State will be playing their first ever game in the state of Indiana. The Broncos went 8-6 in 2023, including a 6-2 record in conference play and an appearance in the 2023 LA Bowl against UCLA.
Notre Dame and Boise State are two of the most successful FBS programs of all-time, each ranking in the top 10 nationally by win percentage.
Boise State has a .725 all-time winning percentage, sixth all-time, while Notre Dame comes in at fourth with a clip of .730. The Broncos have a .619 all-time mark in bowl games while Notre Dame’s bowl record is currently at .500.
Game time and TV information will be revealed at a later date.
Here’s a name: Montana State head coach Brent Vigen.
Though MSU is an FCS school, he interviewed for the Oregon State head coaching vacancy last December and brings with him an impressive resume. He’s compiled a 21-3 record since taking over MSU. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Wyoming when Josh Allen was shredding defenses.
[lawrence-related id=58914]
HollywoodinSJ @HollywoodinSJ “Will the Administration increase the pay for the assistants? Will they be willing to increase the head coach’s pay a bit as well? What is the health of the athletic department in general? Do we have the cash to do what needs to be done?”
When I asked a source familiar who is familiar with SJSU’s financial predicament about NIL yesterday, I received an interesting answer:
“The whole campus has had cuts to their budgets – including athletics– and we need to generate donations just for scholarships.”
The source then identified “student enrollment being down” as the reason behind the budget cuts.
All to say, this doesn’t reflect well on the “health of the athletic department” or bode well for incoming coaches’ contracts.
And lest we forget, the cost of living in San Jose is 49% higher than the national average and housing is a staggering 142% higher. Plus, SJSU’s donor base is still far from robust.
Sep 1, 2022; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose State Spartans head coach Brent Brennan reacts during the second quarter against the Portland State Vikings at CEFCU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan B: @rbizzle16 “We need a short list, rumors, anything… Nick Rolovich’s phone on? Sounds like they don’t want to promote from within.”
My short list is current Montana State head coach Brent Vigen, former UNLV head coach Marcus Arroyo, former Hawaii and Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich and Georgia defensive backs coach Donte Williams, who was an interim head coach at USC in 2021.
Not promoting from within could be a byproduct of SJSU wanting someone with head coaching experience. Which no SJSU coach has.
Gary Patterson, the former TCU head coach, should be looked at, but the chances are slim. SJSU doesn’t align with his ambitions to rebuild his image as a premier college football head coach. There’s operating budget concerns, NIL concerns and SJSU doesn’t return four of its five starting offensive lineman, quarterback, running back and safeties from last year.
Ricky Delgado @RickyDe70535587 “How many players do you think jump ship after hearing the news. Along these lines, do you think our next coach is in house or are we looking outside for the guy.”
I think it’s more likely SJSU goes with an outside hire because of its ambitions to hire someone with head coaching experience.
If that happens, I think players bolt because that coach may want to bring his own staff and that staff could bring players from their former school.
Then again, I’m not sure if that’s wise long term. For most of these players, SJSU was their best option. Either they received offers from schools at a lower caliber which decrease their chances of getting exposure needed to reach the next level. Or they received offers from better schools that they’d ultimately ride the bench at.
Dec 23, 2023; Honolulu, HI, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro (2) scrambles away from Coastal Carolina Chanticleers defensive lineman Will Whitson (44) during the third quarter of the Easypost Hawaii Bowl at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports
Connor Letourneau @Con_Chron “Does [Alonzo “Zo”] Carter have a real shot? he’s been putting on a PR blitz, but would they really hire a position coach?
I think Carter who is the SJSU running backs and associate head coach, will at least get an interview. But he’ll likely serve as a safety net hire if SJSU can’t come to terms with its favorite candidates. This isn’t a discredit to Carter, but it doesn’t fall in line with a tweet from ESPN’s Pete Thamel that said, “head coaching experience will be a preferred trait that they [SJSU] are looking for.”
Though he was successful, Carter’s head coaching experience at the high school and junior college level in the Bay Area doesn’t translate to a place like SJSU.
Brennan taking over SJSU as a former position coach is a rare occurrence. And that was a result of candidates not wanting to become head coach because the result could be so disastrous it hinders their chances of ever getting another head coaching opportunity.
“PR Blitz” front wise, the scores of endorsements from media members helps, but I’m sure those rank at the bottom of Konya, SJSU president Cynthia Teniente-Matson and donors’ deciding factors list.
It’s difficult to get a read on this. But it’s important to know that Fisch brought his entire offensive staff with him to Washington and current U of A defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen interviewed to replace Fisch. It’s common for someone in Nansen’s position to look elsewhere.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Brennan takes several members of his staff. He’s placed a premium on keeping a continuous unit at SJSU and has praised the school for finding the funds to make his ambitions possible. Furthermore, his current staff is filled with guys he brought with him from Corvallis: SJSU defensive coordinator Derrick Odum, offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven and defensive line coach Joe Seumalo.
If I’m an SJSU fan, Nick Saban is public enemy No. 1.
Let’s trace this:
On Jan. 10 Saban retired from Alabama. Then on Jan. 12 Kalen DeBoer left Washington to fill in for Saban. Which results in Jedd Fisch leaving Arizona to head to Washington on Jan. 14. Then, on the lord’s day of Jan. 16, 2024, Brennan left SJSU for Arizona.
Nov 25, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Arizona head coach Jedd Fisch shakes hands with Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham after winning the Territorial Cup 59-23 at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Chow-Arizona Republic
Matt Hamilton @MattHamilton19 SJSU “AD [Jeff] Konya said there would be a national search. Alabama, Washington and Arizona didn’t need a national search. Isn’t that his job? Shouldn’t he have been thinking about this possibility months ago?”
According to one source, SJSU AD Jeff Konya has likely been preparing for this moment. He’s smart enough to know any success this season could result in Brennan leaping to a Power Five.
Now, this doesn’t mean Konya was actively interviewing candidates. Rather, just keeping a list of names he felt could step in for Brennan.
Bru @TXBruce2727“For the SJSU folks, do we know what BB was making as HC? What FB budget is?”
Brennan received $2.3 million at SJSU in 2023, $1.93 million in 2022 and $1.5 million in 2021.
I can’t provide an accurate number for the budget – just know it isn’t great. Its practice field’s grass was browning a couple weeks into last year’s fall training camp, a field goal post on that same field is broken and up until last year, its facilities were laughably outdated.
Laurie Cottrell @LaurieCottrell “As an Arizona fan, I am happy for us-but so sorry for you. Believe me we know how it feels. Hope you find a solid replacement and that this new era of College Football doesn’t decimate the solid smaller programs!”
Pablo Luis @PabloG90 “Sorry SJSU this is a cruel business and we know how you feel.”
Blueleaf @leafblue16 “Arizona fan here, just wanted to say that we sympathize big time and fully understand any frustration. We were and are still there too.”
“With Brennan’s storied history at SJSU (parents went here and was an assistant under Tomey here), I find it impossible for any coach that has as much success here (definitely not more) to leap at the first chance they get. I don’t blame Brennan, but man it hurts.”
In Judaism, when someone passes there’s a week-long mourning session that follows called “Sitting Shiva.” Essentially, you do nothing but grieve, eat, and reminisce on the person who passed. Then you move on with your life.
We need something like this for college football fans who are forced to watch their coach get poached by a bigger school.
