QB Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV Rebels roll, race to 4-0 start - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — UNLV made a statement Saturday in its first game without former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka: The Rebels are going to be just fine.

Rolling to a dominant 59-14 win over Fresno State and moving to 4-0, UNLV proved it will be a contender in the Mountain West Conference race regardless of its quarterback change.

Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards, rushed for 119 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns in his first start for the Rebels after Sluka opted to leave the program Wednesday over a dispute about his NIL compensation.

«It was business as usual,» UNLV coach Barry Odom said. «We've got a very mature team.… Our players, we've got strong leadership. They understand the mission that we're on and they got it done.»

Williams, a sixth-year senior and FCS transfer from Campbell, joined the Rebels in January and lost a close competition with Sluka in fall camp. The 24-year-old quarterback played in 41 games at Campbell, leaving as the program's career leader in passing yards and touchdowns, and was ready for his opportunity.

«I thought he was effective, I thought he was efficient,» Odom said. «I thought the offensive line did a tremendous job protecting him. I thought the receivers ran great routes. I thought the runners ran hard. We played well as an offense.»

UNLV wide receiver Ricky White III led the Rebels with a season-high 10 catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns and said the quarterback change was «definitely good for us.»

«He's just a great quarterback that us, as an offense, we can rally behind and just go by his pace,» White said.

After starting three games for UNLV, Sluka opted to redshirt and was expected to enter the transfer portal in December. Sluka's father and agent have alleged