UNLV and Memphis will both fancy their chances of representing the Group of 6 in the College Football Playoff this season.

The Rebels, coming off a 10-win season in Dan Mullen’s first year in Sin City, are the favorites to win the Mountain West, while the Tigers are expected to be in the mix to win the AAC.

A win for either side Saturday night would be a big first step towards achieving that goal.

The bookies are giving UNLV the edge as a four-point home favorite in Week 0.

As is the case with just about every team in the Group of 6, Memphis and UNLV underwent significant changes in the offseason.

Mullen brought in former five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold to replace Anthony Colandrea, while Memphis is essentially starting over under new head coach Charles Huff.

Like Arnold, this is Huff’s third school in as many years.

Unlike Arnold, it’s because Huff was a success at his previous stops, Marshall and Southern Miss.

Arnold may be the headliner in the UNLV ranks because of his pedigree, but this offense will go as far as the running game takes it.

Paterson, N.J. native Jai’Den Thomas is a star and should be champing at the bit to run at a Memphis defense that has been completely revamped by Huff.

Eventually, the Tigers could be a sturdy unit, but with so many new faces, both on the field and on the sidelines, I expect some growing pains.

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The same should be true on offense, as Huff brought in FCS transfer Marcus Stokes to lead the offense.

I think there is an argument to be made that over the course of a full season, Memphis may be a slightly better team than UNLV, but we’re only looking at this single game.

And in the immediate term, the Rebels have the biggest edge with their run game.

The Play: UNLV -4 (-110, DraftKings)

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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.