Playing its first game after losing former staring QB Matthew Sluka mid-week to an NIL dispute, UNLV played -- easily -- its best game of the season thus far.

UNLV responded to the sudden departure of former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka with a dominant 59-14 victory over Fresno State on Saturday at home.

Hajj-Malik Williams threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score, Ricky White III returned a blocked punt for a score and caught two touchdown passes, and Jai'Den Thomas returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown as unbeaten UNLV breezed to a 59-14 victory over Fresno State in the Rebels' conference opener on Saturday.

Why wouldn't UNLV's collective find $100,000 to keep starting quarterback Matthew Sluka happy amid the program's first 3-0 start since 1984? Hajj-Malik Williams provided the answer on Saturday. In UNLV's first game since an NIL dispute made it the talk of college football,

It has been a turbulent week for UNLV football, with quarterback Matthew Sluka’s sudden and shocking departure from the team over an NIL dispute throwing the Scarlet and Gray into a state of uncertainty.

UNLV made a statement Saturday in its first game without former starting quarterback Matthew Sluka, as Hajj-Malik Williams threw for 182 yards and rushed for 119 more, as the Rebels rolled to a dominant 59-14 victory over Fresno State,

UNLV backup quarterback turned starter Hajj-Malik Williams dominated in his first game after former starter Matthew Sluka left the program over NIL

Barry Odom opened his post-game press conference on Saturday by reading a prepared statement, explaining in the tersest of terms that he wasn’t going to answer any questions about Matthew Sluka’s departure from the team over an NIL dispute

The whole country was asking, how will UNLV’s offense be without Matthew Sluka and with Hajj-Malik Williams. We now know the answer, UNLV will be fine without Sluka and they are arguably better with Williams at the helm.