UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka announced via social media Tuesday night that he will not play in any of the Rebels’ games this season and will therefore sit out the game.

In a post on X, Sluka wrote, “I committed to UNLV based on certain representations made to me that were not honored after I enrolled. Despite discussions, it became apparent that these commitments would not be honored going forward. I wish my teammates the best of luck this season and hope for the continued success of the program.”

photo.twitter.com/oK5BDRpoxK

— Matthew Sluka (@MatthewSluka) September 25, 2024

The Rebels are 3-0 and have been one of college football’s feel-good stories over the past two years. The program had two winning seasons from 2000 through 2022. Barry Odom won nine games in his first season as coach of the Rebels and has won two Big 12 games with Sluka as his starting quarterback this season.

The Group of 5 is guaranteed at least one spot in the expanded 12-team playoff and UNLV has one of the best resumes of those programs, with wins over Kansas and Houston.

Sluka transferred to UNLV this offseason after spending the previous four years at FCS-based Holy Cross. He was named the 2023 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 1,728 yards and 20 touchdowns and running for 1,247 yards. He finished fourth in voting for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the FCS’s most outstanding offensive player.

Through three games this season, Sluka leads UNLV in passing and rushing. He has thrown for 318 yards, six touchdowns and one interception and rushed for 253 yards and a touchdown.

UNLV reached the Mountain West Championship Game for the first time in 2023. Quarterback Jayden Maiava led the Rebels’ run and was named the 2023 Mountain West Freshman of the Year. He went on the transfer market this offseason and was pursued by top programs like Georgia and USC. He ultimately decided to play for the Trojans and is Miller Moss’ backup.

Now UNLV is once again without its starting quarterback, but this time within the first month of the season and with a strong Fresno State team traveling to Las Vegas on Saturday afternoon to take on the Rebels.

The decision to redshirt during the season and preserve eligibility for a potential transfer has become a trend in college football over the past two seasons. Players can play in four games and still redshirt a season.

In the past, however, these types of moves have been made by players who are buried on the depth chart and aren’t getting meaningful snaps. It hasn’t come from the starting quarterback of a 3-0 team with a legitimate chance to win the conference.

So this is an unprecedented situation in this era of free transfer portal movements and NIL decisions.

(Photo: Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)