UNLV coach says Rebels need to ‘take care of business’ against rival

Since losing to the Boise State Broncos on Oct. 25, UNLV Rebels coach Barry Odom has stressed the importance of winning football in November.

UNLV has answered the call thus far, winning both of its games in the 11^th month of the year.

Now the Rebels will play their most meaningful game of the season against rival Nevada-Reno at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday.

It’s simple for UNLV: win and advance to the Mountain West Conference Championship game in Boise, Idaho.

“We’re excited to where we are with one regular season left,” Odom said.

UNLV Controls Its Destiny

Following the loss to Boise State, the Rebels’ hopes of making the College Football Playoff seemed like a faded memory.

Fast forward to the end of November, UNLV controls its destiny to make the field of 12. Colorado State’s loss to Fresno State cracked opened the door, while Tulane’s loss to Memphis on Thanksgiving widened the door. A win over Nevada-Reno would likely move the Rebels into a position trailing only Boise State in the College Football Playoff rankings.

It makes it simple for UNLV: Win against Nevada-Reno and Boise State, and you’re likely in the CFP.

“Obviously, the chance to go 1-0 this week opens a lot of doors for us,” Odom said. “We know that. We talked about it as a team. None of it matters if we don’t take care of business this week.”

Most projections have UNLV playing in the L.A. Bowl at So-FI Stadium, if the Rebels were to lose to Nevada-Reno or Boise State.

About the Wolf Pack

Nevada-Reno comes into the game winless in the Mountain West thus far and have lost six straight. But like all rivalry games, records go out the window regarding intrastate games.

Quarterback Brendon Lewis leads the team in rushing with 745 yards on 141 rushes with eight touchdowns. He’s also completed 184-of-275 passes with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions. Nevada-Reno is 77^th in the nation in total offense.

Defensively, the Wolf Pack struggle against the run, ranking 104^th in the nation.

Paul Delos Santos is the Las Vegas sports insider for Dice City Sports. Follow him on X at @PaulDelos_.