Bowl gauntlet begins now for UNLV football

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023 | 2 a.m.

When it comes to seasonlong goals, most coaches prefer a “marathon” analogy. You know the clichés: It’s a long season, one play at a time, don’t get too high or too low based on one game, etc.

Barry Odom is more of a sprinter.

UNLV’s head coach has stated several times through training camp and the first two weeks of the 2023 campaign that he views the season as a series of sprints. Each week is a must-win, and then he expects his team to refill the tank and move on to the next one and do it all again.

That mindset will suit the Scarlet and Gray well now, as they prepare to host Vanderbilt on Saturday (4 p.m., CBS Sports Network), and for the rest of the season as the program chases its first bowl berth since 2013.

In short, UNLV currently has a record of 1-1 with 10 games remaining. The Scarlet and Gray will have to win five of those 10 contests to qualify for a bowl game. It’s a race to get those victories before time runs out.

On the surface, none are unwinnable, as Week 2’s trip to No. 2 Michigan proved to be. And none of them are surefire, foolproof wins, as Week 1’s rout of Bryant was.

Ten games, all up for grabs.

Odom and his team are waiting for the starting gun, ready to run.

“Right now we’re 1-1 and we have such a tremendous opportunity with the 10 games left in our regular season,” Odom said. “There’s hunger in the locker room. There’s excitement. We’re excited to be playing back at home. We need a homefield advantage. This team has got really strong resolve.”

The dash to the finish line begins with Vanderbilt, an SEC opponent that, like UNLV, finished 5-7 last year. The Commodores are 2-1 this season, including a win over Hawaii in Week 0, and they’ll take the field at Allegiant Stadium as 5-point road favorites.

UNLV is as healthy as a roster can be after two weeks, especially coming off a beating at the hands of one of the country’s most physical programs. Two starting offensive linemen are returning to action, and there are no major injuries at the skill positions or on the defense.

Junior linebacker Jackson Woodard, a captain of the defense, said the team has responded well to the loss at Michigan and is geared up for another sprint this week.

“You want to win every game,” Woodard said, “but you come in on Sunday and you watch the film and see what you did wrong. We left a lot on the table, which hurts, but it’s also a good thing. You can fix those mistakes. Then you come in on Monday and go to work. It’s a new game. We have a big challenge with Vanderbilt, but we came in and worked. It’s another game this week.”

Odom is hoping to see a more efficient showing from the newly installed go-go offense, which has struggled through the first two weeks. Junior quarterback Doug Brumfield is averaging just 5.0 yards per attempt, with no passing touchdowns and one interception.

There is pressure on Brumfield and the go-go to come through against a more vulnerable Vanderbilt defense, adding to what is already an unusual amount of weight for a Week 3 matchup.

The stakes are high, though. A triumph over Vanderbilt in the penultimate non-conference matchup would put UNLV in prime position; a loss knocks the Scarlet and Gray off the bowl track for at least a week.

Woodard said he and his teammates know they can bank a crucial win on Saturday if they play up to their own expectations.

“We just played Michigan,” Woodard said. “We can compete with anybody in the country. It doesn’t matter who it is. A lot of people look at the logos and stuff, but I think we’re going to be ready. They’re going to be a really good team, and our team is going to be ready for it.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.