UNLV football returns from bye dreaming of Boise State rematch

The UNLV football team wants another rematch.

Coach Barry Odom said the Rebels, after losing to Boise State 29-24 on Oct. 25, entered their second bye week feeling banged up and devastated.

But Odom was cheerful Monday, saying he felt “great urgency” from his players during practice. The coach shortened the team’s workouts during the bye but said he saw heightened energy and effort even when the group was off the field. Odom said he spotted players getting in extra work in the weight room and watching film together even whey they weren’t scheduled to.

“Body language is the most powerful language in the world, and you see the bounce in our step,” Odom said.

UNLV (6-2) has just four more games to earn another shot at the Broncos in this year’s Mountain West title game.

It would be an opportunity for the Rebels to correct their mistakes from their recent loss, as well as avenge their defeat to Boise State in last season’s conference championship game.

Odom still believes his team can make it happen.

“Everything that we want to try to accomplish is within our control, and it starts with getting to the Mountain West championship game,” Odom said. “That’s still there. We do need some help … but if we go win the next four and finish 10-2 in the regular season, my belief is we will be in the championship game.”

The Rebels next play at Hawaii on Saturday. They’ll then take on San Diego State at home Nov. 16, face San Jose State on the road Nov. 22 and host UNR on Nov. 30.

The Spartans were also off over the weekend, but UNLV was paying attention to how its other three remaining opponents did.

“We talked a little bit as a team today after practice — when you’re on a bye week, and you have an opportunity to watch other schools and teams play, you can see when teams have hunger or when they don’t,” Odom said. “And it’s very, very clear to watch.”

Odom said it’s human nature to relax as a team goes through the highs and lows of a football season. But the Rebels don’t have that luxury. At least, that’s how senior offensive lineman Jack Hasz feels. That’s why he paid close attention to this weekend’s games.

“Looking at the big picture of, you know, who’s winning what game isn’t necessarily on our minds right now. It’s more of, if we’re going to see these guys in the future, kind of getting a tiny bit of a head start on them,” Hasz said. “At the end of the day, conference play is kind of a copycat world, too. So if something works against one team, you’ll probably see it throughout.”

Hasz was one of several UNLV linemen that addressed reporters Monday, along with junior offensive lineman Anton Ambuehl, senior defensive lineman Alexander Whitmore and senior defensive end Antonio Doyle Jr.

They all gave similar answers when asked how badly the Rebels want another shot at Boise State:

“It’s everything.”

“It’s all we think about.”

“We need it.”

But when the group was asked a follow-up question on how far the team is looking ahead, Doyle snapped the conversation back to Hawaii.

“We’re just focusing on one week at a time,” Doyle said. “Really honing in on just being dominant one game at a time, because we can’t come up short.”

Contact Callie Fin at cfin@reviewjournal.com. Follow @CallieJLaw on X.