UNLV coach says Mountain West should be in expanded playoff

Barry Odom has vivid memories of his most recent game as a head coach against a Mountain West opponent.

In 2019, Odom took Missouri to Laramie for its season-opening game at Wyoming. The Tigers were upset 37-31 by the Cowboys, who got a combined 238 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Sean Chambers and Xazavian Valladay.

Odom briefly righted the ship, but a difficult, injury-riddled second half of the season meant the Tigers finished 6-6. He was fired after the season, but his introduction to Mountain West football stuck with him.

“It’s part of the reason why I’m here,” Odom joked.

Odom and the rest of the Mountain West coaches spoke Thursday, as the conference held its final media day at Circa. The UNLV coach, preparing for his first season with the Rebels, is excited to test his new squad against a conference he said is one of the best in the country.

The 46-year-old former Arkansas defensive coordinator didn’t arrive at UNLV with many Mountain West connections. However, Odom said he has admired the conference from a distance for many years.

He also said the Mountain West is set up to take advantage of some of the changes sweeping across college football.

Beginning in 2024, the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams, and at least one berth will go to a champion from the Group of Five — the Mountain West, American Athletic Conference, Conference USA, Mid-American Conference and Sun Belt.

Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez, who is midway through her first year in the position, said Wednesday that it’s crucial for the conference to make sure it’s in contention for the playoff.

“I’m very optimistic,” Nevarez said. “Our competitive schedule is setting us up to be well-positioned at the end of the year.”

Added Odom: “Our champion should be in the playoffs. It really shouldn’t even be a question if that happens or not.”

Odom has experience coaching in the AAC and Conference USA during his time as the defensive coordinator at Memphis from 2012-2014. The Tigers moved to the AAC from C-USA for the 2013 season, and Odom said the Mountain West reminds him of the AAC when Memphis joined because of its depth.

While Odom said the Mountain West champion should get into the expanded playoff in 2024, he also acknowledged UNLV isn’t one of those top teams yet.

The Rebels were picked ninth in the conference’s preseason poll, albeit with a lone first-place vote. Odom said it was up to his team to change the perception of the program.

“We had some success at Missouri, we had some success at Arkansas,” Odom said. “I want to do the same thing here. I want to turn this into a winner.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.