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Former SEC head coach Barry Odom is thriving in his new home.
Odom is the head coach at UNLV and the Rebels are sitting at 3-0 through 3 weeks. In Week 3, the Rebels got an impressive win over a Kansas Jayhawks team that some picked to win the Big 12.
As a result, the Rebels are ranked No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. This is the first time the Rebels have ever been ranked in one of the 2 major polls.
Cool note: UNLV checks in at No. 25 in the @usatodaysports coaches poll. This is the first time the UNLV football program has ever been ranked in one of the two major polls.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) September 15, 2024
Odom is in his 2nd season at the helm in Las Vegas and the coach has accumulated a 12-5 record through 17 games.
Before heading to Vegas, Odom was the head coach at Missouri from 2016-19. The coach racked up a 25-25 record in Columbia and went 0-2 in bowl games. Odom coached at Missouri in several different roles from 2003-11 before eventually landing the HC gig.
After leaving Mizzou, Odom spent 3 seasons in Arkansas as assistant head coach, safeties coach, and defensive coordinator. The coach earned the UNLV HC gig after the 2022 season and has helped the team reach new heights.
The Rebels earned a bid to the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Odom’s 1st season, where they fell to Kansas 49-36.
In Week 1 of the 2024 season, the Rebels took down Houston. The team destroyed Utah Tech in Week 2 before taking down Kansas in Week 3.
The next test for the team will be in Week 5 against Fresno State.
Bryce Lazenby covers college football for Saturday Down South. A Nashville native, his previous stops include FanSided, Dimers, and The Leaf-Chronicle.
