California @ UNLV preview
SoFi Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2022 ) UNLV 14, California 20
The LA Bowl on Wednesday in Inglewood, Calif., will feature two teams in flux, as No. 24 UNLV aims to secure an 11-win season against Cal after losing its head coach -- and hiring a new one in the same week.
Purdue announced Dec. 8 that UNLV's Barry Odom would become the Boilermakers' 38th head coach. The news broke less than 48 hours after the Rebels' College Football Playoff dreams died in a 21-7 loss to Boise State in the Mountain West championship game.
UNLV (10-3) responded Thursday by announcing the head-coaching hire of Dan Mullen, the former Florida and Mississippi State coach who spent 13 years leading teams in the SEC.
Del Alexander, a former Southern California receiver and Los Angeles native, will be the Rebels' interim coach in the bowl game after spending the last two seasons as UNLV's wide receivers coach.
"I've been around some great coaches," Alexander said. "I think I have a winning record in being a part of teams that have won bowl games. The influence from those experiences is what I'm using. You know, short and sweet. Make sure the guys have fun. Make sure they're locked in on the details for the situations, and then bring it all together in the end."
Things have gone awry in Bear Territory as well, as Cal star quarterback Fernando Mendoza elected to enter the transfer portal. Leading receiver Nyziah Hunter also chose to enter the portal after hauling in 578 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season.
Cal (6-6) also chose to part ways with offensive coordinator Mike Bloesch, hiring former Auburn and Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin to take Bloesch's place.
Cal coach Justin Wilcox confirmed this week that quarterbacks CJ Harris and EJ Caminong were splitting reps in practice in the lead-up to the bowl game with Chandler Rogers working to make his way back from injury.
Wilcox explained how the coaching staff will delegate play-calling on Wednesday after overhauling the offensive staff, saying it will be "a collaborative effort."
"We got a couple guys on our staff who work and practice run and pass games, so we got some great support there," Wilcox said. "Right now (Harris) and (Caminong) are taking the majority of the reps, Chandler's day-to-day, so we'll see how he's doing."
UNLV lost its coach but has only one notable opt-out as running back Greg Burrell entered the transfer portal. Cornerback Tony Grimes also entered the portal but will play in Wednesday's game regardless.
Quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams will make his final start after a six-year career at Campbell and UNLV. He threw for 17 touchdowns and 1,845 yards this season while rushing for a career-high 824 yards in 10 starts.
UNLV stalwart and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year Jackson Woodard will play in Wednesday's game, closing a career that saw him end as a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the most outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on.
It was a full-circle moment for Woodard, who grew up in Arkansas and started his career at Brandon Burlsworth's SEC alma mater.
Rebels star receiver Ricky White is also expected to cap off his collegiate career in Wednesday's game before graduating in the spring and heading to the NFL draft.
White enters the LA Bowl 352 yards short of UNLV's all-time receiving record despite spending only three of his four seasons at the school. He tallied a career-high 11 touchdowns this season after racking up career highs in receptions (88) and receiving yards (1,483) in 2023, the latter of which was a program record.
--Field Level Media