UNLV will face California in the fourth LA Bowl Dec. 18 at SoFi Stadium with Los Angeles native Del Alexander making his debut as the Rebels interim coach, organizers announced Sunday.
The 53-year-old Alexander, who was a receiver for University High School in the Sawtelle district, West Los Angeles College and USC, was appointed as UNLV’s interim coach Sunday afternoon after Barry Odom resigned earlier in the day to become Purdue’s coach.
“Del has a long history with successful football programs on a national level and we have full confidence that he is the right person to lead the Rebels into what promises to be an exciting big-time bowl game in Los Angeles against Cal,” UNLV athletic director Erick Harper said in a statement.
Alexander has been the Rebels’ wide receivers coach since 2023. He began his coaching career in 1995 as an assistant video coordinator at USC after playing for the Trojans in 1993 and 1994. He was a graduate assistant in 1996 and 1997, John Robinson’s final two seasons as USC’s coach.
Alexander was also on Robinson’s staff at UNLV as passing game coordinator from 2000-2001 and wide receivers and quarterbacks coach in 2002.
Alexander has also coached at Oregon State, San Diego, Wisconsin, Arizona State, Notre Dame and Georgia Tech and was a San Diego Chargers senior offensive assistant in 1999.
The LA Bowl customarily matches a Pac-12 team against the Mountain West Conference champion. With conference champion Boise State chosen for the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, UNLV, which lost the conference’s championship game to the Broncos 21-7, was chosen as their replacement.
The Rebels (10-3) won their first three games, their best start since 1984, then quarterback Matthew Sluka announced he would take a redshirt season to preserve his final season of eligibility, with his camp claiming he was owed thousands in name, image and likeness licensing money. UNLV said he received everything he was promised and simply wanted more.
The Rebels won their next game with his replacement, Hajj-Malik Williams, at quarterback, then lost to Syracuse, 44-41, in overtime
Both of UNLV’s losses since then have been to Boise State, ranked ninth in the final College Football Playoff rankings issued Sunday and bound for the playoff quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl, 29-24, Oct. 25, and 21-7 Friday.
The LA Bowl has the fifth choice among available former and current Pac-12 teams and selected the Golden Bears (6-6) after the Sun Bowl chose Washington (6-6).
California is seeking its first winning season since 2019 when it was 8-5.
The teams have one common opponent, Syracuse, which defeated the Golden Bears, 33-25, Nov. 16, and the Rebels, 44-41, in overtime, Oct. 4.
Oddsmakers have made the California a 2 1/2-point favorite. ESPN Analytics gives UNLV a 54.6% chance of winning.
The 6 p.m. game will be televised by ESPN.