Hoping to play in front of a full complement of fans, the UNLV football team will open its second year in its new home at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 2 as part of a 12-game schedule released Friday by the Mountain West.
Under second-year head coach Marcus Arroyo, the Rebels will kick off their 54th season of football by hosting Eastern Washington from the Big Sky Conference for the first time ever on a special Thursday night game.
One week later, UNLV travels to Arizona State of the Pac-12 Conference. It will mark only the second meeting between the schools as the Rebels upset the 13th-ranked Sun Devils in Tempe, 23-20 in overtime, on Sept. 13, 2008.
Big 12 Conference regular-season champion Iowa State comes to Las Vegas for the first time since 2008 on Sept 18. The defending Fiesta Bowl champion Cyclones will face the Rebels for the sixth time overall.
The Mountain West schedule starts Sept. 25 with a trip to Fresno State while UNLV’s non-conference slate wraps up one week later with a first-ever meeting with UTSA at the famed Alamodome in San Antonio. Members of Conference USA, the Roadrunners are coming off an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
Following the season’s only off week, the Rebels play four of their next six games at home, starting by hosting Utah State for the first time since 2017 on Oct. 16.
Defending Mountain West champion San Jose State is here Oct. 23 before the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon will see the Rebels head north to face UNR on Oct. 30 as the rivalry game will be played on Nevada Day Weekend for the second straight season. That meeting will also be part of the Silver State Series presented by IBEW and Nevada Donor Network.
UNLV hits the road again the following week to visit New Mexico for the first time in four seasons on Nov. 6. The annual Ninth Island Showdown sponsored by the California Hotel will see Hawai’i come to Allegiant Stadium for the first time on Nov. 13 as the teams play for the Island Showdown Trophy.
The home finale is slated for Nov. 20 vs. San Diego State while the Rebels will wrap up the regular season Nov. 27 at Air Force in UNLV’s first appearance at Falcon Stadium since 2017.
Friday’s announcement represents the first phase in the 2021 football schedule process. Mountain West national television partners CBS Sports and FOX Sports will now initiate a selection procedure that will also include the shifting of particular games to Fridays. That will be followed by the identification of national network outlets and kick times.
UNLV is scheduled to begin spring practice on March 29.
Season tickets for the 2021 season are now on sale. With lower bowl season tickets starting at just $125, click here or call (702) 739-FANS.
For information on VVIP premium club seats or suites at Allegiant Stadium, contact the Rebel Athletic Fund's Premium Sales Division at premiumseating@unlv.edu.
