UNLV announces revised football schedule

UNLV announced its revised football schedule on Thursday. The Rebels open against San Diego State on Oct. 24 in Carson, California, then play UNR the following week at Allegiant Stadium in the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon.

The rivalry game against the Wolfpack usually takes place at the end of the season, but will take place on Oct. 31 as part of Nevada Day Weekend. UNLV has won the last two matchups, including a 33-30 road victory last season.

UNLV did not respond to requests for comment regarding the specifics of the schedule.

The Rebels will play all of their home games at Allegiant Stadium, including tilts against Fresno State, Wyoming and Boise State. UNLV also plays road games against San Jose State, Colorado State and Hawaii, concluding the regular season on Dec. 12.

The Mountain West championship game is scheduled for Dec. 19 at the home stadium of the school with the best winning percentage. The conference is abandoning its divisional format this season to “allow for maximum flexibility given the various constraints which had to be considered,” Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson said in a statement.

“The season begins with an uneven number of conference games, and the possibility exists additional games may be lost to COVID-19 challenges,” Thompson said. “The procedures for determining the participants in and location for the MW Football Championship Game were adapted to accommodate a range of outcomes in as equitable a fashion as possible.”

The Rebels applied to play their home games in front of limited spectators after Gov. Steve Sisolak eased restrictions for large-scale events earlier this week. Large gatherings can take place at no more than 10 percent capacity, meaning a maximum of 6,500 could attend games at Allegiant Stadium, which has a capacity of 65,000 for football.

UNLV’s proposal is pending approval.

If approved, season-ticket holders will have priority access to tickets for home games this season. Extra seats will be available to the general public.

“Our student-athletes have been working extremely hard in preparation for the chance to compete, and they are excited to represent our great city,” Rebels athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said earlier this week in a statement. “We are enthused that they may have an opportunity to play in front of fans in our incredible new stadium.”

The Rebels are entering their first year under head coach Marcus Arroyo. They began practicing last Friday, one day after the league finalized a return to play.

Contact reporter Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.