By Mark WallingtonUNLV Sports Information
It will be pigskin in paradise for the UNLV football team this winter because the school announced that it would travel to the University of Hawaii to play the Rainbow Warriors on December 2.
The Rebels replaced the University of Texas as a UH opponent after the Longhorns announced in March that they were pulling out of a scheduled September 2 game because of financial reasons. Second-year UH head coach June Jones made national news when he claimed Texas really backed out of the season-opener because the school was wary of facing the Rainbows. Jones, who led his team to a 9-4 record that included an Oahu Bowl title in 1999, said the money excuse was hogwash.
"They know we have a chance to beat them and they don't want to take that chance," Jones said about the Longhorns in March. "I lived in Texas for four or five years and I've never known a Texan to back down from a fight. I guess their coach is not from Texas. We'll end up with somebody who's not afraid to play us."
That somebody turned out to be UNLV.
Because the NCAA allows teams that play at Hawaii to schedule a 12th game, Rebel head coach John Robinson and the UNLV athletics administration jumped at the chance to add the Rainbows to their squad's 2000 slate.
"I see it as a chance for two up-and-coming programs to meet," Robinson, who is in his second season leading UNLV, said. "It's great for the kids on our team to have a chance to experience such a great trip. It really benefits both schools because it is at a time of year that will garner more national attention."
The series between the schools, which kicked off way back in 1969, is almost as old as the Rebel football program itself. UNLV is 4-10 all-time vs. the Rainbows and the two programs both were members of the Western Athletic Conference from 1996-98. The most recent meeting of the schools came on Sept. 20, 1997, when the Rebels prevailed 25-15 at Sam Boyd Stadium. UNLV's last trip to Aloha Stadium came on Oct. 10, 1996, when UH earned a 38-28 victory. Hawaii will return the game on Sept. 20, 2003, because the Rebels needed another opponent to come to Las Vegas that season.
"There is a large Hawaiian population in Las Vegas so it is a natural for the two programs to play each other," Robinson said.
Hawaii athletics director Hugh Yoshida agreed.
"We feel very fortunate to have filled the vacancy on our schedule at such a late date," Yoshida said. "I think UNLV is a nice fit because we have a large presence in Las Vegas."
That large presence, of course, includes some Rebel football players -- most notably, star linebacker James Sunia. The junior from Waianae is one of more than a dozen Hawaiians who have decided to play their ball at UNLV the last few seasons.
"My whole family is very excited about us going over there to play," said Sunia, who is on pace to be his school's career tackle leader by the time the Rebels hit the Islands. "I'm going to need tickets for 40 or 50 or maybe more. They can't wait to put a big patch of Rebel red into the stadium - right in the middle of all that green."
Although the game will mark Sunia's first against his native state's team, Sunia is no stranger to UH's home field because he lettered for national prep power St. Louis High School, which also calls Aloha Stadium home.
"I played all but about four of my high school games in that stadium and I'm used to winning there," Sunia said. "A lot of people I played with, and against, in high school are on Hawaii's team. It will be good to see everyone and resurrect some old rivalries."
Call (702) 895-UNLV for all ticket information regarding Rebel football.
2000 UNLV FOOTBALL SCHEDULEDATE OPPONENTSept. 2 OPENSept. 9 at Iowa StateSept. 16 NORTH TEXASSept. 23 at BYU*Sept. 30 AIR FORCE*Oct. 7 NEVADA, RENO#Oct. 14 at Colorado State*Oct. 21 WYOMING* (HC)Oct. 28 at MississippiNov. 4 at Utah*Nov. 11 NEW MEXICO*Nov. 18 OPENNov. 25 at San Diego State*Dec. 2 at Hawaii*Mountain West Conference Game
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