June 21, 2000

LAS VEGAS - The UNLV football team will appear on the ABC television network for the first time in nearly two decades, the school announced Wednesday.

The Air Force at UNLV game on September 30 has been chosen for the network's fall schedule on a regional basis. Kickoff at Sam Boyd Stadium has been moved from 7 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The only other game selected by ABC that will feature two Mountain West Conference teams is San Diego State at Wyoming on October 7.

"This is a significant milestone in the ascension of UNLV football," Director of Athletics Charles Cavagnaro said. "For us to have one of only two conference games that were picked up by ABC truly shows how Head Coach John Robinson is quickly making this into a national program. Also, having it be one of our home games gives us the chance to show off the new Sam Boyd Stadium."

UNLV last appeared on ABC-TV on Oct. 3, 1981, when the Rebels traveled to Wyoming and lost 45-21.

In 1999, four Rebel football games were televised in Las Vegas, the most in school history. The North Texas, Nevada, Reno and BYU games aired live on CBS affiliate KLAS-TV (Channel 8) while the Wyoming game was part of ESPN Regional Television's Mountain West Conference Game of the Week package.