June 18, 2002

LAS VEGAS - UNLV has signed on to play a home and home football series with the University of Minnesota, the school announced Tuesday.

The Rebels and Golden Gophers are scheduled to face off Sept. 6, 2008, in Las Vegas and then again on Sept. 12, 2009, in Minneapolis.

The two programs have never met on the gridiron but UNLV has played two other Big Ten Conference schools. The Rebels are 0-2 vs. Northwestern, including last year's 37-28 loss in Las Vegas, and 1-3 vs. Wisconsin, which will come to Sam Boyd Stadium to kick off the 2002 season on August 31.

Minnesota has played three other Mountain West Conference schools, going 1-1 vs. San Diego State, 1-1 vs. Utah and 1-0 vs. Wyoming. A two-year series with the Aztecs in 1993-94 was the last time the Gophers squared off vs. a MWC opponent.

UNLV's future non-conference schedule is tentatively filled through 2008. Other major opponents the Rebels will face include Hawaii (2003), Wisconsin (2003, '04 and '07), Tennessee (2004), Oregon (2006), Ole Miss (2006), Oregon State (2007) and Arizona State (2008).