May 25, 2005

LAS VEGAS - New UNLV head coach Mike Sanford will have to wait a couple more days to kick off his Rebel football career as the team's season-opener at New Mexico has been moved from Sept. 3 to Monday, Sept. 5, to accommodate a special Labor Day morning broadcast by ESPN2.

UNLV will face the Lobos in Albuquerque beginning at 11 a.m. MDT (10 a.m. in Las Vegas), which means its season-opener will be shown on national television for a school-record fifth consecutive year.

While UNLV will play its first-ever Monday contest, it is no stranger to unusual game days. In its 37-year history, the program has played eight Thursday games, seven Friday contests and one Sunday match-up - just last year at Tennessee - and compiled an impressive non-Saturday record of 10-5-1.

"Being on national television against a tough opponent is a great way to start off the year," Sanford said. "This game will be an exciting way to showcase our program to both the nation and Rebel fans right here at home."

The Rebels will be making their eighth all-time appearance on ESPN2, including two last fall, and sport a 4-3 record on the channel. Overall, UNLV will have appeared on either ESPN or ESPN2 for the 12th time since 2000.

For the second straight fall, UNLV will be playing in the first Mountain West Conference game of the year. However, the match-up will be only the second time in history that the Rebels have opened the season vs. a league opponent, joining the Sept. 8, 1984, defeat of San Jose State.

Now faced with a short week of preparation upon returning from New Mexico, UNLV will open its home schedule just five days later vs. Idaho on Sept. 10 at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Season tickets are now on sale by calling (702) 739-FANS. Prices for the five-game home package remain the same as 2004 -- $60 in the end zone and $120 for sideline seating. Premium seating requires an additional Rebel Athletic Fund donation. All kickoff times are to be determined.

Individual tickets, which go on sale August 15, will be priced at $15 (end zone) and $28 (sideline) for all games, which includes a per-ticket facility fee.

2005 UNLV FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DATE       OPPONENT                SITESept. 5    at New Mexico* (ESPN2)  Albuquerque, NMSept. 10   IDAHO                   LAS VEGASSept. 17   at Nevada, Reno         Reno, NVSept. 24   at Utah State           Logan, UTOct. 1     at Wyoming*             Laramie, WYOct. 8     SAN DIEGO STATE*        LAS VEGASOct. 15    at Air Force*           Colorado Springs, COOct. 22    UTAH*                   LAS VEGASOct. 29    OPENNov. 5     BYU* (HC)               LAS VEGASNov. 12    at TCU*                 Fort Worth, TXNov. 19    COLORADO STATE*         LAS VEGAS*Mountain West Conference Game(HC) Homecoming
2005 UNLV FOOTBALL TICKET PRICESSEASON
End Zone   $60Sidelines    $120
SINGLE-GAME (On sale beginning Aug. 15, 2005)End Zone $15*Sidelines  $28*(*facility fees included)