LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - UNLV will open its 2017 football season by hosting Howard University in the second year of a unique partnership between the schools and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), Director of Athletics Tina Kunzer-Murphy and LVCVA Chairman Lawrence Weekly announced.

The game will be played Saturday, Sept. 2 at Sam Boyd Stadium. Kickoff time and TV information are still to be determined. Tickets to the game will go on sale during the summer. Group and season tickets are available now by calling (702) 739-FANS or visiting unlvtickets.com.

Festivities around the game will include more than just the on-field matchup as Howard’s famed “Showtime” marching band, one of the nation’s premier groups, will travel to Las Vegas and appear at another event in the community as well as at the stadium for a halftime show.

“Last year’s first game in this partnership with the LVCVA saw Jackson State come in for a memorable season-opener that drew a lot of new fans to our stadium and we know that Howard University will do the same this fall,” Kunzer-Murphy said. “This series does a great job in helping the LVCVA promote our community and program and we can’t wait to kick off the season against the Bison.”

Howard, a historically black college (HBCU) located in Washington D.C., is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and is led by former Virginia head coach Mike London, who is in his first year with the Bison. The game will mark the first meeting between the schools and the first by UNLV against a member of the MEAC.

“Las Vegas is a world-class city with an impressive listing of sporting events to match, including a variety of championship events that attract top professional and collegiate athletes and the most dedicated sports fans,” Weekly said. “We are excited to add the proud history of Howard University football to our extensive lineup with the upcoming matchup against UNLV next season and we look forward to welcoming the school’s fans to Las Vegas to experience everything our city has to offer.”

The Rebels, who open their spring practice on March 1, now know their entire 2017 non-conference schedule. Following the opener vs. Howard, UNLV will head to Idaho on Sept. 9, take on Ohio State in Columbus on Sept. 23 and host BYU on Nov. 11. The Mountain West schedule is expected to be released by the conference in early March.

ABOUT THE LVCVA

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with marketing Southern Nevada as a tourism and convention destination worldwide, and also with operating the Las Vegas Convention Center and Cashman Center. With nearly 150,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone and more than 11 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space citywide, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting ever increasing numbers of leisure and business visitors to the area. Download the virtual reality app, Vegas VR, to experience Las Vegas from your iPhone or Android by visiting http://www.vrtv.vegas/. For more information, go to www.lvcva.com or www.lasvegas.com.