LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV football team will both begin and end the 2023 regular season inside its home at Allegiant Stadium as the tentative league-wide schedule was released Thursday by the Mountain West. 
 
Under first-year head coach Barry Odom, the Rebels will kick off their 56th season of football on Saturday, September 2 by hosting FCS opponent Bryant University.
 
UNLV next travels to Big Ten Conference powerhouse Michigan on September 9 for just the second meeting of the programs as the Rebels first played at Ann Arbor in 2015. A second consecutive Power Five matchup awaits one week later as Vanderbilt comes to Las Vegas for the first time and represents the first-ever SEC team to play at UNLV during the regular season. The game is the back end of a home-and-home series as the Rebels defeated the Commodores at the initial meeting in Nashville in 2019.
 
The team's nonconference schedule will close with UNLV's first trip to UTEP since 1993 on September 23. The Rebels are 6-2 all-time vs. their former conference rivals, including taking the most-recent meeting vs. the Miners in Las Vegas in 2018.
 
Looking to win back the golden pineapple trophy, UNLV opens Mountain West play on September 30 by welcoming Hawai'i in the annual Ninth Island Showdown sponsored by the California Hotel. After an open week, the Rebels will take part in their second consecutive trophy game by traveling to UNR with the famed (and currently red) Fremont Cannon on the line. That meeting will also be a featured part of the Silver State Series presented by America First Credit Union.
 
Next up, Colorado State comes to town on October 21 in what will be the Rams' first appearance in Las Vegas since 2016. UNLV will then make back-to-back road trips for the only time this fall -- October 28 at Fresno State and November 4 at New Mexico.
 
UNLV returns to host Wyoming on November 11 before heading out for its last away game, at Air Force on November 18. Finally, Senior Day is set for Thanksgiving Week on Saturday, September 25 vs. San Jose State.
 
"It's a challenging schedule and a great setup for our student-athletes," said Odom. "I have great respect for the Mountain West and we understand each week will be a great challenge. We'll embrace every opportunity and focus on taking each game one moment at a time with full preparation for that week's opponent. We also need to work toward creating a home field advantage playing in the greatest venue in college sports at Allegiant Stadium. I want UNLV Football to become Las Vegas' team!"
 
The 2023 Mountain West football schedule is comprised of 98 games, including 48 conference matchups, as the league begins its first season without divisions since 2012. The MW is debuting a three-year schedule rotation where, within conference play, each institution will face two opponents
annually and six other teams on an alternating basis. Throughout the cycle, all institutions will play each other at least twice, including once at home and once on the road.
 
The 2023 schedule will play out over 14 weeks, concluding on December 2, with the Mountain West Football Championship Game featuring the two teams with the highest conference winning percentage.
 
Thursday's announcement represents the first phase in the 2023 football schedule process. Mountain West national television partners CBS Sports and FOX Sports will now initiate a selection procedure that will include the shifting of particular games to non-Saturday dates. That will be followed by the identification of network outlets and kick times.
 
UNLV opened spring practice this week and will hold its annual free Spring Game on Saturday, April 8 at 1 p.m. inside Allegiant Stadium.
 
Now through March 31, renewal pricing, which starts at $125 per season ticket, is available and includes the option of using payment plans until the deadline. New football season tickets are also on sale now. Call (702) 739-FANS or visit unlvtickets.com.

2023 UNLV FOOTBALL
DATE#        OPPONENT
Sept. 2        BRYANT
Sept. 9        at Michigan
Sept. 16      VANDERBILT        
Sept. 23      at UTEP
Sept. 30      HAWAI'I*
Oct. 7          OPEN
Oct. 14        at UNR*
Oct. 21        COLORADO STATE*
Oct. 28        at Fresno State*
Nov. 4         at New Mexico*
Nov. 11       WYOMING*
Nov. 18       at Air Force*
Nov. 25      SAN JOSE STATE*
 
#Dates are subject to change
*Mountain West Game