UNLV’s Charles Williams (8) flies through the air for more yards over a Jackson State defender during a run in their game at Sam Boyd Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016. .
Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017 | 1:40 p.m.
UNLV will face Howard University in its 2017 football home opener, officials announced today.
The Rebels will play the Bison on Sept. 2 at Sam Boyd Stadium as part of a partnership between the schools and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Director of Athletics Tina Kunzer-Murphy and LVCVA Chairman Lawrence Weekly said.
Howard will bring along its famed Showtime marching band, hailed as one of the nation’s best, for the 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 in a news release. “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.”
The game will mark the first meeting between UNLV and Howard, which plays in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference of the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Bison went 2-9 last season, losing their two games against Football Bowl Subdivision competition by a combined score of 104-27.
Following the opener against Howard, the Rebels will head to Idaho on Sept. 9 and then to Columbus, Ohio, where they face the Ohio State Buckeyes on Sept. 23.
UNLV hosts BYU on Nov. 11 to wrap up nonconference play.
The Mountain West is expected to release the conference schedule in early March.
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