Rick Scuteri/AP
UNLV head coach Barry Odom reacts to his defense during the second half of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl NCAA college football game against Kansas Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Phoenix. Kansas won 49-36.
Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 | 12:37 p.m.
The Mountain West released its 2024 football schedule on Thursday, finalizing the slate for perhaps the most anticipated season in UNLV history.
Coming off a 2023 campaign that saw Barry Odom lead his Scarlet and Gray squad to a 9-3 regular-season record and a spot in the conference championship game, UNLV will kick off 2024 with a road game at Houston on Aug. 31. Non-conference games vs. Utah Tech (Sept. 7) and at Kansas (Sept. 14) will follow, but that portion of the schedule was known months ago.
UNLV will open Mountain West play on Sept. 28 with a home game against Fresno State. The following week will conclude non-conference play as the Scarlet and Gray host Syracuse (Oct. 5).
Seven league games fill out the remainder of the slate, starting with consecutive road trips to Utah State (Oct. 12) and Oregon State (Oct. 19). As part of the Mountain West’s scheduling agreement with former Pac-12 programs Oregon State and Washington State, the game against Oregon State will count on UNLV’s side for the MWC standings, but neither Oregon State or Washington State is eligible for the championship.
One of the biggest showdowns of the season will come on Oct. 26, when UNLV hosts Boise State in a rematch of last year’s MWC championship game. Boise State won that one, 44-20, to deny the Scarlet and Gray their first league title.
UNLV will then have its bye week before traveling to play at Hawaii on Nov. 9. A home game against San Diego State (Nov. 16) and a road date at San Jose State (Nov. 23) follow.
The regular season will wrap on Nov. 30 as UNLV takes on UNR in the annual battle for the Fremont Cannon. UNLV has won two straight in the series, including last year’s 45-27 blowout victory in Reno.
Game times have not yet been announced. UNLV will not face traditional Mountain West opponents Air Force, Colorado State, New Mexico or Wyoming.
UNLV begins spring practice on Saturday.
The full 2024 UNLV football schedule:
Aug. 31 — at Houston
Sept. 7 — vs. Utah Tech
Sept. 14 — at Kansas
Sept. 21 — BYE
Sept. 28 — vs. Fresno State
Oct. 5 — vs. Syracuse
Oct. 12 — at Utah State
Oct. 19 — at Oregon State
Oct. 26 — vs. Boise State
Nov. 2 — BYE
Nov. 9 — at Hawaii
Nov. 16 — vs. San Diego State
Nov. 23 — at San Jose State
Nov. 30 — vs. UNR
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
