No Week 0 game carries bigger stakes than the one in Las Vegas: UNLV hosts Memphis at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, August 29 in a first-ever meeting between two of the Group of Six’s heaviest playoff contenders — and the winner grabs an immediate leg up in the race for the College Football Playoff’s automatic bid. Dan Mullen’s second season follows a 10-4 year and a third straight Mountain West title game appearance, with a schedule that also brings Cal to Vegas for the first time and ends with the Fremont Cannon.
Kickoff times for several games are announced about 12 days out based on TV selections, so check back weekly — this page is updated as times, networks, and results come in.
Games That Will Decide UNLV’s Season
| Aug 29 vs Memphis | Arguably the best game of Week 0 anywhere. Two Group of Six playoff contenders, primetime on FOX, and a head-to-head result the committee will remember all season. |
| Sept 5 at Hawaii | The Ninth Island Showdown, tied for the earliest conference game in program history — a Week 1 result that could decide the Mountain West race in September. |
| Oct 3 vs California | Cal’s first-ever visit to Allegiant Stadium — a Power Four scalp at home would be rocket fuel for a playoff résumé. |
| Nov 28 vs Nevada | The Battle for the Fremont Cannon in Vegas. UNLV has won four straight in the rivalry and will want the cannon scarlet for a fifth year — possibly with a title-game berth on the line. |
How the Schedule Sets Up
The opening month is the hard part: Memphis, then three straight true road trips wrapped around a bye. Survive that and the middle turns friendly — Cal and NDSU at home, then a bye before back-to-back Allegiant night games against NIU and Wyoming. The finish sends Mullen’s team to New Mexico and San Jose State before the Cannon game closes the year in Vegas. Win the ones a favorite should and the Rebels will be playing for the automatic playoff bid; here’s how the College Football Playoff works and what that Group of Six bid means. The FBS structure is governed by the NCAA.
The Bottom Line
A Week 0 statement game, a Power Four visitor, national TV nearly every week, and the Fremont Cannon at home — UNLV’s 2026 schedule reads like a playoff contender’s calendar because that’s exactly what this team is. Bookmark this page — times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.