How the Mountain West’s delayed start will impact UNLV football schedule

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Las Vegas News Bureau

The UNLV football field is seen before their game against Jackson State University Thursday, September 1, 2016, at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. (Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau)

Wed, Aug 5, 2020 (5:38 p.m.)

The Mountain West announced its new plan for the 2020 football season on Wednesday, trimming each team’s nonconference schedule to two games and pushing the start date back to late September in an effort to outmaneuver the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Mountain West season will consist of the usual eight games, and teams are allowed to schedule up to two additional non-conference games, with the first contest being held “no earlier than the week ending Sept. 26." That mean UNLV will have to reschedule its two remaining non-conference games, against Louisiana Tech (Sept. 5) and at Iowa State (Sept. 19).

UNLV lost its other two nonleague opponents when the Pac-12 decided to go to a conference-only schedule for 2020. That removed home games against Cal (Aug. 29) and Arizona State (Sept. 5) from the UNLV slate.

There had been rumors that UNLV was trying to finalize a deal with TCU to step into the Aug. 29 date for the Allegiant Stadium opener, but this ruling from the Mountain West appears to take that option off the table.

UNLV players are currently on campus working out, but due to COVID-19 precautions the team has not begun practicing yet.

The start date applies to all Mountain West fall sports, with women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country also moving to the week of Sept. 26. There is a three-week window for the MWC football championship game, which will be played on either Dec 5, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19.

In a statement, athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said health and safety is the main concern in all of UNLV's decision making.

“Earlier today the Mountain West announced a move to a modified schedule with a delayed start for fall sports,” Reed-Francois said. “We are working collaboratively to determine next steps.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.

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