Football team faces tough early road in 2008

This is no April Fools joke for Mike Sanford and the UNLV Rebel football team. The Mountain West Conference finally got around to releasing its 2008 football schedule on Tuesday, and what was originally an open week for UNLV between its Aug. 30 season opener with Utah State and tough Sept. 13 road date at Pac-10 power Arizona State was filled in with a league game on Sept. 6.

Not just any league game mind you. How about a road date at revenge-minded Utah.

The Brian Johnson-led Utes, expected to battle in-state rival BYU and New Mexico for the Mountain West Conference crown next season, no doubt will have a nice big circle around that date after getting embarrassed by UNLV, 27-0, last year at Sam Boyd Stadium. And all one has to do is ask Wyoming coach Joe Glenn what can happen in Salt Lake City when Kyle Whittingham and company are out for revenge.

The good news is if the Rebels can survive the tough early start six of their next eight games are at Sam Boyd Stadium. UNLV concludes its season on Nov. 22 at San Diego State.

The schedule also features a well-placed bye on the weekend of Oct. 11, exactly halfway through the 12-game season.

Nine of the 12 games are already scheduled to be televised. TV for the season-opener against Utah State and the Arizona State game is expected to be announced later. No TV is planned for UNLV’s Senior Day game against Wyoming on Nov. 15.

Here is the complete 2008 Rebel football schedule.
Aug. 30 - vs. Utah State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 6 – at Utah, 5 p.m., The Mtn.
Sept. 13 – at Arizona State, 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 – vs. Iowa State, 6 p.m., The Mtn.
Sept. 27 – vs. Nevada, 7 p.m., The Mtn.
Oct. 4 – at Colorado St., 11 a.m., The Mtn.
Oct. 11 – BYE
Oct. 18 – vs. Air Force, 7 p.m., The Mtn.
Oct. 25 – at BYU, 11 a.m., The Mtn.
Nov. 1 – vs. TCU, 5 p.m., CBS College Sports
Nov. 8 – vs. New Mexico, 7 p.m., The Mtn.
Nov. 15 – vs. Wyoming, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 – at San Diego State, 5 p.m., CBS College Sports