The University of Nevada football team has completed its 2008 schedule with the addition of the season-opener against Grambling State at Mackay Stadium on Aug. 30.
The deal with Grambling State includes the travel of the school’s heralded Tiger Marching Band to Reno. The “Best Band in the Land” will perform at halftime of the game and will also give a public performance on the day before the game.
“I have said before that we are committed to bringing high-quality opponents to Mackay Stadium and I think the 2008 schedule represents that commitment,” said Nevada athletics director Cary Groth. “We have a quality schedule that will provide plenty of excitement for our fans. We are very excited to play host to Grambling State and their terrific band.”
“It is not very often that Grambling State University travels to the West Coast, so we are excited about this opportunity to go to Reno and face the Nevada Wolf Pack,” said Troy Mathieu, Grambling State athletics director. “Both the team and our band look forward to our visit.”
The addition of Grambling State gives the Wolf Pack a pair of non-conference home games to go along with its two non-conference road games. Nevada will play host to Texas Tech and travel to Missouri, currently the top-ranked team in the country. The non-conference schedule is rounded out by the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon with UNLV. The WAC schedule will not be released until early next year, but the Pack will have home games against Boise State, San Jose State, Utah State and New Mexico State and road games against Hawai`i, Idaho, Louisiana Tech and Fresno State.
“With the home conference games we have combined with two great home games against Grambling State and Texas Tech, I think our fans have the opportunity to see a first-rate schedule at Mackay Stadium,” said
Rory Hickok, Nevada’s associate athletic director who handles football scheduling.
For just the second time since 2004, Nevada will open up the season at home at Mackay Stadium. The schedule marks the second time Nevada will open up a season with two home games since 1994.
“It is great to be opening up the season at home. And in playing Grambling which is the biggest name in FCS football will add a lot of excitement to the opener,” head football coach Chris Ault said.
This will be the second ever football meeting between Nevada and Grambling State. Ault was the 1991 recipient of the Eddie Robinson Award, given annually to the top coach in the Football Championship Subdivision. The award is named after the legendary former Grambling State coach.
“Eddie and I were good friends and we served on a lot of committees together. I have a lot of fond memories of our conversations,” Ault said.
2008 Nevada Football Schedule (non-conference games)Date Opponent LocationAug. 30 Grambling State Reno
Sept. 6 Texas Tech Reno
Sept. 13 Missouri Columbia, Mo.
Sept. 27 UNLV Las Vegas, Nev.
