University of Nevada Athletics

RENO, Nev. – The University of Nevada football team will play seven home games in 2010, including featured matchups against Cal and Boise State at Mackay Stadium as part of a 13-game schedule announced today by school officials.

The Wolf Pack’s schedule features seven games on the home field at Mackay Stadium – the first time since 1991 that Nevada has played more than six home games in a season.

“We’re all looking forward to the opportunities this 2010 schedule presents,” said Nevada head coach Chris Ault. “The road games as well as the seven home games will challenge us in many different ways.”

For the first time in the school’s 18-year history as an FBS institution, Nevada will open the season with three consecutive home games.
The season begins under the lights on Thursday, Sept. 2, as Nevada will play host to Eastern Washington at Mackay Stadium. Nevada leads the all-time series between the teams 7-1 with all eight games coming between 1984 and 1991 in the Wolf Pack’s Big Sky days.

On Sept. 11, Colorado State will visit Mackay Stadium in the second of a two-game series against the Rams of the Mountain West Conference. Though Nevada trails in the all-time series against CSU, the Wolf Pack beat the Rams 28-10 the last time these teams met in Mackay in 2006.

The Pack concludes its three-game homestand to open the year with an historic game on Friday, Sept. 17 against Cal. This will mark the 25th meeting in history between the teams but it will be the first game ever played in Reno. The Pack and Bears have met just once since 1934 – a Cal win in 1996 in Berkeley. This game represents the first of a three-game series between the schools this year’s game will be nationally televised on ESPN2.

Nevada will then hit the road for a pair of games against Mountain West schools. First up will be BYU on Sept. 25 in Provo, Utah. This game is the final meeting of a three-game series that began back in 2001. Nevada won the last meeting between the schools, 31-28 in Reno in 2002.

The Pack will travel to Las Vegas on Oct. 2 for the annual Battle for the Fremont Cannon against UNLV. The Wolf Pack has kept the cannon painted Silver and Blue for five consecutive years and Nevada holds a 20-15 lead in the series, including last year’s 63-28 win in Reno.

After that, the Wolf Pack will begin Western Athletic Conference play, beginning with a home game against San Jose State. Nevada holds a 14-8-2 lead in the all-time series and has won two straight and seven of the last eight against the Spartans.

On Oct. 16, Nevada will play at Hawai`i to conclude a stretch of seven games in seven straight weeks. Nevada won last year’s meeting with a 31-21 victory over the Warriors in Reno.

The lone bye week of the season comes at the right time – near the mid-point of the 13-game schedule and immediately after the long trip to Hawai`i.

The Wolf Pack will play host to Utah State on Oct. 30 – Nevada Day weekend – as Nevada looks make it six straight against the Aggies. Nevada holds a 16-4 all-time advantage in the series and Ault has never lost to the Aggies in eight games.

The first of four November games takes Nevada on the road as the Pack travels to face the Idaho Vandals in Moscow. The Pack leads that series 18-9 and has won five straight against the Vandals after last year’s 70-45 victory in Reno.

Nevada will play back-to-back road games as the team will travel to Fresno State to play the Bulldogs in a showdown on Nov. 13. Nevada has won the last two games in the series with a 41-28 win two years ago in Fresno and last year’s 52-14 victory in Reno.

The Pack will then come back to Mackay Stadium for the final two home games of the season. First up will be New Mexico State on Nov. 20. Nevada holds an 11-2 advantage in the all-time series, including last year’s 63-20 win in Las Cruces.

Boise State will come to Reno this year with the game again scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend. The Wolf Pack and Broncos will face off on Friday, Nov. 26 under the lights in a game that will be televised on ESPN2.

Nevada will conclude the WAC slate on Dec. 4 at Louisiana Tech – the latest regular-season game in school history. Nevada holds a five-game winning streak over the Bulldogs including a pair of wins in Ruston (2006 and 2008).

The Wolf Pack, which is in the middle of spring practice, will hold the Silver and Blue spring game on April 3 at Mackay Stadium. Admission to the game is free. This year’s game will feature a game-type atmosphere. The team will be split into two squads and the game will be played complete with public address announcers, music, concessions, cheerleaders, dance team and the band. The Fremont Cannon will be on display and the school’s ROTC will fire their cannon after every score.

The day will be full of “fan-fest” activities including: games for children and bounce houses; an Easter Egg Hunt; post-game rib-eating contest for the team; pre-game tailgating in the north parking lot, autograph signing by players and coaches and other giveaways.

Season tickets for the 2010 Nevada football schedule are available now by calling (775) 348-PACK. Season tickets start as low as just $95 and the University of Nevada will keep prices at their same levels as recent years. That means seven home games for the price of a six-game home schedule.

Single-game tickets will go on sale at a later date, most likely in August.

Further information on television games will be released as it becomes available.