Cal and UNLV will meet four times in a 7-season stretch in the next decade, the programs announced Wednesday. The two programs have never met previously.
The Rebels will host the Golden Bears on Aug. 29, 2020 and Sept. 5, 2026. UNLV will make the trip to Berkeley on Sept. 17, 2022 and Aug. 30, 2025. All but the 2022 meeting will be season openers for both squads.
“This is a series we have been working on since I arrived and is beneficial for both programs,” UNLV athletics director Desiree Reed-Francois said in a statement. “Playing a Pac-12 institution such as California upgrades our non-conference schedule for our fans and also benefits our program’s recruiting efforts in the area. These are the types of games that impact our city and the fact that UNLV and California have never met before makes it even more anticipated.”
UNLV also has games against Pac-12 opponents lined up for 2018 (at USC) and 2020-21 (a home-and-home with Arizona State). The Rebels’ 2020 slate will see them face three Power 5 foes as Iowa State is also lined up in addition to Cal and Arizona State; both games against the Pac-12 opponents will be in Las Vegas.
Cal only has three future games against Mountain West opponents lined up, according to scheduling clearinghouse FBSchedules: a 2022 visit from Nevada, a 2023 trip to San Jose State and a TBD visit from San Jose State.