ESPN Events Adds More Future Vegas Kickoff Classic Matchups
BYU to face Oregon State in 2028, Texas Tech meets Arkansas in 2030
LAS VEGAS – ESPN Events has announced two more future Vegas Kickoff Classic games at Allegiant Stadium that will feature four major programs from three different conferences.
BYU of the Big 12 Conference will battle Oregon State from the Pac-12 Conference in 2028 in what will be a rematch of the 2009 Las Vegas Bowl, which saw the Cougars prevail, 44-20. The Beavers won the most-recent meeting of the programs in 2013 to take a 6-5 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1955.
An old league rivalry will be renewed in Las Vegas in 2030 when Arkansas of the SEC takes on Texas Tech of the Big 12. Both teams, who were members of the now-disbanded Southwest Conference, faced off in last season’s Liberty Bowl where the Razorbacks prevailed, 39-26, to take a 30-8 lead in the all-time series, which was first contested in 1957. This will be Texas Tech’s first appearance in Las Vegas while Arkansas fell to hometown UNLV in the 2000 game, 31-14.
Game dates, times and networks will be announced at a later date.
The pair of games joins three previously announced Vegas Kickoff Classic matchups. Two games will be contested during Labor Day weekend in 2027. A historic, first-time matchup of Miami (Fla.) vs. Utah – billed as the “Battle of the U” — will take place on Saturday, September 4. That game will be preceded by another neutral-site matchup earlier that weekend when 18-time national champion North Dakota State meets three-time national champion Montana State in Las Vegas. In 2029, Allegiant Stadium will host another matchup of FCS powers when two-time national champion Montana face South Dakota State, winners of back-to-back national titles in 2022 and 2023.
“Las Vegas continues to be an ideal setting to kick off the college football season in a meaningful way,” said ESPN Events Vice President of Events Clint Overby. “In the previous Vegas Kick Offs, we have set records both in attendance and viewership. We are looking forward to hosting these great programs and their fans and providing them a fantastic Vegas Kick Off experience.”
Last year saw the largest crowd in Allegiant Stadium history (63,969) treated to a thrilling 27-20 USC win over LSU in the second Vegas Kickoff Classic. The inaugural Vegas Kickoff Classic in 2021 featured BYU defeating Arizona 24-16.
“We’re excited to have two regional rivalries involving national programs help fill our upcoming slate of games,” said John Saccenti, executive director of the Vegas Kickoff Classic and Las Vegas Bowl. “We have a successful history of both BYU and Oregon State competing in our city and know Las Vegas is a perfect location to match two old rivals to kick off the 2030 season when Arkansas and Texas Tech come to town.”
Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, added, “The Vegas Kickoff Classic is a celebration uniting fans from across the country. Whether reigniting classic rivalries or welcoming newcomers, every guest will experience the signature Las Vegas blend of world-class hospitality, thrilling entertainment, and unforgettable moments—both inside Allegiant Stadium and throughout the city.”
The Vegas Kickoff Classic is owned and operated by ESPN.
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Allegiant Stadium
Located adjacent to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and home to the Las Vegas Raiders, Allegiant Stadium is an award-winning global events destination. A state-of-the-art, multipurpose venue with a capacity of 65,000, Allegiant Stadium has hosted world-class music artists such as Garth Brooks, The Rolling Stones, Guns N’ Roses, Taylor Swift and BTS with more legendary concerts to come. The fully enclosed stadium is also home to the UNLV Rebels football team and has hosted premier sporting events such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, Pac-12 Championship Game, Las Vegas Bowl, and WWE SummerSlam. The venue hosted NFL Pro Bowls in both 2022 and 2023, and Super Bowl LVIII in February of 2024 – the first in Las Vegas history and hosted WrestleMania 41 in April of 2025. Allegiant Stadium is committed to giving back to the community through numerous diversity, inclusion, and community outreach initiatives. In addition, Allegiant Stadium is proud to be both LEED Gold certified and powered by 100% Nevada-sourced renewable energy and is dedicated to implementing sustainable practices and programs. For more information on Allegiant Stadium, visit www.allegiantstadium.com or follow us at @allegiantstadm on X and @allegiantstadium on Instagram.
About The LVCVA
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with positioning Southern Nevada as the undisputed global destination for leisure and business travel. With 151,000 hotel rooms and nearly 15 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space in Las Vegas, the LVCVA’s mission centers on attracting visitors to the area. The LVCVA owns and operates the 4.6 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the Vegas Loop at the LVCC, designed and operated by The Boring Company, and the Las Vegas Monorail, an elevated 3.9-mile system with seven stops throughout the resort corridor. For more information, go to www.LVCVA.com, www.VisitLasVegas.com or www.VegasMeansBusiness.com.
ESPN Events
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In the 2025-26 academic year, the 35-event schedule includes three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, two college volleyball events, the premiere regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube.
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Vegas Kickoff Classic contact: Mark Wallington at [email protected] (702) 528-6291
ESPN Communications contact: Danny Chi at [email protected] (213) 405-4400