Griz to face Jackrabbits in 2029 Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium on ESPN

The Montana Grizzlies will take college football's center stage under the bright lights of Las Vegas as UM will now play in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium on ESPN to open the 2029 season.

It will be a rematch of the 2023 National Championship game when FCS powers collide as Montana faces South Dakota State in a neutral-site contest on Labor Day Weekend.

The addition to the schedule comes as part of a joint release from ESPN Events, The Vegas Kickoff Classic, and the Las Vegas Bowl, announcing two other future matchups between top FBS teams and FCS programs from the Big Sky and Missouri Valley Football Conferences.

Billed as the "Battle of the U", Miami (Fla.) and Utah will open the 2027 season Saturday, Sept. 4, in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. That game will be preceded by another neutral-site FCS matchup earlier in the week when North Dakota State meets Montana State as part of the event.

Montana will then play in the Vegas Kickoff Classic two years later, opening the 2029 season against SDSU.

The Vegas Kickoff Classic is owned and operated by ESPN. Exact game dates, times and networks will be announced at a later date.

"This is another great opportunity to increase exposure for the University of Montana and provide outstanding experiences for our student-athletes. Participating in this showcase event is one more example of how Grizzly football is a national brand, and we are excited and honored to be part of a great lineup of football programs competing in Las Vegas in the coming years," said Kent Haslam, Director of Athletics.

The Vegas Kickoff Classic has already seen a pair exciting matchups in its short history. In 2021 BYU beat Arizona 24-16 in the first edition of the game. No. 23 USC beat No. 13 LSU 27-20 in front of a record 63,969 fans to open the 2024 season as well.

"Labor Day, Las Vegas, College Football – it's the perfect trifecta to celebrate the start of the season," said ESPN Vice President of Events Clint Overby. "Las Vegas continues to attract high-caliber events and ESPN is proud to work with these great programs and our local partners to kick off the upcoming seasons."

"After the record-breaking success of our season-opening game last year, it is exciting to announce these future matchups featuring brand-new markets for us with famously passionate fanbases," said John Saccenti, executive director of the Vegas Kickoff Classic and Las Vegas Bowl. "We look to make this an annual event and we are already working on more matchups to announce."

Steve Hill, Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, added, "Las Vegas has firmly established itself as the premier destination for the biggest moments in sports, and the Vegas Kickoff Classic builds on that reputation. These future matchups demonstrate our city's ability to host marquee events that not only showcase top-tier athletics but also create unique experiences and lasting memories for athletes, fans, and visitors alike."

Montana is 8-2 all-time against South Dakota State and has come out on top of the Jackrabbits in some of the most memorable games in UM program history. SDSU has won the last two meetings, however, both in the FCS postseason. The Griz and Jacks met in the 2023 national championship game in Frisco, Texas, and again in 2024 in a second-round matchup in Brookings.

After facing South Dakota State on week one of the 2029 season, Montana is then scheduled to host Incarnate Word the following week on Sept. 8 in Missoula.

Future Vegas Kickoff Classic Games
2027    Miami vs Utah
                North Dakota State vs Montana State
2029    Montana vs South Dakota State

Past Vegas Kickoff Classic Games
2021    BYU 24, Arizona 16
2024    #23 USC 27, #13 LSU 20

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.

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.

University of Montana Athletics

Griz to face Jackrabbits in 2029 Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium on ESPN

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