BYU’s preseason slate is filling in fast, and the latest addition sends the Cougars to Las Vegas for a familiar name on the other sideline.
UNLV coach Josh Pastner said in a recent radio interview with ESPN Las Vegas that the Rebels will host BYU in an exhibition game at Thomas & Mack Center on Oct. 24.
“That BYU game ... should be great,” Pastner told ESPN Las Vegas. “You know, obviously there’s a large (Latter-day Saint) population here in Las Vegas.
We want the entire stadium to be filled of Rebel fans, but there is a big contingent of BYU fans here in Las Vegas, so, we’ll accept your money. Buy the tickets for that game as well, too.
“But it should be a great game, we’re really excited. Kevin Young’s a great coach at BYU.”
Pastner also announced that UNLV will play exhibition games against Utah, BYU and Missouri before the 2026-27 season.
The BYU-UNLV matchup carries a little extra familiarity, too. According to BYU basketball insider Robby McCombs of Vanquish the Foe, Pastner was “nearly Kevin Young’s first assistant coach hire after he took the (BYU) job.
The two programs know each other well from their conference days. BYU and UNLV were rivals in both the WAC and Mountain West from 1996-2011, though they have not met in the regular season since 2019.
The Rebels game gives BYU another notable test in a preseason schedule that already includes Nebraska. The Cougars will host the Huskers at the Marriott Center on Oct. 16, with Nebraska returning the favor after BYU went to Lincoln for a scrimmage this past October.
Per McCombs, BYU still has room to add one more exhibition, though the Cougars could choose to make that game a closed-door scrimmage without spectators or media coverage.
At the moment, BYU has two of its three allotted exhibitions set and 13 of its 14 available nonconference games lined up.
BYU’s current preseason schedule
Oct. 16 - Nebraska (exhibition)* | Marriott Center
Oct. 24 - UNLV (exhibition) | Las Vegas, Nevada
Nov. 2 - Ohio State | Delta Center (per Rocco Miller)
Nov. 10 - Queens | Marriott Center (per Rothstein and Miller)
Nov. 12 - Montana State | Marriott Center (per Alex Rosinski)
Nov. 18 - Northern Colorado | Marriott Center (per Rosinski)
Nov. 23-25 - Maui Invitational* | Maui, Hawaii
Dec. 5 - Northwestern | Delta Center (per Miller)
Dec. 9 - Utah State* | Marriott Center (per Rosinski)
Dec. 12 - Cal State Fullerton | Marriott Center
Dec. 15 - Weber State | Marriott Center (per Rosinski)
Dec. 19 - San Diego State | Palm Springs, California (per Rothstein)
Dec. 22 - La Salle | Marriott Center (per Jeff Neiburg)
In Other News...
BYU Suddenly Has A Freshman WR Fans Cant Ignore
With fall camp approaching, BYUs wide receiver room looks a lot different than it did not long ago, and that has created an opening for newcomers who can handle real responsibility fast. Freshman Jaron Pula is one of the names that keeps coming up. He arrived early as a highly rated recruit, and with key receivers gone, the Cougars are already treating him like a player who could matter sooner rather than later.
For BYU, the challenge is not just finding talent, but finding it in a hurry. Pula is expected to push for playing time right away, and the staff will need a handful of young receivers ready to absorb snaps as camp unfolds. His range of outcomes is still being sorted out, but the expectation around him is clear enough: he has a path to becoming a meaningful part of the rotation if he can translate his promise quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Sione Moa Could Quietly Change BYUs Backfield Ceiling
BYUs backfield is already drawing attention with fall camp set to open in early August, and Sione Moa is one of the more interesting names in the mix as the Cougars look ahead to the 2026 season. The sophomore running back flashed real potential as a freshman before last year was largely lost to injury, and his return to full participation in spring practice gave the staff a much better sense of what he can still become behind LJ Martin.
Moa is expected to be the primary backup at running back, which matters because BYUs ceiling at the position changes quickly if the Cougars can trust the depth chart behind Martin. If Moa stays healthy and keeps building on the promise he showed early in his career, he gives BYU something it badly needs in a long season: a second runner who can keep the offense from flattening out when the starter needs a breather. [Read more 🡒]
One BYU Big 12 Win Changed Everything For The Cougars
BYUs first run through the Big 12 has already produced a handful of wins that felt bigger than a single Saturday, the kind that change how a program is viewed by everyone else in the league. Jay Drews look back at the Cougars recent resume puts that into focus, with victories over ranked opponents like Kansas State, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Iowa State and Georgia Tech all helping build the case that BYU belongs in the conversation, not just on the schedule.
The debate now is less about whether the Cougars have arrived and more about which game did the most to make that clear. The 2024 Utah win stands out as the most obvious marker, while the Colorado bowl game and the 2025 road win at Iowa State each added their own weight to BYUs rise, giving the program different kinds of proof at different moments. What makes the discussion interesting is that the answer depends on what kind of legitimacy you value most, and BYU has given itself more than one candidate. [Read more 🡒]