LAS VEGAS – ESPN Events today announced two future Vegas Kickoff Classic matchups at Allegiant Stadium, including BYU facing Oregon State for the 2028 season opener in Las Vegas.
The two games announced feature two Big 12 teams. Along with BYU taking on Oregon State from the Pac-12 Conference in 2028, the Big 12’s Texas Tech will battle Arkansas of the SEC in the annual Vegas Kickoff Classic in 2030.
“We are excited to be in Las Vegas for the 2028 Vegas Kickoff Classic to face a quality opponent in Oregon State," said Brian Santiago, BYU director of athletics. "ESPN and the Vegas Kickoff Classic team are valued partners of ours, and we are grateful for long-standing relationships with them. We know Cougar Nation shows up in Vegas. We can’t wait for another great game in a great environment.”
The 2028 Vegas Kickoff Classic between BYU and Oregon State will be the second time the two programs have met in Las Vegas. The first occasion pitted two nationally ranked teams in the 2009 Las Vegas Bowl, with the No. 15 Cougars earning a 44-20 triumph over the No. 16 Beavers to cap an 11-2 season. Dating back to 1955, BYU and OSU have met 11 times previously in football with the Beavers holding a narrow 6-5 advantage in the series. The two schools split the most recent series in 2011 and 2012, with the visiting team coming away with a road win in both games. The two schools are also scheduled to play in Provo in 2027.
“Las Vegas continues to be an ideal setting to kick off the college football season in a meaningful way,” said Clint Overby, ESPN Events vice president of events. “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.”
This will be BYU’s second appearance in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. The Cougars defeated Arizona, then of the Pac-12, 24-16 in the 2021 season opener at Allegiant Stadium. BYU has a long history of playing games in Las Vegas, including facing Notre Dame in a Shamrock Series matchup in 2022, playing in six Las Vegas Bowl contests between 2005 and 2015, facing Wyoming in the WAC Championship game in 1996 and competing in regular conference matchups against former WAC and Mountain West foe UNLV.
“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.”
Game dates, times and networks for the Vegas Kickoff Classic matchups will be announced at a later date.