Memphis opened its 2026 college football season with a 24-21 victory over UNLV at Allegiant Stadium on August 29, 2026. Marcus Stokes led the Tigers under center, while Jackson Arnold paced the Rebels in a high-stakes Week 0 clash.
The 2026 college football season kicked off in the desert with a clash of conference title contenders as the Memphis Tigers traveled to Allegiant Stadium to face the UNLV Rebels on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. The matchup carried significant early-season weight, with the Group of Six guaranteed at least one spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Memphis football beats UNLV
Marcus Stokes and the Memphis Offense Battle Back
Memphis entered the season opener under the direction of new head coach Charles Huff, who took over the program after leading Marshall and Southern Miss, succeeding Ryan Silverfield after he left for Arkansas following an 8-5 record. In the pregame radio show, the program named West Florida transfer Marcus Stokes as the starting quarterback over South Carolina transfer Air Noland. The Tigers entered the contest picked for second in the AAC preseason coaches poll, aiming to finish with a winning season for the 12th time in 13 years.
The offense took time to find its footing during a scoreless first quarter where both teams punted early. The Tigers eventually got on the board when Marcus Stokes connected with Hunter Tipton for a 16-yard touchdown pass, which followed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on coach Charles Huff that had pushed Memphis back from the 1-yard line. At halftime, UNLV led 14-7 after Memphis turned the ball over late in the second quarter, though the Rebels could not capitalize and missed a field goal on the final play of the half. Memphis struck fast to open the third quarter when Stokes found Stonka Burnside for a 48-yard touchdown to tie the game.
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Jackson Arnold Leads the UNLV Attack
UNLV entered the 2026 campaign following a 10-4 season under Dan Mullen that ended with an appearance in the Mountain West title game—where they fell 38-21 to Boise State—and a trip to the Frisco Bowl, where they lost 17-10 to Ohio. The Rebels were projected to win the Mountain West and brought a 21-7 record over the previous two seasons into the matchup. With former quarterback Anthony Colandrea transferring to Nebraska, the Rebels turned to senior Jackson Arnold, a former five-star recruit for Oklahoma who left Auburn to take over an attack that led the Mountain West in total offense (446.4 yards per game) and scoring (34.0 points per contest) in 2025.
Arnold opened the scoring in the first half by connecting with Tavion McNair for a 39-yard touchdown. He later added a 6-yard rushing touchdown to put the Rebels back in front, and orchestrated a near-flawless drive in the second half featuring a 54-yard run before finding Kayden McGee for a 22-yard touchdown to put the Rebels back in front.
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Second-Half Lead Changes and Defensive Stops
The lead shifted repeatedly down the stretch. Jaylin Carter brought Memphis even with a 36-yard rushing touchdown. The Tigers then secured their first lead of the game with a Philippe Laforge field goal to take a 24-21 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Memphis maintained its edge through the final period. The struggle concluded with Memphis holding on for a 24-21 victory to start the 2026 campaign in Las Vegas, marking the first meeting of a home-and-home series between the two programs.
