College football fans, mark your calendars for Labor Day Weekend 2028—Las Vegas is set to host a high-profile season opener as the BYU Cougars and Oregon State Beavers clash in the Vegas Kickoff Classic at Allegiant Stadium. The official announcement came on September 3, 2025, from ESPN Events, confirming that these two storied programs will headline the annual event at the state-of-the-art home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and the UNLV Rebels.
This matchup not only promises early-season fireworks but also rekindles a rivalry that stretches back to 1955. Oregon State currently holds a slim 6-5 advantage in the all-time series, thanks in part to their 42-24 victory over BYU in Provo back in 2012. But Cougar fans remember well their own triumph in Sin City—their 44-20 rout of the Beavers in the 2009 Las Vegas Bowl, a win that capped an impressive 11-2 season for BYU. The upcoming 2028 game will mark just the second time these teams have met in Las Vegas, setting the stage for another memorable chapter in their competitive history.
The game is slated for Labor Day Weekend, with the exact date, kickoff time, and television broadcast details still to be determined. According to the official release, the contest will take place between Thursday, August 31, and Saturday, September 2, 2028. The anticipation is already building, with both athletic departments and ESPN Events touting the matchup as a marquee event to open the college football season.
Brian Santiago, BYU’s director of athletics, expressed his enthusiasm for the return to Las Vegas and the significance of the event. “We are excited to be in Las Vegas for the 2028 Vegas Kickoff Classic to face a quality opponent in Oregon State,” Santiago said. “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.”
For BYU, the city of Las Vegas is practically a second home. The Cougars have a storied tradition of playing in the desert, including six Las Vegas Bowl appearances between 2005 and 2015, a Shamrock Series clash with Notre Dame in 2022, and a Western Athletic Conference Championship Game against Wyoming in 1996. Most recently, BYU kicked off its 2021 season at Allegiant Stadium, defeating Arizona 24-16 in the Vegas Kickoff Classic. The Cougars’ fan base, affectionately known as Cougar Nation, has consistently traveled in droves to support their team in Vegas, contributing to the city’s reputation as a vibrant college football destination.
Oregon State, too, has a history of success in Las Vegas. The Beavers last played at Allegiant Stadium in 2022, where they notched a convincing win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. The program’s commitment to building “Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes,” as their mission statement proudly proclaims, is reflected in their competitive spirit and recent bowl performances. The Beavers’ 6-5 edge in the series with BYU is a testament to the tightly contested nature of this rivalry, with the teams splitting their most recent home-and-home series in 2011 and 2012—the visiting team prevailing on both occasions.
Clint Overby, vice president of events at ESPN Events, underscored the significance of the Vegas Kickoff Classic as a showcase for college football’s best. “Las Vegas continues to be an ideal setting to kick off the college football season in a meaningful way,” Overby said. “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 upcoming contest is part of a broader slate of high-profile games scheduled for the Vegas Kickoff Classic in coming years. The 2027 edition will feature Miami versus Utah and North Dakota State against Montana State, while the 2029 game will see Montana face South Dakota State. In 2030, Texas Tech and Arkansas are set to square off in another blockbuster Labor Day Weekend opener. The tradition of bringing together national programs and regional rivals has helped cement Las Vegas as a premier destination for early-season college football action.
For Oregon State and BYU, the 2028 matchup is more than just a season opener—it’s the continuation of a competitive rivalry and a chance to make a statement on a national stage. The two programs are also scheduled to meet in Provo in 2027, adding even more intrigue to their back-to-back encounters. There was some initial uncertainty regarding Oregon State’s previously scheduled home game against BYU at Reser Stadium in Corvallis, originally set for September 9, 2028. That matchup was canceled, with both schools exploring options to reschedule. It remains unclear whether the Vegas Kickoff Classic serves as a replacement for the Corvallis game or if the teams will still meet in Oregon at a later date.
Allegiant Stadium, the gleaming jewel of the Las Vegas Strip, will provide a fitting stage for this highly anticipated showdown. Opened in 2020, the venue boasts a seating capacity of 65,000, expandable to over 71,000 for major events. Its modern amenities and prime location have made it a favorite for fans and athletes alike, hosting everything from NFL games to major college football showdowns and concerts. The stadium’s recent history includes hosting both the Las Vegas Bowl and the previous Vegas Kickoff Classics, where record crowds and electric atmospheres have become the norm.
John Saccenti, executive director of the Vegas Kickoff Classic and Las Vegas Bowl, highlighted the city’s unique ability to bring together passionate fan bases and national programs. “We’re excited to have two regional rivalries involving national programs help fill our upcoming slate of games,” Saccenti said. “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.”
As the countdown to Labor Day Weekend 2028 begins, both BYU and Oregon State will have plenty to prepare for—on and off the field. The stakes are high, the venue is world-class, and the history between these two teams ensures that fans can expect a fiercely contested battle in the desert. With the full details—including game date, kickoff time, and television coverage—still to come, anticipation will only build as the college football world turns its attention to Las Vegas for what promises to be a memorable season opener.
For now, the only certainty is that two proud programs will write another chapter in their rivalry under the bright lights of Allegiant Stadium, with thousands of fans ready to make the trip and millions more watching from home. The 2028 Vegas Kickoff Classic is shaping up to be a can’t-miss event on the college football calendar.
