The Rebels will head to South Bend for a clash with the Irish in non-conference play this October.
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UNLV Football: First Look at 2022 Non-conference Opponents
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The UNLV Rebels will wade through a bit of their Mountain West Conference schedule before hitting the road one last time to finish their four-game non-conference slate against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
That storied program is undergoing a bit of unexpected transition following Brian Kelly’s shocking departure for LSU back in November 2021, but make no mistake: Marcus Arroyo’s Rebels will have a difficult task on their hands when the Irish wake up the echoes and do what they can to play like champions on that October Saturday.
Location: South Bend, Indiana
Conference: Independent
Series History: This will be the first meeting between UNLV and Notre Dame.
2021 Record: 11-2
Head Coach: Marcus Freeman (first year). Freeman inherits one of the tougher jobs in college football, but that’s mostly because the expectations from year to year among the Irish faithful are sky high. However, he had a great deal of success as the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati from 2017 to 2020 and helped the Notre Dame defense finish 15th overall by SP+ last year, which made his elevation to the head coach role after Kelly’s exit seem like a natural fit.
Key Players
Michael Mayer, TE
A tight end almost certainly bound for the NFL, Mayer will help pace an offense for the Top-10 ranked Irish. The 6′ 5″ junior can play on the line or in the slot and is able to hold his own in run blocking as well. Opposing defenses will certainly need to key on him whenever, wherever on the field, and Mayer has proven more than willing to rise to the occasion.
Jarrett Patterson, C
Patterson, in short, will be in the discussion as one of the best centers in the country this season. He will also be one of four returning starters for an offensive line that is expected to be among the best in the country, and the overwhelming strength of this offense. A skillful player with an intelligent approach to the game, expect to hear Patterson’s name in the mix for several season-end awards.
Isaiah Foskey, DE
With 11 sacks last year, Isaiah Foskey made quite the impact and returns this year looking for even more success. With senior Jayson Ademilola, Foskey will be one of the stars on a stellar defensive line, part of a defense…