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UNLV relishes opportunity to play at storied Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — UNLV senior linebacker Austin Ajiake can’t wait for kickoff.

The Rebels will play at Notre Dame on Saturday for the first time in program history, and Ajiake knows it’s an experience he can’t take for granted.

“It’s cool to see the places that the game takes you,” he said. “I never thought I’d be in Indiana playing the game, but here we are. It’s exciting.”

For many UNLV players and even coaches, the history and pageantry of playing the Fighting Irish will be the experience of a lifetime.

“We get to go to a fantastic place with a lot of history,” coach Marcus Arroyo said.

But it’s not just about playing at Notre Dame Stadium. Ajiake and Arroyo said the Rebels (4-3) need to give a good performance. UNLV’s blistering start to the season has fallen apart in the past two weeks, as the Rebels have lost to San Jose State and Air Force by a combined score of 82-14.

Injuries have played a large part in the past two performances. Starting quarterback Doug Brumfield hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in the first quarter against San Jose State, and junior running back Aidan Robbins left the Air Force game early with a knee injury. Both were questionable Monday to play against the Irish.

That hasn’t stopped Arroyo from expecting a strong performance. He has talked to the team about Notre Dame’s storied past, but is trying to make sure players won’t be overwhelmed by the setting.

Arroyo expects players to take in the moment inside the stadium and appreciate the opportunity to represent the university. Ajiake said the coaching staff has emphasized that playing at Notre Dame is great, but playing Notre Dame well is the goal.

“Football is football at that point — whether you’re playing in the backyard or you’re playing in front of 80,000 fans — it’s the same game,” Ajiake said.

Even if UNLV and Notre Dame hadn’t been scheduled to meet this season, they’ve been just outside each other’s orbits for the past two months.

Both teams played California, with the Irish holding on for a 24-17 win and the Rebels losing to the Golden Bears 20-14. Notre Dame also played its Shamrock Series game at Allegiant Stadium, where it defeated Brigham Young 28-20.

The Irish (3-3) are looking to reignite their season. They were stunned by Stanford last Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium, losing 16-14 as 16½-point favorites.

But the Rebels believe they’re ready for the challenge.

“Any time you get an opportunity like this to go to a school like that and play the sport you love, it’s a great opportunity,” Ajiake said.

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.

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