For the fifth time since 2001, the Gophers will open their football season on a Thursday night.

The University of Minnesota and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas agreed to move the 2012 season-opener to Thursday, Aug. 30. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 1.

At the request of UNLV, the Gophers will travel to Sam Boyd Stadium two days early — in the first game between the two teams. Kickoff time has yet to be determined.

“It is customary in college football for the visiting team to do its best to accommodate these types of requests,” senior associate athletics director Marc Ryan said in a release. “We have agreed to these type of schedule changes in the past for early-season, non-conference road games and in the end Coach [Jerry] Kill felt that there were a number of positives for our program in agreeing to the move.”

Minnesota is scheduled to play its home opener against New Hampshire on Sept. 8.