WARRIOR FOOTBALL
Hawaii gets WSU here in 2008
The Warriors and the Pac-10's Cougars agree to play three, including games in '09 and '11
Many Hawaii football fans pine for Pac-10 membership. That will likely remain a faraway fantasy. But the Warriors will have plenty of chances to prove they belong on the same football field as teams from the BCS conference in coming seasons.
Yesterday, UH athletic director Herman Frazier announced a three-game series against Washington State that starts in 2008. Just two days earlier he revealed a home-and-home with Oregon State beginning this fall at Aloha Stadium.
"We are pleased to add another Pac-10 team to our football schedule," Frazier said in a statement yesterday. "This three-game series helps strengthen our upcoming football schedule and we hope to add more quality teams as we move forward."
WSU, which went 4-7 last season, has won two of its three games against UH. Washington State beat Hawaii 22-14 in 1999, the last time the teams met.
Warriors coach June Jones said he wasn't aware of negotiations to play the Cougars, but was pleased to hear about the series.
"That's pretty awesome. I didn't have any idea this was happening, Herman handles all of that and does a good job. But that's pretty good," Jones said. "Playing any Pac-10 school is great for the university."
The Washington State games in Hawaii are scheduled for Nov. 29, 2008, and Nov. 26, 2011. The Warriors will play at Pullman on Sept. 12, 2009, a week after a home game against Navy.
"I know playing two of the three Hawaii games in Honolulu will be something our players and fans will anticipate," Cougars coach Bill Doba said.
Hawaii is still trying to schedule a 13th game to fill the 2006 schedule after securing a game against Oregon State set for Dec. 2 at Aloha Stadium. Cal-Poly San Luis Obispo, a I-AA team coached by former UH assistant Rich Ellerson, was a possibility.
"We called them, but it looks like they don't have the right holes and we don't think it will work," Jones said. "I know there are some other potentials. They'll sort themselves out quickly."