Hawaii football: Let’s play 2 with New Mexico State

Quarterback Cole McDonald meet and greets with fans in New Mexico on Thursday. / Photo by Stephen Tsai

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. >> The Cloud was a great idea. (I’m not sure how it works, but I haven’t lost a selfie yet.)

The Impossible Burger also is a winning idea. (Tastes like beef, but no cows are harmed in the production? Sign me up.)

But the decision for UH and New Mexico State to meet in a home-and-home in the same 2021 season?

Um, well, it’s not the Cloud or Impossible Burger.

I know it’s tough to find opponents in an age of expanding league schedules, and how the landscape changes, and so forth.

But New Mexico State? Twice in 28 days?

First, the travel is tough. Ever been to El Paso? You fly here, then then get off there, and eventually get to El Paso. And from El Paso, it’s 45-minute drive to Las Cruces, N.M.


Maybe UH could have played a team from the Mountain Division that isn’t part of the 2021 rotation. Or how about borrowing the old MPSF’s volleyball plan of facing a team twice — one match counts toward league standings, the other doesn’t. Or maybe … oh, heck, I don’t have any ideas on solving this Rubik’s Cube. But a same-season, home-and-home … well?

* * * * *

In final preparation for tomorrow’s game against New Mexico, the Warriors practiced at a local high school.


From Thursday:

Offensive lineman Michael Eletise
Rush end Kaimana Padello and defensive tackle Makai Manuwai get hydrated

COMMENTS

  1. Maddog50 October 25, 2019 11:46 am

    Who cares and so what regarding two games against same opponent. I think it’s cool. Regarding tomorrow’s game gotta come out gunnin on all sides!!!!! GoWarriors!


  2. Trunks 420 October 25, 2019 11:55 am

    Love it


  3. ai-eee-soos October 25, 2019 11:55 am

    GO WARRIORS !!!

    BEAT UP them LOS LOBOS !!!


  4. Derek October 25, 2019 12:03 pm

    To me, it’s not a good look playing a team twice in the regular season. Got the feeling it’s a sign of desperation. I can’t believe they can’t find another FBS team. You got lots of teams, at least 130 and counting. Can’t you get a team, maybe, like Liberty, Coastal Carolina, or James Madison? If you can’t get an FBS team, how’s a highly ranked FCS team like North Dakota State or Eastern Washington, or Sam Houston State. Central Arkansas, a ranked team in FCS was a good game. These top FCS teams are tough. UH played Northern Iowa sometime ago. They are very, very competitive. What about Idaho? Or Montana, Montana State? Weber St., Sacramento State, and UC Davis have had good teams in the past. I can see playing 2 teams in the season only if the 2nd game was for the conference championship, i.e Hawaii and Boise State. I’m dreaming of course. UH won’t win the West Division so moot point. Boise St. might not even win the Mountain Division either. Utah State or Wyoming could win that division also. Matlin, gotta do better!!!! You are not doing your job.


  5. Andrew October 25, 2019 12:13 pm

    I really don’t like that move. I would have rather them take a road game against another team than add a home game when they’re already playing them in the same season. New Mexico State is one of the worst D1 programs.


  6. Da Punchbowl Kid October 25, 2019 12:13 pm

    Fort!

    Agree with Derek about playing two-in-one. Gotta be somebody we could play.

    We need a complete game from the Warriors tomorrow, all phases, every down!

    GO WARRIORS!!!


  7. Da Punchbowl Kid October 25, 2019 12:13 pm

    Sixt, I guess.


  8. kalua pig October 25, 2019 12:26 pm

    play 12 games.take a bye.


  9. kalua pig October 25, 2019 1:38 pm

    there is enough time for matlin to fix this. playing the same team twice is not acceptable.


  10. sackkabooya October 25, 2019 1:45 pm

    With the “Week Zero” exception there are so many creative things that you can do schedule wise. UH will be an attractive (TV) draw similar to Boise St. but maybe not there yet. But soon. The schedule will look incredible one day. We do need $1.9 million so if the tradeoff is New Mexico St twice then OK whatever. One more body bag game in exchange for New Mexico St later is fine with me. We gonna see them 6 times in the next 5 years so maybe some opportunities for some Hawaii kids to get on their roster. They should play El Paso twice with that 45 minute drive.


  11. Stephen Tsai October 25, 2019 1:59 pm

    I’ve been to Las Cruces several times, and all I can say is: It’s a tough place to get to and, when you get there … there are no casinos!


  12. Stephen Tsai October 25, 2019 2:05 pm

    Michigan was a pain the last time.
    UH had to go from playing in Australia one week to going to Ann Arbor the next.
    And then Harbaugh wouldn’t release a depth chart.
    Colorado solved that by releasing a phony Michigan depth chart for its meeting with the Wolverines.
    https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2016/09/jim_harbaugh_wasnt_amused_by_c.html


  13. Derek October 25, 2019 2:20 pm

    I’d like to see UH play these teams in the future here.
    1) Appalachian State- played them before here. Sun Belt champions and ranked. A very good team.
    2) Stanford- it’s been a long since they came here. Since the Honolulu Stadium I believe.
    3) Washington State- 2 passing teams, 3 1/2 to 4 hr. game. Wazzu has a lot of Hawaii players.
    4) Utah – not since the old WAC have they played.
    5) Georgia- Sugar Bowl rematch.


  14. wafan October 25, 2019 2:26 pm

    Welcome back, SteveM!


  15. wafan October 25, 2019 2:27 pm

    Love and hugs to Diana.

    Lots of us are going to miss the big guy.


  16. wafan October 25, 2019 2:28 pm

    Been a long while since I posted three consecutive. YAY!


  17. NorthShoreFan October 25, 2019 3:31 pm

    Play one team twice, in a season?….NO WAY!
    Not sure why this crazy idea but … we can’t find opponents?
    Go play the #1 High School team then…..LOL


  18. Warrior Fan October 25, 2019 3:35 pm

    Does anyone know if the UH secondary is back to full strength? Are the safeties playing tomorrow? I know a lot of guys got banged up.


  19. BigWave96744 October 25, 2019 3:55 pm

    We already play Portland St in 2021, WHY WHY WHY, would you want to play another FCS team and not have it count toward your Bowl Eligibility.

    Also UH would make more money with a home game vs New Mexico St then going on the road against a lowly FBS team.

    Alost all Power5 schools have their schedule’s booked for 2021 and have no desire to come to Hawaii and play a 13th game.

    However, Washington St Cougars and Hawaii both have Sept 18th open in 2021
    WSU
    09/04 – Utah State
    09/11 – Portland State
    09/18 – Open
    10/23 – BYU

    Hawaii 2021
    @UCLA (Aug. 28)
    Portland St (Sept 4)
    @Oregon State (Sept. 11)
    @New Mexico State (Sept. 25)
    New Mexico State (hana hou@Home Oct 23)


  20. BigWave96744 October 25, 2019 3:58 pm

    Pomai
    Hawaii 45 – New Mexico 35


  21. Andrew October 25, 2019 4:06 pm

    19.

    What do you mean by another FCS team?


  22. BigWave96744 October 25, 2019 4:10 pm

    #21, people saying (not just here, but other sites) to play another FCS team instead of playing NMSt twice


  23. BigWave96744 October 25, 2019 4:14 pm

    Taking a bye week instead of playing a home game is a huge lost of revenue to the University and all other sport’s that football supports


  24. BigWave96744 October 25, 2019 4:18 pm

    Before throwing out dream matchups, check to see if they are available. You will not have much luck in 2021

    https://fbschedules.com/future-college-football-schedules/


  25. THE burro sabio October 25, 2019 4:56 pm

    NMSU and Liberty played home and home last season and again this season. That’s what those two independents have to do to fill their schedules. If there were a few more independent teams it might be more attractive to go that route.


  26. Akamai Okole October 25, 2019 5:25 pm

    Great Afternoon All!

    Looks like the Nats can put away the brooms (but the Fat Lady nevah sing yet.)

    Eh, not twice but 3x in the ILH! 🙄


  27. H-Man October 25, 2019 6:18 pm

    The puka in the 2021 schedule was there when Matlin took the job 4 years ago. And to do what he just did is inexcusable.


  28. Petey808 October 25, 2019 8:14 pm

    Hawaii 52 New Mexico 24


  29. SteveM October 25, 2019 10:01 pm

    UH – NEW MEXICO blog score predictions

    41 – 38 … Whitey
    42 – 24 … NorthShoreFan
    45 – 21 … UH4eva
    45 – 31 … Matt
    45 – 35 … BigWave96744
    52 – 21 … wafan
    52 – 24 … Petey808
    56 – 14 … Akamai Okole/d1shima
    – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

    Here are the ground rules for determining the prestigious prognosticator:

    1) Duplicate predictions allowed (since there is NO prize)
    2) OK to favor the opponent… but we hope you wrong 🙁
    2) Predictions posted by 10:00 am HST on game day.
    3) Closest score to the actual wins (absolute value total of over and under difference from both actual scores). Tie-breaker: closest guess to the winning team score.


  30. Kev-1 October 25, 2019 10:39 pm

    Just stupid. No one wants to see UH play NM St. twice. There are barely enough people that want to see them play once.


  31. THE burro sabio October 25, 2019 10:40 pm

    #19 – neither UH nor Wazzou have games scheduled at this time, but conference schedules haven’t been filled in yet.


  32. sackkabooya October 26, 2019 1:07 am

    Maybe with the $1.9 million from the Michigan game Matlin could use some of that money (say $50,000) to use as prizes in drawings using game ticket ID numbers to pick winners during the New Mexico St game. 20 winners $2500 each. Like a lottery. Just to show appreciation to the fans of UH Football for the scheduling anomaly (really sucks actually). I think that would be fair. You would make that money back in walk up sales (and students). The crowd would be “Nutz”.


  33. Gerry October 26, 2019 3:03 am

    North Dakota State has 4 openings in 2021. I would like to see UH play them instead of lowly NMSU twice. I don’t want to even see them play once. Playing the big boys of the FCS is what they need to do. This is totally unacceptable.


  34. Kawika October 26, 2019 6:28 am

    Maybe play a prep all star team like in the old days? Not an encouraging sign. How about a game with old WAC opponent Utah? UH used to regularly beat the Utes in the 80s and early 90s before they decided to invest in and upgrade their program.


  35. THE burro sabio October 26, 2019 8:30 am

    Brent Brennan is doing something right. San Jose State is going to be a very tough game.


  36. cappie the dog October 26, 2019 9:12 am

    I’m glad you’re better, Mr. SteveM.

    hawaii 31
    point me in the direction of albuquerque by the partridge family 13


  37. ai-eee-soos October 26, 2019 9:44 am

    Hawaii already has Portland State (FCS / 1AA) for 2021

    N D State is also FCS / 1AA.


  38. ai-eee-soos October 26, 2019 9:47 am

    GO WARRIORS !!!
    BEAT UP them LOS LOBOS !!!.


  39. winning October 26, 2019 1:24 pm

    DOES ROLO THINK HE IS COACHING A POWER 5 TEAM? STEP ON THE GAS! RIDICULOUS GOING WITH B/UPs EARLY 2ND HALF.


  40. winning October 26, 2019 1:26 pm

    Yup go with 12 games. RIDICULOUS OTHERWISE!!!! TO ME THE AD IS REALLY NOT DOING A GREAT JOB. IMPEACH!


Comments are closed.