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The University of Hawaii and Southern California have contacted the NCAA in an effort to head off possible problems over their scheduled Sept. 2 football season opener.
"These are uncharted waters, so we’re trying to alert the NCAA to our position and concerns," said Jim Donovan, UH athletic director. "We’ll be in contact with them,"
Terms of USC’s recently announced probation prohibit the Trojans from taking advantage of exempted contests during the 2010 and ’11 seasons when they are under sanction.
But the Sept. 2 game at Aloha Stadium, which was contracted for in 2001, is – by definition – an exempted contest permitting the Trojans a 13th game, one above the usual NCAA ceiling. And the schools are hoping to head off an 11th-hour cancellation of the game.
The game was moved to Sept. 2, a Thursday, to suit ESPN, which will show the game to help kickoff the college football season. With USC having sold out its last three appearances here, the game figures to be UH’s marquee home attraction.
Donovan said he has been told USC has also been in contact with the NCAA regarding the issue. A USC spokesman has refused comment.
Several members of the Division I Committee on Infractions Issues have declined comment on the matter. At least two have referred questions to an NCAA spokesman, who has yet to respond.
