UH keeps its schedule at 12 games

It appears the University of Hawaii has run out of options and will play a 12-game regular-season football schedule for the first time in five years.

"There’s nobody left to call," associate athletic director Carl Clapp said Tuesday.

The Warriors had held out slim hope that one of the other schools that had Sept. 8 or Oct. 20 open dates matching theirs might be interested in playing at Aloha Stadium so they could play an NCAA-maximum 13 games. But Clapp said he contacted prospective candidates and was told, "‘Sorry, Carl we can’t help you this time.’"

UH said it was left in a bind in July when Texas State pulled out of a planned game for 2012. Athletic director Jim Donovan said UH tried several possibilities, but couldn’t reach an agreement with a Football Bowl Subdivision team. It eventually decided against Football Championship Subdivision teams since it is already scheduled to play Lamar.

With a 12-game schedule, UH will need to win at least six to become bowl eligible.

When Norm Chow took over in December, Donovan said he ruled out playing a road game that would have given UH seven away games for the first time in school history.

Chow was not disappointed.

"It will be a grueling enough schedule. It is not an easy schedule," he said.

UH plays nonconference road games at USC and Brigham Young and makes its Mountain West Conference debut.

"There are not any New Mexico States and Idahos on the (conference) schedule anymore," Chow said. " They are replaced by Air Force and San Diego State now."