CORVALLIS, Ore. » The toughest decision at the Local Boyz Hawaiian Cafe here is usually the choice between the "broke da mouth hamburger steak" and the loco moco.

But this week the consternation at the small second-floor Monroe Avenue refuge for Hawaii transplants surrounds who to root for in Saturday’s game: The home-state team, UH, or the adopted school, Oregon State.

"That’s a tough one," said Kim Marchesi, who has run the plate-lunch place a couple of blocks from campus with her husband, Roy, for 20 years.

Since the Hawaiian-Italian family moved from Niu Valley, they have backed the Beavers in the Pac-12 while also rooting for the Rainbow Warriors from afar, a stance adopted by many of their expat customers.

And, in fact, the ‘Bows had inquired about bringing the team by for a postgame meal. "They (UH) called us and asked if we could handle a group of 85," Kim said. "But we only have a few tables, so we couldn’t do it."

For this game, Kim said, "we’ll just have to root for both."

PAC-12 TALKS?

Since taking office last year, Manoa Chancellor Tom Apple has been a strong proponent of UH working toward possible future Pac-12 membership.

"I won’t go dreaming about where we might be, but there is a really good conference out on the West Coast that it would be wonderful to be part of eventually," Apple has said, alluding to the Pac-12.

Apple is scheduled to attend Saturday’s game. A spokeswoman for the chancellor’s office said Apple is "scheduled to fly to the mainland primarily for Western Association of Schools and Colleges training. He will be meeting with several people, including Oregon State University President Ed Ray. The Pac-12 Conference may be discussed."

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR

UH and Oregon State are scheduled to play again next year at Aloha Stadium, a home-and-home series that sounds about right to Beavers head coach Mike Riley.

"If we could home-and-home like that all the time, that would be OK with me," Riley said. "I’ve said for years I’m all for it."

Riley said, "It is good for us and good for them. We’ve got a lot of staff and players from Hawaii, so it makes sense for us."

Four coaches, defensive coordinator Mark Banker, offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh, defensive line coach Joe Seumalo and graduate assistant Tavita Thompson coached and/or played at UH.

Five players — defensive end Titus Failauga (Pac-Five), linebacker Manase Hungalu (Kealakehe), defensive end Devon Kell (Hilo), defensive end Ali‘i Robins (Saint Louis) and defensive tackle Mana Rosa (Baldwin) — played high school football in Hawaii.

Starting right guard Roman Sapolu is the son of former UH star Jesse Sapolu.

OFFICIATING CHANGE

Until recently, the Pac-12 had a hard-and-fast rule that only its officiating crews would work home games in its stadiums.

But due to what has been termed a "change in the Pac-12 Conference officiating philosophy" to "minimize the home-field advantage," a Pac-12 spokesman said, "by contractual agreement between the competing teams, the officials working the game can be reverse crews or third-party crews."

So UH will draw a Mountain West or third party crew Saturday just as USC was allowed one last week.