The on-again, off-again negotiations that would send the University of Hawaii football team to Colorado next month to play a school-record seventh road game are apparently on again.
UH athletic director Ben Jay said Tuesday night that negotiations are back on the table and a decision on whether to play could come as soon as today.
Colorado was forced to cancel its nonconference game against Fresno State last Saturday due to severe flooding in Colorado. When the Buffaloes were unable to work out a makeup date with Fresno State, they contacted several schools, including UH, about a possible replacement game.
Colorado’s proposal to UH centered on an Oct. 19 game in Boulder, a mutual open date.
The Buffaloes, who had predicated their budget on six home games, stand to have a $1.8 million-$3.1 million shortfall without a game, according to estimates by the school.
UH, which had an opening since it is scheduled to play 12 of a possible 13 games, was reportedly hesitant about adding a seventh road game, especially since the Rainbow Warriors play Oct. 12 in Las Vegas. But the financially challenged ‘Bows discussed several possible arrangements.
On Tuesday afternoon, Jay said the deal was off.
"It wasn’t worth it to us to ask our kids to travel across four time zones another weekend for a game that wasn’t going to make us (much) money."
Travel costs involved in taking on the game in the 11th hour would not have left UH with much after expenses, officials said.
UH is already scheduled to play in Boulder in 2014 for a $500,000 paycheck, according to the contract, with Colorado coming to Aloha Stadium in 2015 for the same amount.