Big bucks are just 1 benefit of big-name scheduling

Some people call it a body-bag game. Others look upon it as an opportunity.

University of Hawaii athletic director Ben Jay sees it both ways.

Jay told the UH board of regents he’d rather drink from other revenue streams than be forced into big payday mismatches against behemoth programs such as Michigan and Ohio State. He doesn’t want blowout losses and student-athletes pounded by injuries more than the usual.

Hawaii gets $1.2 million to play the Buckeyes, which will go a long way to balancing UH’s tight budget.

Jay knows there are benefits beyond finances to be derived from such games. For example, the game at Ohio State in 2015, officially announced Thursday, will be on ESPN, giving UH plenty of exposure (you can argue the value of the exposure if it’s a lopsided loss).

Also, scheduling big-name teams attracts better recruits, some who can hold their own against the best. Get enough of them together and you might have a situation like when Hawaii played at Alabama in 2006. Remember when Hawaii took the money and ran, and almost won the game, too?

It wasn’t the greatest Bama team, but it wasn’t terrible. After a shaky first half in front of 92,138 fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Colt Brennan, Davone Bess and the rest outplayed the Crimson Tide after the break. The game ended with Brennan throwing the ball into the end zone with Alabama leading by eight. The final numbers were 25-17 — and $650,000 to UH for participating.

Things didn’t go quite as well two years later at The Swamp, when Florida pasted UH 56-10. But at least UH netted around $300,000 after expenses for its trouble. The big loss in the season opener didn’t ruin the Warriors; they finished the regular season 7-6 before losing to Notre Dame in the Hawaii Bowl.

It’s better for Hawaii to play these games than scheduling FCS teams, especially now, because the Rainbow Warriors have to prove they can hang with the big boys. This is imperative if UH is going to meet its goal of being among the top 50 college sports programs in the country when the most significant round of realignment occurs — the one where only the strongest will survive.

It is all a long way off right now, as an 0-5 Hawaii team goes into a game Saturday as a 10-point underdog against usually hapless UNLV. The Rainbow Warriors are unsettled at quarterback, rice-paper thin at most positions and short an assistant coach for the season. The Rebels have won three in a row.

Two years ago Hawaii was a double-digit favorite at UNLV but lost 40-20 in a rout that generated a point-shaving allegation that included the NCAA opening an investigation, which it has never announced as closed.

It can be looked at as the beginning of a downward trend that brings UH to this point — with a new coach, a new AD and four wins in the past 22 football games.

Want some reason for hope, on the long-term financial front? Jay said he recently had a great meeting with Oracle Corporation president Mark Hurd. That puts him one step away from Oracle founder and CEO Larry Ellison, the third-wealthiest man in America, who bought most of the island of Lanai last year.

Some fans dream Ellison could be for UH what Nike founder Phil Knight has been for Oregon.

Most would be happy starting with a win Saturday against a UNLV team that appears to have the cards this time.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783 or on Twitter as @dave_reardon.