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BOISE, IDAHO >> All signs point to the Hawaii football team being home for the holidays.
The Rainbow Warriors are expected to be invited to play in the Dec. 24 SoFi Hawaii Bowl at Aloha Stadium. An announcement is expected this morning.
It would be the Warriors’ third appearance in that game in Nick Rolovich’s four seasons as head coach. The Warriors defeated Middle Tennessee 52-35 in the 2016 Hawaii Bowl, but lost to Louisiana Tech 31-14 last year.
>> Click here to see photos of the game between Hawaii and Boise State.
Brigham Young, which competes as an independent, already has accepted an invitation from the Hawaii Bowl.
There was a scenario that might have placed the Warriors in the Dec. 21 Las Vegas Bowl. For that to have happened, Boise State, which beat UH in the Mountain West title game, would need to qualify for a New Year’s Day bowl. But that chance dimmed when Memphis beat Cincinnati to win the American Athletic Conference.
The Las Vegas Bowl, which has first choice of Mountain West teams, is expected to invite Boise State.
UH, BYU and the Hawaii Bowl are a logical fit. A matchup between former Western Athletic Conference rivals should boost attendance. The nationally televised Hawaii Bowl also is the only college football game being played on Christmas Eve.
This also will allow several UH seniors to participate in the commencement ceremony, which is scheduled for the same day as the Las Vegas Bowl.
Jared Smart, a junior wideout, said he looks forward to a final game with his senior teammates.
“It’s another chance for us, another opportunity to go out and play,” Smart said. “I’m excited for another opportunity.”
Quarterback Cole McDonald said: “We have another game. We’ll focus on that.”
The 12-team Mountain West has seven members that are bowl eligible. The league has tie-ins with five bowls. But commissioner Craig Thompson said the seven teams will be placed in bowls.
That was not the case last year, when Wyoming was bowl eligible but was excluded from the postseason.
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