(07-30-2019 03:11 PM)mustangxc Wrote: Hawaii is already in the Big West for olympic sports. The only change would be Hawaii football going independent. I don't think independence would hurt Hawaii all that much given that teams that play at Hawaii get to play a 13th game.
Hawaii could fairly easily get 4 games with PAC schools. They can already get 2 or 3 each year. Because of the Week 0 scheduling, Hawaii could probably still get 3 or 4 MWC schools each year.
The PAC and MWC could benefit by each scheduling 3 or 4 Week 0 games to kickoff the college football season. Those Week 0 games are worth some decent $$$.
BYU would be an annual opponent. Throw in one or two of the other independents and Hawaii would only need to schedule one other solid opponent and then grab an FCS game.
I believe fan interest, attendance, and recruiting would *improve* if Hawaii had a schedule that rotates through the PAC 12, plus BYU and has a couple of familiar MWC opponents each season. Something like this:
Home: UCLA, Cal, Nevada, FCS, New Mexico State, BYU
Road: Arizona, Oregon, Air Force, Wisconsin, San Diego State, Army