Blangiardi assembles team to try to gain admittance into Pac-12 for Hawaii football

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Mayor Rick Blangiardi speaks on Sept. 8.

1 /2 CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Mayor Rick Blangiardi speaks on Sept. 8.

MARCO GARCIA /SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager makes a pass against the Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday.

2 /2 MARCO GARCIA /SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager makes a pass against the Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA @STARADVERTISER.COM Mayor Rick Blangiardi speaks on Sept. 8.

MARCO GARCIA /SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager makes a pass against the Northern Iowa Panthers on Saturday.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi assembled a third-party group that has been lobbying for the University of Hawaii football team to gain admittance into the Pac-12 Conference.

“As mayor, I’m not supposed to cross a few lines, ” Blangiardi told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in a telephone interview. “But this is really important to our community.”

After the Pac-12 was gutted with 10 departures the past year, holdovers Oregon State and Washington State have worked to restock the league.

On Sept. 11, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State announced their intent to secede from the Mountain West and join the Pac-12 in 2026. On Monday, Utah State also announced a move from the Mountain West, giving both conferences seven members. Eight football teams are needed to maintain FBS status and consideration for a playoff berth. UH has been a football-only member of the Mountain West since 2012.

A month ago, the third-party group initiated meetings with Pac-12 officials. Two weeks later, “I was concerned when the four schools announced (their departure from the Mountain West ), ” said Blangiardi, who was then told by the…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/blangiardi-assembles-team-try-gain-040100337.html

Author : The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Publish date : 2024-09-25 04:01:00

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