Cats open 2017 season at Hawaii

[The Cats]

Western Carolina and the University of Hawai'i have agreed to a contract to open the 2017 football season in nonconference action in Honolulu, Hawaii. The first-ever meeting between the Mountain West-member Rainbow Warriors and the Southern Conference's Catamounts will take place in the islands at Aloha Stadium.


"Playing at Hawai'i allows us to play a 12th football game in 2017, a year that is slated for just an 11-game schedule," said WCU Director of Athletics, Randy Eaton. "Our financial responsibilities revolving around the 2017 season-opening road meeting in Hawai'i are more than covered by the terms of the contract."

Vying any additional scheduling over the next two seasons - and according to available research - Western Carolina, a NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program, will become just the second Southern Conference program to travel to the 50th state, joining former member Appalachian State.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes to go and play a very good Mountain West opponent - and to do so in a beautiful setting in Hawaii," said WCU head coach Mark Speir (http://www.catamountsports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mark_speir_790683.html), who was on ASU's staff in 2003 when the Mountaineers opened the year against the Warriors. "The chance to play this game really adds to the overall quality of our student-athlete experience for our football players at Western Carolina."

http://www.catamountsports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/033115aad.html


The Cats have some good FBS games lined up in the future.....

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VZ_K5OeZrfc/VEBgIsguB4I/AAAAAAAACDQ/uneknPUpEWo/s296/wcu%2Bat%2Btenn.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNsyt3w7jSg/U5sJT--fjvI/AAAAAAAABqY/gzYFyWrhGAk/s306/texas.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TGQBPTIoO1k/VNp5b2_rCgI/AAAAAAAACcM/xbFh-YBx8HE/s296/ecu.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G2doStMyvno/VRswDZbUG9I/AAAAAAAACfk/pSoAaXbEPcI/s296/Hawaii.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7aE04mR_wco/U-OuyJJG4VI/AAAAAAAABxw/44DUtNuQV5w/s1600/nc%2Bstate.JPG

[DFW HOYA]

How many teams in scholarship conferences do not have a I-A game in 2015 or on the horizon?

[NoVABison]

It is my understanding that NDSU wanted an FBS game in 2015, but were not able to find a matchup with an FBS team.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Ask UNI last year. That Hawaii trip is a **** show.

[gumby013]

It is my understanding that NDSU wanted an FBS game in 2015, but were not able to find a matchup with an FBS team.

They are call screening at this point.

[centennial]

Ask UNI last year. That Hawaii trip is a **** show.
I stayed up to watch that game. The commentators were surprised how big UNI was. The biggest shame was UNI lost to that awful Hawaii team. I really don't understand UNI, goes to Iowa and could have won, and then plays down to Hawaii.

[clenz]

I stayed up to watch that game. The commentators were surprised how big UNI was. The biggest shame was UNI lost to that awful Hawaii team. I really don't understand UNI, goes to Iowa and could have won, and then plays down to Hawaii.
The issue is the time zone.

If that game was played on the continental US, UNI wins by at least 9
If that game was played with a early afternoon HI time kick off, UNI wins by 7-10

Remember, that game started at 7:30 HI time...As of the time of this post it's not even noon out there yet and 98% of Iowans that done work retail are done with work or done in the next 20 minutes. That game kicked off at 11:30 PM Iowa time.

You could see that it took a full quarter for UNI's players to "wake up". They went out Wednesday to "get used too" the time zone. It's one thing to be used to the daylight time, it's a complete different thing to ask your body to fly 4000 miles and then play a game at 11:30 PM.

If WCU doesn't manage to get that thing as a noon/1PM HI time kick off they will get crushed.

[Hammerhead]

Good luck getting Hawaii to play a football game at noon in early September. It gets really hot in the sun when you are that far south.

[walliver]

Good luck getting Hawaii to play a football game at noon in early September. It gets really hot in the sun when you are that far south.
The difference between Summer and Winter weather in Hawai'i is about 2-3 degrees. I suspect the high temps in North Dakota are higher than the high temps in Hawai'i where the weather is buffered by being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

[centennial]

The difference between Summer and Winter weather in Hawai'i is about 2-3 degrees. I suspect the high temps in North Dakota are higher than the high temps in Hawai'i where the weather is buffered by being in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
You might be correct. IMO late games give Hawaii a solid advantage. Not much to do with weather.

[clenz]

You might be correct. IMO late games give Hawaii a solid advantage. Not much to do with weather.
HI average high in August is 85
IA average high in August is 84.....86 in July

[clenz]

You might be correct. IMO late games give Hawaii a solid advantage. Not much to do with weather.
HI average high in August is 85.....86 in July
IA average high in August is 84.....86 in July

Average humidity in Aug:
IA: 75
HI: 74


So...there's no difference in playing in HI and IA in August/early Sept



The kicking off at 11PM/midnight local time has a MUCH larger impact than 1 degree difference in high.

[clenz]

Since this is a WCU thread


Average temp in Cullowhee in August is 85 with humidity of 75...

No difference there either

[GetEmGriz]

How many teams in scholarship conferences do not have a I-A game in 2015 or on the horizon?

Montana doesn't have a I-A game scheduled for 2015 or 2016. The next scheduled game is in 2017 against Washington. Montana typically schedules I-A games every 3 years or so.

[FUBeAR]

How many teams in scholarship conferences do not have a I-A game in 2015 or on the horizon?

Mercer, though playing an all NCAA D-1 schedule in 2015, does not have an FBS opponent on the schedule.
In 2016, the Bears are scheduled to play @ Georgia Tech on 9/3 and, in 2017, are scheduled to play @ Auburn on 11/18.

[BlackNGoldR3v0lut10n]

How many teams in scholarship conferences do not have a I-A game in 2015 or on the horizon?

East Tennessee State is not expected to play a game vs. a FBS team until 2018 when they play Tennessee.