BYU-UH game may move to Sept. 6

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Brigham Young University is expected to move its football game with Hawai'i to Friday night, Sept. 6, a situation that has raised concern among high school groups.

The rematch of UH's 72-45 victory in December had been scheduled for Sept. 7, but ESPN has asked BYU to move it.

A BYU spokesman said there has been no official announcement of a move yet and the school "would prefer not to play on a Friday," but under the Mountain West Conference's television agreement with ESPN, "we play when they tell us."

"They are violating a (Friday night) tradition that is sacred in Utah and across the country," Evan Excell, executive director of the Utah High School Activities Association told the Associated Press. "It is a real sore spot for us, and we want it stopped."

A BYU spokesman said if a switch is made it would likely be to a 6 p.m. Mountain (2 p.m. Hawai'i time) start.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, said his group and the five leagues it represents have concerns about colleges intruding on Friday nights and would be opposed to the game if the broadcast or a rebroadcast occurred in a time slot that impacted high school games here.