The University of Hawai'i and Central Arkansas have reached an agreement to play each other in the 2009 football opener at Aloha Stadium.

The game is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4.

"I'm happy to be playing our first game next year at home," UH coach Greg McMackin said. "I know Jim (Donovan, UH's athletic director) called a lot of teams, and Central Arkansas stepped up to the plate. They're going to be a good team to open with. I have a lot of respect for their program."

According to a story in the Log Cabin Democrat (Conway, Ark.), Central Arkansas wanted to play Hawaii on a Thursday night because it has a date with Arkansas-Pine Bluff the following Saturday. UH wanted to play a Saturday night game. Friday night was agreed to as a compromise.