HONOLULU – The University of Hawai'i Warrior football team will face the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, Christmas eve, at Aloha Stadium, Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl Executive Director David A.K. Matlin announced today. Kickoff is 3:00 p.m. HT and the game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
UH (7-6) earned its fifth Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl invitation since 2002 after winning its mandatory seventh game on Nov. 29. The Fighting Irish (6-6) were selected as an at-large representative on Sunday.
“We are thrilled to have the University of Notre Dame in the 7th Annual Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl,” Matlin said. “Notre Dame is a storied football tradition and we are honored to have both them and the University of Hawai'i in our 2008 game.”
Pete Derzis, ESPN Regional Television Vice President and General Manager, said, “to be able to attract Notre Dame as an at-large team in only our 7th year is a real testament to Hawai'i being a world-class destination and the quality of our previous games. In addition the unique experiences we have provided for the student-athletes have played a big part in showcasing ourselves and the game.”
Matlin added, “A special thanks to our title sponsor, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts for helping us build this game into something that is attractive to a University of Notre Dame's caliber. Ernie Nishizaki, Kyo-ya Company, Ltd., Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, and Keith Vieira, Senior Vice President and Director of Operations for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawaii and French Polynesia, stepped up 6 years ago as the title sponsor to continue the game in Honolulu and have put us in a position to have this great match-up.
“I would be remiss if I did not mention and thank Jim Donovan for his leadership and mentorship the last six years as the bowl's Executive Director. The last three weeks have been an intensive process to put the bowl in position to have a chance to get Notre Dame. Our executive committee, chaired by Hugh Yoshida, has stepped up to help to make this a reality. Also, a special mahalo to the Hawai'i Tourism Authority and David Uchiyama, VP of Marketing, for all of their contributions in making this come to fruition.”
Notre Dame (6-6) will be making its 29th bowl appearance and first since 2007 when it played in the Sugar Bowl. This will be Notre Dame's second bowl appearance in Honolulu (Aloha Bowl, 1984).
The Warriors (7-6) and Fighting Irish have met twice previously in Honolulu with each game coming down to the wire. In 1991, Notre Dame held off UH, 48-42 and in 1997, rallied for a 23-22 victory.
Under first-year head coach Greg McMackin, the Warriors will be playing in their third consecutive bowl game and sixth in the last seven years. Last season, Hawai'i participated in its first Bowl Championship Series game, falling to Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The Warriors have a 3-1 record in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl with wins over Houston in 2003, UAB in 2004, and Arizona State in 2005.
-UH-
