There were some nervous members of the Hawaii athletic department earlier in the week when it was thought the school might lose their 2010 home date with USC, a cancellation that would’ve cost the program in excess of $1 million.
Fortunately for the island school, common sense has prevailed.
According to a press release from the NCAA by way of the Los Angeles Times, the game will be played as scheduled, with the NCAA pushing the “13th-game” punishment for USC into the future due to the fact that the game has been scheduled for well over five years.
“The Committee on Infractions has delayed the penalty that precludes the University of Southern California from playing a 13th game from the 2010 and 2011 seasons to the 2011 and 2012 seasons. This one-year deferral of the penalty allows Hawaii to host its Sept. 2 game against USC. In making this decision, the committee noted a number of factors, including that the game has been scheduled for at least five years, will be televised, and many fans have already purchased travel packages to the game.”
USC’s probation, the Times writes, “prohibited [USC] from taking advantage of an NCAA rule that allows teams to play 13 games if one is in Hawaii.”