It's official, per ESPN.com...

The Crimson Tide will play a 13th regular-season game at Hawaii, closing the season with an exotic substitute for a bowl trip, athletic director Mal Moore announced Friday.

The teams will meet Nov. 30 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu in a game televised nationally by ESPN.

"This is a unique opportunity for our team and fans,'' Moore said. "We have an open date that weekend and when the game became available, we thought it was an excellent opportunity to play a game that we would not ordinarily get to play.

"It took us some time to get the details ironed out, but it is done and I think our team, staff and fans are excited about the game.''

Alabama has appealed NCAA sanctions, including a two-year postseason ban.

Due to scheduling changes allowed by NCAA rules, most teams were already playing a 12-game regular season schedule. The players don't seem to mind the extra road trip.

"This will certainly stretch our season, but the team voted unanimously to participate in the game,'' said Tide coach Dennis Franchione. "The players were excited about the opportunity to play in Hawaii. A game of that type doesn't come along very often.''

Alabama has never played Hawaii in football, but has played on the islands before. The Tide beat Southern Cal 24-3 in the 1985 Aloha Bowl, led by linebacker Cornelius Bennett and halfback Gene Jelks.

Hawaii began searching for a new opponent on that date after Washington State asked to be let out of a scheduled game because a game with UCLA was rescheduled.

Should be a good "bowl" game type atmosphere for the players and coaches who didnt have anything to do with existing ncaa probs at bama. will be a interesting game seeing that june jones has some big wins against some good teams.

time will tell

WDE
Bradley

Don't you know Kentucky hates this?

UK goes on probation and will suck all year

Bama goes on probation, and even if they have a losing record...hey, they go to Hawaii.

Big difference...credit Mal Moore for this one.

WPS

Who needs a bowl game when you can play in Hawaii late in November?

Smart move to keep the recruits happy.

This is a great move on the part of Alabama's athletic department....with the dark cloud hanging over our head (not saying we didn't put it there), but this will help keep the players happy. Hell, it'll keep me happy if I can take my happy *** out there!!!!!

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going to a Hawaii will be like a bowl game for Bama!