Citing the increased difficulty in filling future college football schedules, Fresno State coach Pat Hill and Hawai'i's June Jones yesterday renewed the possibility of their teams meeting in a non-conference game next season.

Fresno State and UH meet annually as part of the Western Athletic Conference schedule. But school officials are interested in scheduling a second game between the teams next year in either Japan or Australia.

"I think it makes tremendous sense for us," Jones said, referring to UH's interest in establishing a recruiting base in Australia and selling the program's merchandise in Asia. "Eventually, it's going to happen."

Asked if it was a possibility to arrange a game by as early as the 2006 season, Jones said yesterday, "I would say it is."

During his segment in the WAC's weekly teleconference, Hill said: "June and I have talked about it. I know there's some real thought that has gone into ... making it a non-league game at the end of the year. I think it would be great."

The original concept was to play the game in Japan. But in recent weeks, it was suggested staging it in Australia, where the Warriors are trying to extend their recruiting reach. Jones said corporate sponsors would be needed to underwrite most of the expenses.

"The scheduling is becoming harder and harder," Jones said, noting the Warriors still have an opening on their 2006 schedule. "That's why we're (discussing) it."

Beginning next year, the NCAA limit on regular-season football games expands by one, to 12 games. Under terms of the so-called "Hawai'i exemption," UH is allowed an extra game above the limit, and Mainland teams do not have to count games played in Hawai'i as part of the regular-season limit. The exemption presumably would extend to games played in Australia or Japan.

Hill said expanding the regular-season limit to 12 games should have benefited schools such as Fresno State. But the NCAA also implemented a rule in which a Division I-A school each year may count one victory over a I-AA team toward the bowl-eligibility requirement of a winning record against Division I-A opponents.

Hill said teams from the power conferences are scheduling I-AA teams, depleting the pool of available I-AA and Bowl Championship Series (BCS) schools.

The new rule is "leaving a big void for schools like ourselves to get those games against those (BCS) teams or to get even I-AA teams to come to your place because (I-AA teams are) being bought up by the bigger schools ... for another home gate and a victory," Hill said. "Scheduling will become a problem."

Hill said schools such as Fresno State cannot compete against BCS schools in the amount of the appearance fees offered to I-AA schools. Hill said I-AA schools are "getting a lot of big payday games in big venues, which is great for those programs. I think that has defeated the purpose for us, anyway, of getting really high-profile games, even though they're on the road."

PRACTICE IN HOUSTON

In preparation for Saturday's game at Louisiana Tech, the Warriors will not practice in Joe Aillet Stadium — or, for that matter, in Louisiana.

The Warriors practice today and tomorrow on their grass field, then depart tomorrow afternoon on a non-stop flight to Houston. They will practice in a Houston community football complex Thursday night and Friday morning before leaving for Monroe, La.

This schedule allows the players to rest after the 8-hour flight from Honolulu. In Houston, the Warriors are staying in a hotel on the airport property. Jones said it would be too disruptive to "get off a plane, wait two hours and then get on another plane."

KEOMAKA BANGED UP

Jones said cornerback Ryan Keomaka suffered a dislocated shoulder in Saturday's game against Boise State. Keomaka's availability for this week's game is not known.

Jones said he expects defensive end Melila Purcell III (neck stingers) and strongside linebacker Tanuvasa Moe (variety of injuries) to play against Louisiana Tech.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.