Thanks to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Marcus Mariota, the state of Hawaii and Oregon football are forever linked. Mariota won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 as a member of the Ducks before becoming the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Now, he’s teaming up with two other notable Oregon alumni to make a difference in the lives of over 1,000 kids.
Mariota’s Motiv8 Foundation To Send 1,000 Kids To Oregon vs Hawaii
Mariota’s Motiv8 Foundation is partnering with fellow NFL quarterback and the WNBA’s Sabrina Ionescu to send 1,000 local youth to the Hawaii vs Oregon football game on September 16th at Autzen Stadium.
Fans can also purchase $25 tickets to contribute to the cause.
All tickets will be donated to local organizations like Kidsports and the Boys and Girls Club of Emerald Valley. In addition to tickets, the youth will receive specially designed T-shirts from the Motiv8 Foundation.
Oregon Has Eight Players From Hawaii On Its Football Roster
For Mariota and many other Oregon football players, this particular matchup holds a special place in their hearts.
“With a significant Polynesian community here, there are many connections that make this a special matchup,” Mariota shared during a visit to Autzen.
The current Oregon roster includes eight players from Hawaii, as well as Tevita Pome’e from Tonga.
Although Oregon and Hawaii’s football teams have met seven times, the last encounter came in 1994, which resulted in a win for Hawaii. Mariota was less than a year old at the time.
This Won’t Be The Last Time Oregon Plays Hawaii
Even with the PAC-12 dissolving, this won’t be the last time that Oregon and Hawaii meet.
The matchup will extend to 2024, with the Ducks planning to play in Hawaii for their season opener. Hawaii’s home games are temporarily hosted at an on-campus facility due to Aloha Stadium’s renovation.
But first, the two college football teams will meet in Oregon this fall.
“For the University of Hawaii to be able to come play the University of Oregon, it’s just a great opportunity to kind of see where the program is at,” Mariota said. “It’s gone through a lot of changes over the course of the last 10 years. But it’s still the pride of Hawaii.”
