For hotel use Priceline.com and get a better deal. You can pick the area for the hotel like around the airport or near the stadium.
Is it better to buy tickets from BYU or from U of WA (leaving less tickets for their fans)?
I would be up for joining the group. I live an hour south of the tri cities in Pendleton, OR. I think I will try to get a cheap airline ticket off of Priceline that would be cheaper than the gas for the drive.