Warriors Head Back To Hawaii Bowl

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Wednesday - September 02, 2009

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Are you ready for some football? I know I am. Can’t wait for the Friday night, Sept. 4, opener for the University of Hawaii.

With tickets in hand, it’s time for my fearless forecast of this season’s games. Somehow, I’ve done reasonably well the past two seasons - successfully prognosticating the Warriors’ perfect 12-0 regular season in 2007, and suggesting an eight-win season last year when UH ended up winning just seven.

Super fan - and eternal optimist - Wayne Coito is back, too. He went out on a limb last year and foresaw 10 wins for the good guys from Manoa. He’s back again this year, once again with his rose-colored (and green-and-black) glasses on.

* Game 1 vs. Central Arkansas: Don’t let the lower division status fool you. These guys are good. I’m picking UH in a shootout, 42-35; Wayne says the Warriors will struggle out of the gates but hold on to win 27-21.

* Game 2 on the road at Washington State: Neither of us thinks the Pac 10 is the place for the ‘Bows this year. I say Wazzu 42-6; Wayne has the Cougars winning 23-13.

* Game 3 on the road at UNLV: Both Wayne and I agree that Las Vegas is our kind of town. I have UH winning 31-24; Wayne says Hawaii 28-27 in a thrilling finish.

* Game 4 on the road on Wednesday night at Louisiana Tech:Yuck! Long road trip, middle-of-the-week game, Ruston, La. Neither of us thinks good things will happen. I’ve got LaTech winning 35-14; Wayne says Bulldogs 36-14.

* Game 5 back home against Fresno State: This is where the eternal optimist and I begin to differ. I love our guys, but think they come up short against an improved Fresno team, 31-27. Wayne says Mack owns this team and picks UH to win 33-30.

* Game 6 on the road at Idaho: Thank goodness the Vandals are slipped into the schedule between FSU and BSU. I’ve got Hawaii winning 35-17; Wayne picks UH 32-20.

* Game 7 back home against Boise State: Sorry. The Broncos are making another run to the BCS. Both Wayne and I see the Warriors coming up short. I’ve got Boise 44-30; Wayne says BSU 42-27.

* Game 8 on the road at Nevada: The Wolfpack have this game circled and that spells disaster for the Warriors. I’ve got UH coming up short 31-15; Wayne says Nevada 35-23.

* Game 9 comes home against Utah State: Warriors want revenge after last year, and get it in a big way. I pick UH to win 49-14; Wayne says Hawaii 45-21.

* Game 10 home again to New Mexico State: Aggies are expected to really struggle this year and Hawaii gets on a roll, winning 56-13. Wayne says UH 49-17.

* Game 11 on the road at San Jose State: This week and the next week could be the two biggest weeks of the season for UH. I’m expecting the Warriors to win a defensive thriller 18-17. Wayne also sees a Hawaii victory by a wide-open offensive score of 42-40.

* Game 12 back home against Navy: With a thrilling win the week before, the Warriors need this one to secure a berth in the Hawaii Bowl. A near sell-out crowd is on hand to watch Coach Mack’s team upend Kenny Niumatalolo’s Midshipmen 42-35. Wayne says UH 31-14.

* Game 13 at home against Wisconsin: Too much beef with the Big 10 Badgers. With bowl bid in hand, UH goes quietly 41-17; Wayne sees a Wisconsin win 35-17.

So, adding it all up, I’ve got UH win seven wins, while Wayne thinks they’ll earn eight. Both of us agree that the Hawaii Bowl is within reach - and we both hope to spend Christmas Eve watching the Warriors battle it out with June Jones’ SMU Mustangs in a shootout that will probably last for nearly five hours and put more than 100 points on the board!

Now, that’s football, Hawaiian style!

See how your own predictions size up against ours - and we’ll see you at the games!