UH's 'bowl game' will be season finale against BYU

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The members of the University of Hawai'i football team can appreciate what it feels like to be born on Christmas.

BYU quarterback Brandon Doman said his team's goal was for a perfect regular season. "We set that as a goal and we'll do all we can do to keep that goal alive," he said. The Cougars are 12-0 entering today's game against Hawai'i. Associated Press

"We don't get all of the gifts, like if we were in a real bowl game, but who cares?" said UH safety Nate Jackson, whose team is 8-3. "It's BYU. Those three letters are enough motivation. There's no need for extra hype or explanation."

For more than two decades, the Warriors have regarded the Cougars as rivals. Like residents of Kane'ohe and Kailua, UH and BYU have battled for so long nobody remembers the origin of the feud.

"Maybe it's because a lot of local guys played over there," UH middle linebacker Chris Brown offered.

"I don't know where the rivalry comes from," UH slotback Craig Stutzmann said. "All I know is they're always in the rankings and we have a losing record against them."

The UH coaches have fueled the emotions, reminding the Warriors how BYU led the secession of eight schools from the Western Athletic Conference in 1999. UH was one of the schools abandoned.

"I don't like people who think they're better than us," Brown said. "Leaving us in the dust got me angry. It's like, man, we're not good enough to be in their conference. It's like getting snubbed. It's not cool."

Former UH player Matthew Harding said "BYU was always the big game, if (the Cougars) were 0-10 or if they were 12-0. The fact that they're 12-0 has to pump up the (UH) players. If BYU finishes 12-1, the one loss is what people will remember. That's how you get respect."

The Cougars were admittedly upset when they were ousted from Bowl Championship Series consideration this week.

But BYU coach Gary Crowton has remained upbeat, and said, "I don't want to think it's discouraging at all. We've been excited about the Hawai'i game. That's why we scheduled it late (in the season)."

BYU quarterback Brandon Doman said the Cougars still can fulfill their goal of an unbeaten regular season.

"We set that as a goal and we'll do all we can to keep that goal alive," Doman said.

The Cougars will be without running back Luke Staley, who suffered a broken fibula in last week's victory over Mississippi State. Thursday night, Staley was named the winner of the Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back. He rushed for 1,582 yards, an average of 8.1 yards per carry, and 28 touchdowns.

"That's a tough one to replace," Crowton said. "We have some other good players. Hopefully, they'll rise up."

The Warriors won't have any trouble finding motivation.

"You'd have to be dead if you can't feel the passion," Stutzmann said. "They don't think we deserve to be on the same field with them. They show it with their swagger. They show it with the way they play, the way they talk, their interviews. It's time for all of that to come to an end and put them in their place."