"It wasn't bad," Moore said of the Charlotte-to-Dallas-to-Honolulu flights. "I could do it every day."

The Mountaineers, who play Hawai'i in tomorrow's season opener, hit the ground race-walking yesterday. After claiming their luggage at the Honolulu International Airport's Section F, they rode two chartered buses to Aloha Stadium, where they practiced for more than an hour.

They have another practice scheduled for this morning. The ASU coaches have reservations on a 10:30 p.m. flight tomorrow, although the 62 players will not leave town until Sunday.

"If we don't make (the flight)," Moore said of his staff's travel plans, "it won't be a big deal."

Like many visitors to the Islands, the Mountaineers do not expect to leave empty-handed.

"We're confident," defensive end K.T. Stovall said. "We're not going all the way across the world to lose. We're confident we'll come out with the 'W.' "

But the Mountaineers have been competitive against bigger programs. They won two of the last three meetings against Wake Forest, fell a touchdown short against Auburn (22-15, in 1999) and were outlasted by Clemson (23-12, in 1997).

For this trip, the Mountaineers were more concerned about time — Boone, N.C., is six hours ahead of Honolulu — than the climate.

"It's been warm in Boone lately," Moore said, adding, "it can't be hotter (in Hawai'i) than for a noon game at Auburn."

Wide receiver Josh Baldwin said the players were instructed to stay awake Wednesday night, then sleep on yesterday's nine-hour flight from Dallas to Honolulu. Baldwin said some of the players took Ambien sleeping pills.

"I waited two hours for the movie, but when it started, I was asleep," Baldwin said.

After arriving in Honolulu yesterday afternoon, Baldwin looked at his watch, which still was set to Eastern time, and said, "I should be ready to go to bed now."