A win in El Paso would seal it.

Hawaii (10-2) hosts Oregon State (8-4) in a non-conference season finale at Aloha Stadium. The Warriors are ranked No. 24.

"I don't normally talk about what two games down the road could mean," Beavers coach Mike Riley said. "We have an opportunity to do what very few teams in this country are doing, that is winning in double digits. We have to win this one to get there. Whatever those forces are in motivation, this is I think, a big deal."

The Beavers were riding an emotional 30-28 victory at home in last week's Civil War game as they headed for Hawai'i on Wednesday.

The Warriors have won nine straight and need one victory to match the 1992 squad for the most in a season in school history.

They lead the nation in scoring (583 points) and total offense (6,645 yards), and QB Colt Brennan leads the nation with 4,589 passing yards and 4,929 yards of total offense.

Hawai'i, coming off a 42-35 victory over Purdue Saturday, has won seven straight at home.

"I feel like right now, you bring anybody in here, no matter who it is, we're gonna have a chance to outscore them," coach June Jones said. "Our defense is playing well enough. There's some areas we obviously have to get better in, both offensively and defensively. But we can compete with anybody at home."

The Beavers have won six of their last seven games, including a 33-31 victory over USC on Oct. 28, the Trojans' first regular season loss since 2003.

The Warriors will play in the Hawai'i Bowl at Aloha Stadium on Dec. 24 against Arizona State.

The Beavers play in the Sun Bowl Dec. 29 against an as-yet determined opponent.

CONNECTIONS: Although an ocean separates them and they play in different conferences, there are plenty of connections between the Beavers and the Warriors.

Oregon State's defensive coordinator Mark Banker was the outside linebackers-special teams coach at Hawai'i in 1995; Beavers offensive line coach Mike Cavanaugh was Hawai'i's offensive line coach from 1999-2004; linebackers coach Greg Newhouse was Hawai'i's secondary-punters coach from 1988-89.

Hawai'i senior defensive lineman Ikaika Alama-Francis is the son of Oregon State tailback Joe Francis, who played for Tommy Prothro in the 1957 Rose Bowl against Iowa. Francis played QB in the NFL with Green Bay and in the CFL with Montreal.

Additionally, Oregon State coach Mike Riley played for Corvallis High School in the playoffs against Sunset High, coached by current Hawai'i running backs coach Mouse Davis.

And Riley followed Warriors head coach June Jones as the head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

Plus, there are 11 players with Hawai'i ties on the Oregon State roster: FS Al Afalava, DE Naymon Frank, WR Aaron Nichols, WR Lahaina Olsen-Kuroda, OG Jeremy Perry, OL Ryan Pohl, OL Steven Rodenhurst, QB Mana Silva, RB Micah Strickland, OL Tavita Thompson, and S Suaesi Tuimaunei.