The University of Hawai'i had two of the top four-rated games on ESPN2 this year and having them come in the final two weeks of the regular season helped his Heisman Trophy chances, quarterback Colt Brennan said yesterday.

"I think (having two late TV games) helped; there's no doubt it helped," Brennan said after being announced as one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy, whose balloting ended early yesterday.

The award will be presented Saturday in New York.

The Warriors' Bowl Championship Series-clinching 35-28 victory over Washington Saturday had a 2.0 rating and was seen in 1.96 million households despite the 11:30 p.m. (Eastern) and 8:30 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff, an ESPN spokesman said.

The week before, UH's 39-27 Western Athletic Conference championship-clinching win over Boise State was seen by 2.65 million households and had a 2.8 share, making it the biggest audience of any ESPN2 game and the largest of 14 Friday night games on the various ESPN properties. It had a 9 p.m. (Eastern) and 6 p.m. (Pacific) kickoff.

Brennan said he wasn't surprised that UH was attractive to viewers. "We're a unique story," Brennan said. "We were trying to break into the BCS and be the only team to go undefeated. I'm not surprised a lot of people tuned in."

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.