SAN JOSE, Calif. — As television cameras rolled and photographers snapped away, University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan helped Boise State running back Ian Johnson mold and flash a shaka sign yesterday at the Western Athletic Conference Football Preview here.

But the playful, friendly exchange between the two Heisman Trophy candidates and conference rivals also served as a wake-up call of sorts.

Eyeing Johnson in his white, orange and blue No. 41 Bronco jersey, Brennan was reminded, "The season's right around the corner now; the schedule is almost on top of us now."

A schedule in which one game rises above the rest even four months out as much anticipated by the players as the national network that quickly snapped it up and moved it into the Thanksgiving weekend slot. For as Brennan told the cameras, "We've circled the (Boise State) game on the calendar. It (Nov. 23) has been circled for a l-o-n-g time now. We did it right when we got stuck in the Boise airport for all that time."

After a 41-34 loss at Boise last season, the late arrival of the Warriors' charter flight left them six hours in the terminal — and several more at the hotel — to reflect on the Broncos' six-year dominance of UH and five-year mastery of the conference.

For all the talk yesterday about the preseason polls that have declared the Warriors the conference favorites — and both the media and WAC coaches agreed in separate balloting — it is just talk and speculation, a tea leaf reading, really. And, if you are the Warriors, undoubtedly confidence-building.

But it is the Broncos, whose media guide prominently displays championship rings from five consecutive titles won or shared that fairly shouts "domination." It is the Broncos' trophy case where the past five piece of championship hardware are on display.

Not that Brennan and the Warriors need to be reminded. After 44-41 and 41-34 losses in games UH, could and probably should, have won, the mission is understood.

"If you want to win the WAC, you have to go through Boise to do it," UH head coach June Jones put it. "Until you can beat them, there's not much to say."

And, if you are Brennan, a senior who has returned with a checklist of priority items to accomplish, there is much to do.

"The last two years I've had good (statistical) games against Boise, but we haven't walked away with a win," Brennan said. "This year I don't care how I play individually. I mean that. All I want is that win. Especially at our place. If both teams take care of what they have to do we can give the nation quite a show between two great teams from the WAC."

As Brennan was reminded yesterday, there really isn't that much longer to wait for a date on the calendar that looms larger every day now.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.