It turns out it isn't just some University of Hawai'i football fans who have concerns about the Warriors opening the season with Division I-AA Northern Colorado.

Judging from chat rooms and such, some fans of the Bears aren't too thrilled about the prospective Sept. 1 game, either.

Of course, given UNC's history, it might be no wonder: One of the last times the Bears played a Division I-A team, 1949, they lost 103-0 to Wyoming. A school spokesman said he believes that was UNC's last major division opponent.

"I like the 400K payday, but, seriously, they (the Warriors) could put up 100 points on us," worries one fan on one of the school's fan Web sites.

"One hundred points is possible, UH nearly did it to Fresno State, but they sat their starters after the third (quarter and) ended up with 68 points," wrote another.

While the I-A Warriors return most of their starters, including quarterback Colt Brennan, from a team that set a bundle of NCAA offensive records, the heavily underclassmen Bears will be in their first season as full-fledged I-AA team.

UNC went 1-10 last year and was outscored three-to-one as a probationary I-AA team, making the jump from Division II.

"There is a general feeling that it (the UH game) is going to be a bit much right off the bat," said Troy Coverdale, who broadcasts the Bears' games on KFKA radio in Greeley, Colo.

"You're talking about a program that brought in a new coach last spring and the roster has had a major overhaul accordingly," Coverdale said. "And I think the initial fear that comes up immediately is how many young guys are going to be out there on the field going against Hawai'i if this (game) comes to fruition?"

UH has been attempting to fill the Sept. 1 date with UNC. It is one of three dates in which two games are to be added in order for Hawai'i to complete a 13-game schedule. Both schools have confirmed the possibility of playing at Aloha Stadium but have yet to make the game official. UNC officials yesterday would not comment.

UNC's jump to Division I-AA, which permits members 20 fewer scholarships and fewer coaches than I-A members, has been a struggle on and off the field for the Bears. The Greeley Tribune reported the athletic department had a $604,000 loss for the most recent fiscal year and lost $1.14 million over the past three years. To help balance the books, UNC is picking up so-called "guarantee games" for the paychecks they bring. A Sept. 29 game at Cal Poly will bring $100,000. A game in 2008 at Purdue, when UNC hopes to have a more representative team, will be worth $400,000.

If UNC's worst fears are realized, there could be a different payoff to the late addition of a UH game. "I'm not looking forward to the headlines on ESPN etc. quoting some record-breaking defeat," wrote a UNC fan.

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