The Warriors, who drilled Boise State 39-27 here on Friday night, were better and tougher, more complete and more precise than the five-time champion Broncos.

Billed as the biggest game in WAC history — oversold, perhaps — Boise State and Hawaii at least came close to delivering a game befitting the hype.

The league heavyweights duked it out in sold-out Aloha Stadium, battling not just for conference supremacy, but a potential spot in the lucrative Bowl Championship Series.

It wasn't always pretty.

But it was ferocious. Two teams competing tremendously with players being helped off the field at an alarming rate.

The Broncos, already without starting safety Jeron Johnson, lost two of their top three cornerbacks in Orlando Scandrick and Rashaun Scott — a crucial loss against the Warriors' spread attack and on special teams. Senior offensive guard Tad Miller, who has started every game of his college career, left the game on the first series with a knee injury.

"They're physical, a physical team. When they bring it, they bring it and mean it," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said.

The Warriors meant it Friday night. Tired of losing to the Broncos — Boise State had taken six straight from Hawaii — the Warriors circled this one on their calendars after last year's loss in Boise. For more than a year, the island contenders have staked the front-running Broncos. And when the Warriors got their long-awaited opportunity, they did not miss it.

"We proved something tonight to all the so-called experts who picked Boise to beat us. I guess they just don't know what they're talking about," Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan said.

Brennan, the undisputed leader of Hawaii's team and its Heisman hopeful, threw five touchdowns and added a sixth on the ground.

Brennan carved up the Broncos worse than a Thanksgiving turkey, completing 40-of-53 passes. Without enough cornerbacks to play man-to-man, Hawaii feasted on a steady diet of zone coverage. And Boise State rarely applied enough pressure to disrupt Brennan's timing as his receivers ran free.

It was a sublime performance, a conductor in perfect harmony with his symphony.

Not so the Broncos, on this night, a disjointed garage band.

Playing its best opponent of the season, Boise State had to work for every point it mustered and every stop they conjured up—a far cry from the ease of previous blowouts.

Outside of Ian Johnson's 50-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the Broncos struggled for every point and most first downs. Like trying to dig a canal with a plastic shovel.

"They were just playing with their heads on fire," Johnson said.

The crowd fed the flames. There wasn't enough water around this island paradise to put it out. Showing the character of a champion, but not executing like one, the Broncos stumbled. Pressed, Boise State made uncharacteristic mistakes throughout the evening.

Quarterback Taylor Tharp launched an ill-advised pass off his back foot into double coverage for a first-quarter interception, ending a 16-play drive. The Broncos' sure-handed receivers dropped a bunch of passes.

The list goes on.

Sensational safety Marty Tadman — and the Broncos' numerous linebackers and what was left of the secondary — struggled to keep up with the Warriors' lightning-quick pass catchers. Kicker Kyle Brotzman missed a field goal at the end of the first half, his first miss in 14 attempts.

The mistakes, reminiscent of the Broncos' miscues at Washington in their only other loss this season, doomed the effort.

And their quest for a sixth WAC championship. The Broncos, for the first time since 2001, will not receive a championship trophy from the league—a bitter end to the program's most cherished streak.

Hawaii is the league's best this year—and a deserving champion. The Warriors proved it on the biggest stage. Boise State, better than anyone, knows what that is about.

"You've got to give credit to Hawaii. They've got good players, they played hard. They're a heck of a team, and we knew it," Petersen said.

Like any champion beaten by a better foe, all the Broncos could do was nod in appreciation.

(c) 2007, The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho).

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