We've known for some time that the University of Hawai'i football team faces a tall order at Florida, its season-opening opponent.

But now we have a better idea of just how tall.

The Las Vegas Hilton sports book has put a number on it, pegging the Warriors as a 28-point underdog for the Aug. 30 game in Gainesville, Fla. Some oddsmakers there are quoting a point less, but, basically, the Warriors are staring at a four touchdown differential, Las Vegas says.

A substantial load to be sure, especially for a program that was an underdog but once in a 12-1 season. We'll let you guess which one that was.

But, then, as the Warriors are reminded upon opening any of the preseason football magazines that crowd the newsstand these days, this is a whole new season. New faces and, as the Gators batting leadoff attests, definitely a new schedule.

Truth be told, the opening line is about where it figured to be, if not maybe a couple of points shy of what it could have been against Tim Tebow and the Gators.

After all, the last time UH faced a national championship contender with a returning Heisman Trophy winner in a season opener, the Warriors were 32-point underdogs to quarterback Matt Leinart and Southern California in 2005.

Which, come to think of it, could make quarterback Tyler Graunke, if he starts in Gainesville, the answer to quite a trivia question: Who is the only UH non-kicker to start games against two returning Heisman Trophy winners?

(Placekicker Dan Kelly would be the only other UH player, if he starts at Florida, as expected.)

But when they teed it up against defending national champion USC, Graunke, Kelly and the Warriors were at least at home in Aloha Stadium. This one will be played 4,700 miles — and at least 85,000 unfriendly faces — removed from home in The Swamp.

You have to figure the odds for the Florida game might have been a little steeper had the Gators not found themselves staring at a significantly reduced pool of experienced players at safety. Florida's most glaring shortcoming of the past season, the secondary, has been exacerbated by the recent loss of Dorian Munroe after tearing a ligament in off-season workouts.

Another player, junior Jamar Hornsby, was kicked off the team this summer after his arrest for fraudulently using the credit card of a student who had died in a motorcycle accident. All of which pretty much leaves some freshmen to compete for the safety spot opposite Major Wright.

For the Warriors, the 28-point spread ought to make for some offseason motivation. When they sweat it out during the hot days of voluntary workouts that precede the opening of camp in two weeks, there will be no missing the point — all 28 of them — of the exercise.

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