If University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan is going to make it to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist, this figures to be the game that writes his ticket.

The final regular-season contest of the college football season, Oregon State at UH tomorrow night, is also Brennan's last — and best — springboard to rubbing elbows with Ohio State's Troy Smith and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn in the Big Apple.

The Heisman polls close Dec. 6, and there are a lot of ballots yet to be filled out, which is fortuitous because, as luck would have it, Brennan and the Warriors have their largest and best stage of the season.

This will be their only national cable showing and they draw ESPN's "A" team, Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham and Dr. Jerry Punch, here to do it.

If you want to make a splash, this is the place and atmosphere in which to do it, though the time could be better. Because of the gametime switch to 7 p.m., kickoff is at midnight Eastern time and 9 p.m. Pacific, limiting the potential audience.

Still, as Brennan and Warriors proved in the fourth quarter last week against Purdue, with a little opportunity a lot is possible. "I think if they (the Heisman voters) will sit and watch the game, I think it will influence them tremendously," Franklin said.

Seeing has been believing for Franklin, who concedes he's become a Brennan and UH admirer even before seeing them at UH practice yesterday for the first time.

"Like I told (analyst) Ed Cunningham, 'You know what? This is a very good Hawai'i football team. They're really fun to watch, on both sides of the ball,' " Franklin said.

Before yesterday, Franklin was probably like a lot of voters, unsure how much Brennan is for real. "I really didn't know what to think because you look at the system that June (Jones) runs and your first reaction (to the statistics) is you might say, well, it is because of the system. But this kid is not a result of the system. He's gonna be even better because of the system. I'm serious with you, I think ... if he's not the No. 1 pick next year (2008) as far as quarterbacks coming out, he won't be far from it."

Franklin said, "(Yesterday) was the first time to see Colt in person and, you know what, I can understand now why June said this may be the best quarterback he's ever coached.

"When he (Jones) mentions him in the same breath with (Jim) Kelly and Warren Moon, you know this kid is really special. He might be the most accurate kid I've ever seen throw. ... This kid, even at full speed, completes virtually everything. He's absolutely amazing."

The hope is that Heisman voters will stay up long enough tomorrow to come to the same conclusion.

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