For the Idaho football team, tonight's motivation is sponsored by the University of Hawai'i Alumni Association.

Idaho is UH's homecoming opponent — a role Notre Dame and Southern California have never served.

"It's not our fault," UH safety Leonard Peters said. "We respect them. We had nothing to do with this.

"That's why it's going to be a hard game," Peters added. "Most times when you choose a homecoming game, you choose somebody you think you can beat easily, so everybody can play. We've been the homecoming (opponent) on the road the past two weeks. We came into it thinking, 'Oh, they think they're going to beat us easily because they picked us for homecoming.' I'm sure every school thinks that. But we know this is going to be a dogfight. We know it's going to be a big game."

To be sure, this game is meaningful to both teams. Idaho and UH enter tied for second with 3-1 Western Athletic Conference records. Each lost to Boise State, ranked 17th nationally.

The top two WAC teams are assured berths in postseason bowls (although the Warriors, who are 5-2 overall, only need a winning regular season to qualify for the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl).

The Vandals, 4-4 overall, have made a remarkable improvement under Dennis Erickson, who was hired as head coach in February.

Erickson won two national championships as the University of Miami's head coach. He was head coach of the Seattle Seahawks for four seasons and the San Francisco 49ers for two years. Although he was fired after the 2004 season, he remains on the 49ers' payroll.

After Nick Holt resigned as head coach to accept an assistant coaching job in the National Football League, Erickson was made an offer he could refuse — but decided to accept, anyway. He earns $215,000 annually from Idaho — a 10th of what he receives from the 49ers.

"Coach Holt recruited me," said outside linebacker David Vobora, a junior. "He sat there in my household, with my family, and talked about being here for my four years, and watching me graduate. When we found out he was going to leave, it was a big shock. But then you find out a guy like Dennis Erickson has been offered the job. It was exciting. Now I'm glad he's our head coach."

Erickson retained the Vandals' 4-3 defensive scheme, and promoted Jeff Mills to defensive coordinator.

Erickson hired two coaches from his 49ers staff — Gregg Smith, to serve as assistant head coach and offensive line coach; and Dan Cozzetto, to serve as offensive coordinator and receivers coach.

Most of all, tight end Luke Smith-Anderson said, "Coach Erickson brings a whole different attitude to our team. We won a couple of games. We got on a win streak for a while. Coach Erickson is really good at making it known we can win these games."

Last week, after closing to 28-26 in the fourth quarter, the Vandals ended up losing to Boise State, 42-26. In last year's meeting between those teams, the Broncos won, 70-35.

"It was definitely frustrating when the game is right there at your fingertips," Vobora said. "We play games to win them. That's how it is. Coming close means nothing to us anymore. We're here to win, and that's what it's all about. Winning football games."

UH defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville said Idaho's success is traced to two factors. "Junior colleges and Erickson," Glanville said. "They did a good job of adding good junior-college players."

Two JC transfers — wideout Marlon Haynes and safety Shiloh Keo — are starters. Ten first-year Vandals are on the two-deep roster.

Haynes has 22 catches for a team-high 372 yards, an average of 16.9 yards per reception. Keo is second on the team with 42 tackles, including 37 solo stops.

"We have a genius of a coach we all have confidence in, and we all have confidence in one another," Smith-Anderson said. "That's a big difference."

And through last week, the Vandals were atop the WAC standings, a reign that ended with the loss to Boise State.

"It was pretty good," Vobora said. "We're starting to play with a lot more confidence. We're continuing to get better each week. We look at the standings, and when the fans look at the standings, it's exciting."

The Vandals do not expect any post-Boise blues.

"I'm excited for the next game," Smith-Anderson said. "Our team is going to bring the same intensity, that same focus down to Hawai'i. Hopefully, we make less mistakes than them."

The Vandals, who arrived Thursday, are staying at the Turtle Bay Resort.

The Warriors, meanwhile, spent last night in a Waikiki hotel. They arrived there after participating in an on-campus pep rally last night.

They had meetings until late. More meetings are scheduled for today.

"Every conference game is a big game for us," inside linebacker Solomon Elimimian said. "We can't take them lightly. All of the guys are ready."

Except for defensive end Ikaika Alama-Francis, who is suffering from back spasms caused by a strained lumbar, the Warriors are relatively healthy.

Right slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins, who missed four games because of a sprained left ankle, has been cleared to play. He had thought he was going to make the past two games — road trips to Fresno State and New Mexico State — but was left off the travel roster.

"I'm in good shape, and I see myself playing," Grice-Mullins said.

Outside linebacker Tyson Kafentzis, who also has missed four games, practiced this week. He alternated on the second team with Blaze Soares, who moved to outside linebacker two weeks ago.

Brad Kalilimoku and Micah Lau will be the starting outside linebackers for the third consecutive week. In the past year, Kalilimoku has moved from outside linebacker to strong safety to outside linebacker to inside linebacker and back to outside linebacker.

"It's kind of hard sometimes," he said. "Sometimes I forget and think I'm an inside linebacker or strong safety. Sometimes I think I'm doing the wrong thing. But the last game, the coach told me to hit the (receiver) crossing and jam the receivers. That's what I tried to do. I'm trying to do my best."