When David A. K. Matlin was named to head the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl seven months ago people wished him luck.

Now, he is beginning to understand why.

In replacing Jim Donovan as the game's executive director, it appeared, at first glance, to be an appointment blessed with auspicious timing for Matlin who had waited six years for the opportunity. The University of Hawai'i, after a year's absence for the Sugar Bowl, looked to have a good chance to be back in the hometown bowl and the game was beginning a much-awaited two-year contract with the Pac-10, setting up the prospect of a promising matchup.

But this week, at the halfway point of the college football season, it is touch and go whether the bowl will have either of its dream anchors, the Warriors or the Pac-10.

One half of the equation is that UH is 3-4 and must win four of its remaining six games to become bowl eligible. Hawai'i faces Nevada (4-3) on Saturday night. The other half is the Pac-10, which is contracted to send its sixth choice here, might not have six teams to fulfill its obligations.

"That absolutely could happen the way our teams are beating each other (up)," said Jim Muldoon, associate commissioner of the Pac-10.

Ideally, the game would end up with something like UH vs. UCLA or Stanford. But the flip side could end up looking like Nevada vs., say, Bowling Green.

Because of the uncertainty of the Pac-10 situation, yesterday the San Diego-based Poinsettia Bowl moved to cover one possible Pac-10 shortfall, announcing a deal to add a Western Athletic Conference team if the Pac-10 is unable to deliver a seventh bowl-eligible team. The Rose, Holiday, Sun, Las Vegas and Emerald bowls all get picks from Pac-10 bowl-eligible teams before the Hawai'i Bowl.

Five Pac-10 teams look to become bowl-eligible: Southern California (5-1), Oregon (5-2), Arizona (5-2), Oregon State (4-3) and California (4-2). Meanwhile, in a sign of how tough a year it has been for the Pac-10, Stanford (4-4), UCLA (3-4) and Arizona State (2-4) have uphill battles. Washington State (1-7) and Washington (0-6) are written off.

The wildcard in the whole deal is USC. Should the Trojans end up in the national championship game, that removes one team from the Pac-10 pool to fill the contracted bowl slots.

Should the Pac-10 be unable to fill its spot in the Hawai'i Bowl, the game would be permitted a pick from the at-large pool from all uncommitted teams.

All circumstances beyond Matlin's control at this point. Much as he wants to will UH to bowl eligibility he can't. Although the people who heard him scream to high heaven when the calls were going against UH in the Fresno State game might have thought he was determined to.

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