Along with time off to heal some of their injuries, this open week on the University of Hawai'i's football schedule affords the Warriors an opportunity to reflect upon the increasing importance of their next game.

From where they sit at the moment, it is a game that looms as large as any on their schedule, its import undeniable.

Coaches — and they must drum this into them at conventions and clinics — like to say the biggest game on their schedule is always the next game.

Well, this time at least, it is true.

When the Warriors step back on the field, Sept. 27 against San Jose State at Aloha Stadium, it will be notable less for who they are playing and more for where on the schedule they are and its ability to tip the balance.

The game will mark the end of the first third of their regular season and, at its completion, will give a good read on the Warriors' avowed goals of winning the Western Athletic Conference and a bowl game.

Win it and the Warriors are still on track for a lot of what they desire. Lose it and, suddenly, the degree of ascent for both tasks becomes Himalayan.

Nobody should be too surprised the Warriors are 1-2 at this point given the schedule they have tackled. But the manner in which they have gotten there, with a sputtering offense, overworked defense and struggling special teams, is cause for concern.

All elements that anybody who is familiar with the work of San Jose State head coach Dick Tomey can tell you will be severely tested by the Spartans (2-1) who gave Nebraska a tough game trailing 14-12 into the fourth quarter in Lincoln before succumbing, 35-12.

At the start of the season some games, such as Weber State, Louisiana Tech, Idaho, Utah State, Nevada and Washington State, for example, were lined up as win column games that UH should take. Others, like the contests at Fresno State, Boise State, Florida and Oregon State, and here against Cincinnati were penciled in as likely losses.

But San Jose State at home and New Mexico State on the road set up as swing games. They are contests that could go either way and, depending upon which column they land in, will have a lot to say about the course of the season.

Nothing UH has done to this point suggests that equation has changed. After Florida and Oregon State, the WAC is where the Warriors need to show improvement and make their move. San Jose State, which figures to neither be one of the top nor bottom teams, will be the first, revealing showcase of that.

There isn't a lot of room for error for the Warriors to make it to the postseason this year and the game with the Spartans underlines just how it can turn on a game.

That's a point not to be overlooked as the Warriors go about rebooting this week.

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