Hawaii Bowl Vitals: Tulsa vs. Hawaii

Originally Published: Nov 19, 2010 7:31 PM CDT

Grant Belcher
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-3, 6-2 C-USA) vs. Hawaii Warriors (10-3, 7-1 WAC)
7 p.m. CST - Friday, Dec. 24
Aloha Stadium, HONOLULU, Hawaii

Statistical leaders:

Where to find it?

On TV: ESPN/ESPN3
On Radio: KRMG 740 AM/FM 102.3 (Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham, Shelley Smith)
Internet: www.TulsaHurricane.com audio and GameTracker


What you need to know?

When analysts pick their "bowl games to watch" each year, the BCS bowls and the championship game typically dominate those lists. It takes a rare matchup from a non-BCS bowl to be interesting enough to claim its spot among the most exciting bowls of the season. But that's exactly what this year's Hawaii Bowl is. For starters, the game is a rehash of an old conference rivalry. Tulsa was a member of the Western Athletic Conference with Hawaii until 2004, and they racked up some exciting games during that time. Both teams are nearing the end of refreshing comeback seasons after several years of struggling. In parts of the decade, Tulsa and Hawaii were widely considered two of the most prolific offenses in college football and put up multiple 10-plus win seasons. But last year Tulsa fell below .500 and Hawaii saw its second-straight sub-.500 season as the offenses sputtered and the programs sought to rebuild.

These days, both offenses are back in full force, to say the least. On paper, the numbers alone make the Hawaii Bowl matchup potentially the most exciting game of the bowl season if you disregard the prestige of the BCS bowls. Both teams are among the top 10 nationally in total yards and points scored. Hawaii is first in the country in passing yards while Tulsa is 18th.

Tulsa is playing in its fifth bowl game in the past six years and 17th bowl overall. This is TU's first appearance in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, but the Warriors are - not surprisingly - a regular in it. This is the ninth meeting between the two teams, with Hawaii holding a 5-3 overall advantage. From 1999 to 2004, the two teams played each other each year in Western Athletic Conference games. The Golden Hurricane's only win in Hawaii came in 2000 when they beat the "Rainbow Warriors," as they were then called, 24-14. The next year, the university allowed all sports teams to pick their own name from several options, and the football program adopted the mascot "Warriors." The basketball, swimming and diving and tennis teams retain the "Rainbow Warriors" name, the baseball team chose to be the "Rainbows" and the football, golf and volleyball teams shortened the name to "Warriors."


Who to watch?

Name any offensive category, and Hawaii likely has a player toward the top of the list. In fact, there aren't very many offensive categories - team or individual - where the Warriors do not sit atop the statistical leader board. Hawaii quarterback Bryant Moniz has been largely responsible for turning the football program around again and has put up ridiculous numbers along the same lines as former Warriors quarterbacks such as Colt Brennan. Moniz has thrown for more than 4,600 yards so far this season and is first nationally in total offense and passing yards. He also has had nine different games where he has thrown for at least three touchdowns. Quarterback G.J. Kinne of Tulsa is no slouch himself, however, accounting for the fourth-most total offense in the country this season.

All those passing yards from Moniz have to go somewhere, and it's no mystery that Hawaii tops the receiving charts as well. Senior receiver Greg Salas led the country in receiving yards, barely edging out Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. If it wasn't already enough to just have the nation's top receiver, the Warriors also have the sixth-leading receiver in Kealoha Pilares, who had more than 1,300 yards and pulled in 15 touchdowns. Usually teams that pass so often have light rushing stats, and Hawaii is no exception, sitting near the bottom of college football in rushing yards. However, when you account for the fact that a single player has nearly all of those yards, it makes for some impressive statistics. Warriors running back Alex Green had nearly 1,200 rushing yards this season and found the end zone 17 times. The Warriors do not run the ball very often, but are certainly capable of doing so effectively if necessary.