Cayetano, who was told to ease up on his work after he was hospitalized for four days earlier this month for a bleeding ulcer, sees the trip as rest and relaxation.

The governor will take tomorrow off as a personal day. No state funds will be used to cover their trip.

The Cayetanos are scheduled to return to Honolulu on Sunday. Cayetano's grandson, Micah Ancheta, who played prep football for St. Louis School, is a member of the UNLV team.

Hawaii president Kenneth Mortimer also is making the trip with relations director Jim Manke and Special Events coordinator Jill Hanley. Several UH Foundation members will join Mortimer as well.

TIME CHANGE: Rainbows head coach Fred vonAppen got his wish to play Notre Dame in the afternoon, but he had nothing to do with the time change.

The reason the final game of the regular season was moved to 3:30 p.m. was to accommodate ESPN and all those viewers on the East Coast.

It's the only scheduled broadcast on national television for the Rainbows. The last time the two teams met, in December of 1991, kickoff was at 6 p.m. local time and 11 p.m. on the East Coast.

UH assistant sports information director Markus Owens found out indirectly that there had been a time change when newspapers in South Bend, Ind., requested telephone lines for the Nov. 29 game.

"I thought it was unusual that they would be doing that with such a late kickoff their time," Owens said. "They told me the game had been moved to 3:30 our time, so I called the WAC office to find out what was going on. They told me (yesterday) morning that the time switch was official."

VonAppen said after yesterday's practice that he thought it was a good move for numerous reasons.

"We want to get them during the heat of the day," vonAppen said. "Even if it's not as hot as it is in September, it will still be warm to them, considering what part of the country they're from and the time of year.

"We're also happy for the fans who have expressed interest in playing in the afternoon. I think it's also good because more of the country will see us play in prime time on the mainland."

HEADING EAST: The team departed for Las Vegas this morning on Hawaiian Airlines. After a stop in Los Angeles, the Rainbows were due to arrive in Las Vegas tonight.

They will go immediately to practice at Clark High School. It will be a light workout, similar to what the Rainbows normally wold conduct at Cooke Field. Hawaii also will have a light practice tomorrow afternoon at Sam Boyd Stadium to get a feel for the place.

"Our practices up there will be identical to what we would have done here," vonAppen said. "I just wish we were going up Friday."

INJURY UPDATE: Despite being on crutches and wearing walking casts for his aching legs, quarterback Dan Robinson will make the trip to Las Vegas.

"I can play if I have to," Robinson said. "But I'm sure the only way I would play would be in case of an emergency."

Robinson is No. 3 on the depth chart behind Tim Carey and Josh Skinner.

VonAppen also announced that receiver Jason Mane (knee), linebacker Rufus Ayeni (knee), linebacker Stephen Gonzales (shoulder) and nose tackle Tony Tuioti (knee) would not make the trip.

Tight end Armando Morlos is going. He recently had surgery for a hernia, but said yesterday that he's fit for duty.