Warriors’ confidence
soaring after win

Big Ten?

Big deal.

That's the feeling now for the Hawaii football team, after the Warriors ended Northwestern's season with a 49-41 victory at Aloha Stadium on Saturday.

It was a key confidence-builder, since UH (6-5) must now beat visiting Michigan State on Saturday in the regular-season finale to qualify for the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

What once seemed an insurmountable task now looks very doable to the Warriors, who are 6-1 at home.

"We've got another Big Ten team in Michigan State coming in. But at home, we know we can beat anyone," said senior defensive back Abraham Elimimian, who made six tackles, including two for loss. "We've got one more game to take care of. We've got a chance to go to a bowl game -- that's all that matters."

The Spartans (5-6) have had more than a week to stew since getting knocked out of the bowl picture with a 37-13 loss to Penn State. But that was just a week after they pounded then-No. 4 Wisconsin 49-14.

Which MSU team shows up Saturday depends on if the Spartans decide spoiling Hawaii's bowl hopes is more important than protracted beach time and multiple mai tais.

UAB accepts Hawaii Bowl invitation Alabama-Birmingham accepted an invitation to play in the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, game officials said yesterday. It will be the first bowl game for UAB (7-4) since it started fielding a football team in 1991. The Blazers represent Conference USA. Their opponent will be either Hawaii (which qualifies if it beats Michigan State on Saturday), Fresno State or an at-large team. "Too much has to shake out for us to predict an opponent if Hawaii doesn't make it," Hawaii Bowl executive director Jim Donovan said. Donovan said up to a dozen teams are possibilities if the Warriors don't qualify. "We'll know more Wednesday or Thursday," he said. The UAB basketball team will be here for the Rainbow Classic the last week of December. "They were very excited, and they already have several hundred fans coming for the basketball game," Donovan said. The Blazers were previously bowl-eligible in 2000 and 2001. "This first bowl game for our program is special, not only for our current players, but also for all the other guys from past years who played a part in getting us started," said Watson Brown, 10th-year UAB coach. Dave Reardon, Star-Bulletin

The Warriors had one of the best offensive performances in school history to thank for Saturday's win. Chad Owens grabbed four touchdown passes and scored a fifth time on a 76-yard punt return that qualified not only as the top play of the day on "SportsCenter," but also UH's play of the year.

"It was probably the hardest I had to work," Owens said of his school-record fifth TD on a punt. "That sparked the crowd, got me hyped and when you get momentum on your side it's a beautiful thing what can happen."

Owens, who holds UH's all-purpose-yardage record, tied the school mark of five touchdowns in a game held by running back Heikoti Fakava, who did it against Yale in 1987.

"To make the plays he makes is incredible," coach June Jones said. "I just wish I could be his agent next year."

He has 15 touchdowns for the season and 31 in his career. Jamal Farmer (1989) and Ashley Lelie (2001) share the school record of 19 for a season, and Michael Carter had 38 from 1990 to 1993.

Nationally, Owens is tied with Ted Ginn Jr. of Ohio State with four touchdowns on punt returns this year.

Unsung hero: Senior middle linebacker Watson Ho'ohuli has 31 tackles in the last three games after tying Leonard Peters for game-high with 11 on Saturday. Ho'ohuli, who began the season as a backup to previously injured Ikaika Curnan, figured heavily in two big stops of NU running back Noah Herron; one to set up Owens' return, and the other at the UH goal line in the fourth quarter.

"They had some big boys, probably the biggest we've seen all year," Ho'ohuli said. "We just had to step it up, especially the D-line."

Lutu-Carroll out: Warriors backup linebacker Paul Lutu-Carroll is out for the Michigan State game after spraining his left knee during Saturday's game.

The Warriors reported no other injuries.

Pickens to Hula Bowl: Wildcats linebacker John Pickens has accepted an invitation to the Hula Bowl Maui, an NU spokesman said.

Pickens was in on a team-high 10 tackles, including two for loss on Saturday. He also made a late hit on UH quarterback Tim Chang that changed the game's momentum in the second quarter.