JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Davone Bess led the Warriors in receiving in Friday's WAC title-clinching win over Boise State at Aloha Stadium with 15 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns.

Warriors could be on the move

Hawaii could find itself one spot south of the magic number this afternoon.

The Warriors, ranked No. 15 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, will likely climb to at least 13th when the new standings are released today. UH's 39-27 victory over Boise State on Friday -- coupled with losses by No. 9 Oregon and No. 13 Texas -- is expected to push Hawaii up two spots. There's an outside chance that No. 18 Tennessee could move past the Warriors after winning 52-50 at Kentucky, but it is unlikely.

The BCS standings are a combination of the USA Today coaches poll, the Harris Interactive poll and a variety of computer rankings.

Hawaii is certain to climb in the computer rankings after its first victory over a ranked team (Boise State is No. 19 in the BCS standings).

If the Warriors finish in the top 12 of the BCS standings, they automatically qualify as an at-large team for a lucrative BCS bowl game. That game would probably be the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Jan. 1, against an SEC team. But WAC commissioner Karl Benson said it is possible a deal could be worked out where Hawaii would play in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2, in Glendale, Ariz., a location more convenient for most UH fans. The Jan. 1 Rose Bowl in Los Angeles is also an outside possibility if Ohio State gets into the national championship game and a Big Ten team is not available.

Before any of that becomes an issue, though, UH must complete an unbeaten regular season at 12-0 by beating Washington on Saturday.

The Huskies come to Hawaii at 4-8 after losing 42-35 to Washington State yesterday in the annual Apple Cup rivalry game.

The teams have met twice. Washington beat Hawaii here 53-13 in 1935. In 1973, Hawaii opened its season at Washington and won the first of eight straight games and finished 9-2. Transfer quarterback June Jones, now the Warriors coach, was a member of that Hawaii team.