Hawaii-Louisiana Tech Preview

9/4/2007 3:19 PM

By JEFF MEZYDLO
STATS Writer

The favorite to win its first Western Athletic Conference title in nine years, Hawaii can take its initial step toward that goal when it begins league play at Louisiana Tech on Saturday.

The No. 20 Warriors had little trouble in their 63-6 win over Northern Colorado in Saturday's season opener. Star senior quarterback Colt Brennan was 34-for-40 for 416 yards and six touchdowns, doing all of his damage the first half before taking it easy on the sidelines the rest of the evening.

"We took care of business. That's what we wanted to do,'' said Brennan, who has thrown 99 touchdowns to tie former USC star Matt Leinart for sixth on the NCAA career list.

Brennan will try to extend his string of 400-yard passing games to eight in the matchup with Louisiana Tech, a team against which he threw for 406 yards and four TDs in a 61-17 home win Nov. 11.

"I can't imagine there is another quarterback in the U.S. better than Colt Brennan,'' Hawaii coach June Jones said. "Someone will have to convince me of that this year.''

Brennan, the conference's offensive player of the week, is off to a fast start as he tries to lead the Warriors to their first WAC title since they shared it with TCU and Fresno State in 1999. Hawaii was selected as the preseason favorite to win the WAC by the league's media, just ahead of Boise State.

While Brennan and the high-powered offense get most of the attention, Hawaii's defense looks for another solid effort after holding the Bears of the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) to 182 yards Saturday.

This week's matchup will be the first of two straight road games for Hawaii, which finished 3-2 away from Honolulu during its 11-3 season in 2006. The Warriors lost at Alabama and Boise State - the latter their only conference defeat that gave the league crown to the undefeated Broncos.

The Warriors are 4-1 against Louisiana Tech and 1-1 on the road, with the lone loss coming by a 46-14 score on Oct. 8, 2005.

Louisiana Tech beat FCS opponent Central Arkansas 28-7 at home Saturday to open its season. The Bulldogs forced six turnovers, highlighted by three interceptions from WAC defensive player of the week Tony Moss.

"If you win the turnover margin you can overcome a lot of mistakes," Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley said.

The Bulldogs, who intercepted five passes in the game, will need an even stronger defensive effort as they attempt to contain Brennan and the Warriors.

Junior running back Patrick Jackson rushed for 120 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown for Louisiana Tech on Saturday. Jackson, who had 888 yards rushing last season, has run for 169 yards on 27 carries in two games against Hawaii - including 94 yards on 13 carries last season.

Louisiana Tech, 3-10 in 2006, is 3-27 against ranked teams and will try to avoid its fourth straight loss to a Top 25 opponent.