Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Matt Tuohy Linebacker Brad Kalilimoku (43) for the Warriors tackles running back Clifton Smith in their matchup at Aloha Stadium on Saturday.

Media Credit: Matt Tuohy Fresno State Bulldogs defensive lineman Kenny Borg (92) spots a fumbled ball during Saturday's game.

Media Credit: Dan Richards Students from the University of Hawai‘i intensely watch the Warriors play against the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Warriors won 37-30 and remain undefeated on the season.

This week the No. 13 University of Hawai‘i football team (9-0, 6-0 Western Athletic Conference) takes its 10-game win streak up against the Nevada Wolf Pack (5-4, 3-2) in the Warriors' final road trip of the season. Friday's contest will be the third nationally televised contest for UH this season, as Hawai‘i looks to extend the nation's longest current winning streak to 11 games.

The Warriors have not fared well in Reno, having lost all three games against the Wolf Pack on their home turf by an average of 9.3 points per game. In addition, Nevada is coming off a bye week and has won three of their last four outings this season, falling only to Boise State in four overtimes on the Broncos' blue turf.

"Nevada is a real physical team; in fact, I think they're as physical, maybe even more physical, up front than Fresno," said UH head coach June Jones. "Fresno was just trying to kill you, so we were walking into that and we knew that going in."

Hawai‘i enters Friday's game after a 37-30 victory over Fresno State, a contest that saw Warrior quarterback Colt Brennan leave early after suffering a minor concussion.

"It will be a game-time decision," Jones said. "It's a big decision for the way concussions are now. I've talked to the NFL people. I've talked to a whole bunch of specialists; it's a lot more complicated than what it used to be when they just gave you smelling salts and sent you back in. We'll do what's best for him."

Brennan's status for this week is still in the works and Jones will have both backup quarterbacks ready should they be needed.

"We're going to get both (backups Tyler Graunke and Inoke Funaki) ready and both of them will probably have a role," Jones said. "We do what we have to do to get ready to play. I know Tyler knows what to do. He's played in games and got a lot of practice time. ... Tyler has gotten in a lot of reps and that's why we want to get him all caught up."

Graunke replaced the injured Brennan in Saturday's game against the Bulldogs and has started for the Warriors this season already as a result of the ankle injury Brennan suffered on their last trip to Nevada.

Brennan is now one touchdown away from holding the title of most career touchdown passes; he is currently tied with Ty Detmer with 121 apiece.

Defensively, the Warriors will have a challenge with the Wolf Pack as Nevada boasts one of the WAC's top rushing offenses. The Hawai‘i defense has held opponents to an average 23.2 points per game, while Nevada has averaged 37.3 points per games thus far.

"We've got to limit the big plays," Jones said. "They make a lot of big plays with that quarterback. They run a real different running game with more misdirection, a lot of pulls and all kinds of stuff with the quarterback, so you've got two guys to worry about with only one guy back there."

Should Brennan remain on the sidelines or see limited playing time, the Warriors may have to rely heavily on their defense to come out with the victory, remain undefeated and further their hopes of a Bowl Championship Series game.

Friday's outing is set to begin at 6:05 HST and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

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