You know the football season is finally in full bloom when Wendesday and Tuesday night games begin to pop up on the slate. On the final day of September, those days are finally here and expect these games to be part of the landscape virtually every week through Thanksgiving. Thank you, Football Gods, Blessed Be Your Names.
Tonight the WAC takes center stage with Hawaii travelling to the mainland, and then some, to quaint Rusin, Lousisiana to take on the La Tech Bulldogs. It’s a mere 4,000 mile trip. The game might not make the casual observer think twice, but college football neckbeards understand that important and tight bowl positioning is on the line tonight. Both teams expect to finish in the upper division in the WAC standings and to secure one of the three bowl bids (four if Boise eventually qualifies for a BCS Bowl) guaranteed to the league. With the struggles of Nevada during the first month of play, this could also be a battle for the inside track to be the next-in-line challenger to Boise for the conference top spot. Hawaii feels like it has higher hopes than mere bowl eligibility. With Fresno and Boise visiting the Island later in the season, a road win tonight sets them up as a legit threat for the league crown.
For Hawaii, the scrpit is pretty easy to read. If the Warriors just get to bowl eligibility, they likely will snare a bowl bid. In uncertain economic times, it helps to have a bowl game played in your home stadium. Other than 2007 when Hawaii ran the tables and snagged a Sugar Bowl invite, every other time they’ve been to a bowl game this decade, it’s been in whatever derivative the Hawaii Bowl is being called. A win tonight puts less pressure on this pursuit later in the season when big games against Boise, Navy and Wisconsin loom. Hawaii feels like it has higher hopes than mere bowl eligibility. With Fresno and Boise visiting the Island later in the season, a road win tonight sets them up as a legit threat for the league crown.
Off to a 2-1 start, the Warriors appear to have their passing mojo back. They are moving the chains consistently QB Greg Alexander with their four wideout attack. Defensively, they’ve palyed well, but have not faced a competent offense and the Bulldogs will certainly test them with RB Daniel Porter and one of the WAC’s top offensive lines. But, Hawaii’s front seven has been strong this season and will get a big boost with the return of active OLB John Fonoti, who debuts tonight after missing the start of the season with a knee injury.
Meanwhile, for Louisiana Tech it’s been some heady times. Coached by Derek Dooley, son of famous Georgia coach Vince, the Bulldogs won their first bowl since 1977 last season. Their 5-3 league mark season equalled more wins in WAC play than in the previous two years combined. But, are those times on the wane? Slogging to a 1-2 start isn’t as disappointing as the manner in which it was done. The Bulldogs fancied themselves as upset contenders against Auburn and Navy earlier in the season, but saw both of those foes easily have their way with them. A nice win over Nichols State didnt appear to ease anyone’s concerns as a team meeting was held immediaetly afterwards to discuss team leadership. Dooley says the team lost its nerve center from last year and the young replacements are still trying to replace those intangible elements of the program. With three of their next four on the road, the Bulldogs have a lot riding on this game as a loss will make getting to a second straight bowl game a tougher road to travel.
That’s the setup. The question is then who covers? I think Tech will play well. And, I am a big fan of Porter and expect him to have a breakout game to jumpstart the rest of his season. At home, with a Red-Out in Rustin, they are the deserved favorite to win this game. Read more »
