THE RIVALRY CONTINUES...

14th Ranked Warrior Fotball Team returns to action this Saturday in a WAC-Rivalry game with Fresno State. UH has won 4 of the last 6 meetings between the 2 schools in what looked to be (befoe Boise State won 5 Straight WAC Titles and posted a 5-0 record vs UH in Conference) the "Rivalry Replacement" of BYU after The Cougz left for the Mountain West (good move..hahaha) Just how EPIC has this Rivalry been in the June Jones Era? Here's a look at what I feel were the Top 3 meetings in the Bulldog/Warrior Rivalry.

#3: TIMMY'S LEGACY...
10/25 2002 - For the first time since 1973 Hawaii picked up a victory in "The Valley" rallying from 12 points down to SNAG a 31-21 "W" after scoring 22 points in the 4th Quarter. Sophomore Quaterback, Timmy Chang was the clear cut MVP of the game with 2 4th Quarter scores en route to a then Career-High 462 Yards Passing. Chang was BEATEN-UP by the Bulldogs Defense but kept getting up and never gave up. With 2:52 remaining in the game Chang hit Britton Komine on a 13-Yard scoring hook-up to take the 24-21 lead. In garbage time John West completed the STATEMENT with an 81 Yard Rushing Score with :41 left. The win helped Hawaii clinch a spot in the Innagural Hawaii Bowl, where UH lost its only Bowl Game in the June Jones Era to Tulane.

#2: SAFETY BLITZ...
10/26 2001 - It marked as Hawaii's First Win over a Ranked Opponent in 11 Years, When The Warriors BLITZED The 18th Ranked Bulldogs in a WILD 38-34 Nationally Televised Instant Classic. Play of the Game came with a little more than 3 Minutes remainng with Fresno leading 34-31 when Fan-Favorite, Waianae-Boy Nate Jackson, who was playing despite getting into a moped accident earlier in the weekl blindsided FSU Quarterback and Sports Illustrated Cover-Boy, David Carr on a Safety-Blitz that jarred the ball loose and Defensive Lineman, la'anui Correa recovered. That Turnover led to the Game-Winning Score, when Quarterback Nick Rolovich connected with Ashley Lelie from 14 Yards Out in the corner of the end-zone with just 13 Seconds Remaining. Rolovich finished the game with 347 yards Passing, and Lelie recorded 122 Yards Receiving. The Victory was apart of Hawaii's 9-3 Record, with wins over two nationally Ranked opponents. UH did not get an invite into a Bowl-Game which essentially worked as the Fuel to the Fire of creating The Hawaii Bowl.

#1: THE MIRACLE IN MANOA...
11/13 1999 - Talk about Miracles. Coming off an 0-12 Season, 19-Game Losing Streak, and talks of moving the team to 1-AA Status, June Jones in his First-Season in Manoa did the Un-Thinkable. Led Hawaii to the Greatest Turn-Around in NCAA History (0-12 to 9-4) and in the process picked-up a share of the WAC-Title for just the 2nd Time in School-History. The November 13th Showdown with Fresno turned out to be a WAC-Title game with The Bulldogs who had already clinched a share of the title against The "Rainbow Warriors" who with a win could steal some of the WAC Championship Spotlight. Hawaii did just that with Dan Robinson taking the Snaps he led UH to a 31-24 Double Overtime Victory over FSU. The Game Winner played as Robinson conected with Craig Stutzsman in the Corner (with Liz Chun and Kanoa Leahey going balistic) on a 3rd and 6 from 9-yards out...The "Poi Pounder" defense then Sealed the Deal when following a Joe Correia sack on Bulldogs Wing-Man, Billy Volek, when Shawndell Tucker denied a Volek pass to Charles Smth on 4th and 22. 35,417 at Aloha Stadium went nuts and realized that UH pulled-off the wildest of dreams and were WAC Champions for the first time since 1992.

- Rob DeMello