If the Hawaii football team is looking for a diversion during its late-season swoon, its game at Fresno State, its most common opponent, could be just what the doctor ordered.
There is nothing like the sight of a rival to get the blood flowing.
“When you get out on the field and you see the Bulldog,” said quarterbacks coach and Hilo native Craig Stutzmann, “you want to put it down on them.”
At practice earlier in the week, coach Nick Rolovich promised a history lesson was in story for the Rainbow Warriors (4-7, 3-4 Mountain West) before they take on the Bulldogs (1-9, 0-6) for the 50th time at 2 p.m. Saturday at Bulldog Stadium.
“There is incredible history between the two schools,” Rolovich said. “Records don’t matter, statistics don’t matter. It’s about who wants it more.
“This is important to the alumni. Maybe we need to have the alumni come in and say what this game means.”
Receiver John Ursua of Kailua-Kona already knows what’s a stake. The former Kealakehe Waverider has seen the programs each trade bragging rights. Hawaii won four of five earlier in the 2000s, but Fresno State has won the last five in row, three of those wins were by a touchdown or less, and holds a 26-21-1 advantage in the series.
“It’s always a battle, you could see it in the body language,” Ursua said. “It’s a do-or-die game for both teams.
“I really love the culture of a rivalry. It’s fun.”
Amusement has been in short supply for both teams of late.
Hawaii has been outscored 107-16 the past two games and enters with a three-game losing streak, though a victory would give Hawaii it most league wins since entering the Mountain West in 2012.
Fresno State has lost eight games in a row, a program record, and is playing under an interim coach, Eric Kiesau, until Jed Teford takes over after the season.
“I think those guys are going to be focused,” UH secondary coach Abe Elimimian said. “It going to be a tough, brutal game.”
While Hawaii’s defense has given up more than 50 points in consecutive weeks, the air has been taken out of the offense as well. The Rainbow Warriors averaging 36 points and more than 457 yards per game in its first four Mountain West games, but those averages have dropped precipitously to 12.3 points and 291 in the past three league contests.
The Bulldogs could be a welcome sight for a Hawaii offense that has turned the ball over a league-high 23 times this season. Fresno State is giving up more than 34 points a game, and has only forced an FBS-low six turnovers this season.
“Just get a big win,” quarterback Dru Brown said. “Whether its offensively putting up a ton of points (or) defensively holding them to nothing. I think we have the the personnel to do it.”