Tough early slate will test Warriors

Challenging starts have been a constant in Norm Chow’s tenure as Hawaii’s head coach.

For the third straight year, the Rainbow Warriors will open the season against a nationally ranked opponent when they face Washington at Aloha Stadium.

The Saturdays to follow won’t provide many breaks either.

Over the first six weeks of the season, the Rainbow Warriors will face three Pac-12 teams, the reigning Conference USA champion and a Northern Iowa team ranked 15th in the preseason FCS poll.

"It goes without saying that schedule is awfully difficult," Chow said. "But we can’t worry about that and we just have to go play."

The Warriors opened the past two years with a home-and-home series against USC, with the Trojans ranked No. 1 in 2012 and No. 24 a year ago.

Washington, led by a familiar visitor in former Boise State head coach Chris Petersen, arrives in Honolulu for Saturday’s matchup ranked 25th in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls.

Oregon State returns to Aloha Stadium the following week after closing last season with a resounding win over Boise State (minus Petersen) in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. UH’s first meeting with Northern Iowa, which returns 18 starters, is followed by road games at Colorado and Rice.

"You hope it’ll get us better, it’ll get us more prepared for the conference," Chow said of the early-season slate. "The thing that concerns you is staying free from injury. …The difference between a Mountain West team and a Pac-12 team is depth."

UH’s Mountain West Conference opener against Wyoming on Oct. 11 will mark the program’s latest start to league play since joining the Western Athletic Conference in 1978.

UH plays three of its first four MWC games at Aloha Stadium and three of its last four on the road, capping the regular season on the mainland (at Fresno State) for the first time in its history.

After dropping five games by a touchdown or less — including two in overtime — in a 1-11 campaign, the Warriors focused on finishing leading up to the new season. Their finish this fall will depend heavily on the seniors who endured those disappointments a year ago.

"I think this is the best football team we’ve had in the short time we’ve been here because we have some leadership," Chow said.