ALBUQUERQUE, N. M. >> If the bunting is up and the balloons are out in the Mountain West Conference, chances are the University of Hawaii football team must be in town.
Everybody, it seems, wants to party on with the Rainbow Warriors these days.
Today UH finds itself the guest opponent at University Stadium for the University of New Mexico’s homecoming.
Next week, as events would have it, UH will be at the University of Nevada’s homecoming in Reno.
And on their next road trip, in three weeks, the ‘Bows will be attending — surprise — homecoming at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Coincidence or calculated planning?
You might wonder.
For as old as the institution of homecoming itself, the concurrent tradition of inviting opposition who you think you have a pretty good chance of beating has been with us just as long as the first homecoming float.
I mean, you don’t see Boise State being this heavily booked.
Homecoming is, after all, an alumni-centered event, and alums like nothing better than to revel in a victory. And schools like to give them every opportunity, because when they are happy they tend to be in a better mood to donate money to the ol’ alma mater.
So, it probably isn’t a coincidence that a UH program that has gone 1-20 on the road these past four seasons just happens to find its way to so many Mountain West homecomings these days. Especially at schools that are, themselves, pretty desperate for victories.
So when UH was assigned a game at UNM by the conference schedule makers after a 20-year absence, the Lobos no doubt jumped on the opportunity.
To underline just how long the separation has been, Bob Wagner was the UH coach the last time the ‘Bows came to Albuquerque, Johnny Macon the quarterback and they all played in the Western Athletic Conference.
Back then UH ran the triple option offense. Now UNM does.
Not that the Rainbow Warriors should lack for motivation in what is, so far, a 2-4 (0-2 MWC) start, but the prospect of being the common homecoming pick should rankle them down to their knee braces. Especially when it is a nothing-special New Mexico (3-3, 1-1) team doing the welcoming this week.
More than that, if the ‘Bows are to win a road game this year, this looks to be their best opportunity of the three they have remaining. If they are to climb out of their current three-game tailspin, this is their best chance for a month.
After the uphill tasks that confronted them at Ohio State, Wisconsin and Boise State, the Lobos pack little awe and hardly any of the punch. And certainly none of the imposing defense that has kept UH scoreless for 12 consecutive quarters on the road this season.
Now, as UH hits the 29,000-mile point in its 2015 travels, it is more of a case of what do the Rainbow Warriors have left? How much resiliency do they retain and what can they do with it?
It is the Lobos’ homecoming, but that doesn’t mean the Rainbow Warriors have to follow the script.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
