Hawaii (10-3) vs. Arizona State (7-5)
Dec. 24,
8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN
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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Preview
By
Richard Cirminiello
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Hawaii Bowl History |
| 2004 |
Hawaii 59, UAB 40 |
| 2003 |
Hawaii 54, Houston 48 3OT |
| 2002 |
Tulane 36, Hawaii 28 |
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Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Player Profile
WR Davone Bess, Hawaii – Have you heard
the one about the Hawaii player
that’s found refuge and a new
lease on life in Honolulu after
enduring legal problems on the
mainland? No, not Colt Brennan,
but the quarterback’s favorite
target, Bess, who has blossomed
into an island icon after being
incarcerated for 15 months for
allowing his friends to put
stolen goods in his car in
2003. While other freshmen were
redshirting on campuses across
the country, he was locked up in
a juvenile facility. The
Oakland, Calif. native was
originally headed to Oregon
State, but did a U-turn upon his
release, resulting in the
proverbial win-win situation for
both he and the Warrior
program. Bess’ arrival
coincided with the departure of
star slotback Chad Owens,
creating a seamless transition
from one mighty mite to
another. Generously listed at
5-10 and 195 pounds, he’s a
jackrabbit who can sky above
taller defenders and wreak havoc
on a secondary once he gets into
the open field. Through two
years, Bess is off to one of the
most prolific starts ever for a
receiver, catching 180 passes
for 2,279 yards and 28 touchdown
receptions to stay on pace to
obliterate Taylor Stubblefield’s
and Troy Edwards’ career marks
for catches and touchdowns,
respectively. These days, he’s
loving life, piling up numbers
in paradise and already
committing to return for at
least the 2007 season. Even
more important, Bess is
constantly rebuilding his
once-fractured reputation within
the community, the product of a
life wake-up call he answered
over three years ago.
Best Warrior Bowl Moment
– The 54-48, three-overtime win
over Houston in the 2003 Hawaii
Bowl may have been more fun, but
the 1999 Oahu Bowl had much more
meaning. Just one year removed
from an 0-12 season, the
Warriors completed the biggest
one-year turnaround in NCAA
history with a 23-17 win over
Oregon State. It wasn’t
particularly pretty, but for
Hawaii and first-year coach June
Jones, it marked the launching
point for a successful run that
still endures today.
Best Sun Devil Bowl Moment
– While the Devils’ 1975 Fiesta
Bowl win over Nebraska put the
school on the national radar,
Pac-10 teams are judged by how
they perform in Pasadena.
Arizona State’s only Rose Bowl
victory came in 1987 at the
expense of Michigan. The Sun
Devils shut out the Wolverines
in the second half, getting a
pair of Jeff Van Raaphorst to
Bruce Hill touchdown passes to
pick up win No. 10 of the
season.
Hawaii's best win ...
Hawaii 54 ... San Jose State 17
Hawaii rolled over San Jose State with 568 yards of total
offense, while the defense got into the act allowing just 192 yards. Colt
Brennan threw five touchdown passes and ran for another, but the Warriors didn't
put the game out of reach until the second half scoring the final 27 points of
the game over the last 19 minutes with two Davone Bess touchdown catches and
scoring grabs from Ryan Grice-Mullen and Nate Ilaoa. James T. Callier ran for
two one-yard scores for the Spartans.
Hawaii's worst loss ...
Alabama 25 ... Hawaii 17
Alabama survived a late scare as Hawaii's comeback attempt was
halted by a Lionel Mitchell interception in the end zone with no time left on
the clock. After a rough first half, Hawaii and QB Colt Brennan got red-hot
throwing two touchdown passes including a 31-yard strike to Ryan Grice-Mullen to
put the pressure on the Tide. Alabama had a nightmare of a time running the
ball, but QB John Parker Wilson had a great first game throwing a touchdown pass
to Keith Brown. Leigh Tiffin kicked three field goals for the Tide.
Arizona State's best win ...
Arizona State 47 ... Washington State 14
Arizona State exploded with 562 yards helped by the team's
best half of the year with a 30-7 halftime lead on two Rudy
Carpenter touchdown passes, a three-yard Ryan Torian scoring run and
three Jesse Ainsworth field goals. Washington State tied it early on
a nine-yard Charles Dillon touchdown catch, but a 23-point ASU run
all but put it away. The Cougars opened the second half with a
six-yard Jed Collins touchdown, but the Sun Devils countered with 17
unanswered points highlighted by a 62-yard Brandon Smith touchdown
catch.
Arizona State's worst loss ...
Oregon State 44 ... Arizona State 10
Oregon State scored on its first five possessions, with
Yvenson Bernard running for two scores, Alexis Serna hitting a
51-yard field goal, and Matt Moore throwing a touchdown pass and
running for a five-yard score on the way to a 31-7 lead. The Sun
Devils got their final points on a 32-yard field goal with :20 left
in the first half and was shut down the rest of the way, while OSU
scored 13 unanswered points. Serna hit kicks from 22 and 32 yards
out and Tony Carrasco ran for an eight-yard score.
Hawaii
Bowl History (4-2)
|
2004 |
Hawaii Bowl |
Hawaii 49, UAB 40 |
|
2003 |
Hawaii Bowl |
Hawaii 54, Houston 48
3OT |
|
2002 |
Hawaii Bowl |
Tulane 36, Hawaii 28 |
|
1999 |
Oahu Bowl |
Hawaii 23, Oregon State
|
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1992 |
Holiday Bowl |
Hawaii 27, Illinois 17 |
|
1989 |
Aloha Bowl |
Michigan St 33, Hawaii
13 |
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Arizona State Bowl History
(12-9-1)
|
2005 |
Insight |
Arizona State 45,
Rutgers 40 |
|
2004 |
Sun |
Arizona State 27, Purdue
23 |
|
2002 |
Holiday |
Kansas State 34, Arizona
State 27 |
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2000 |
Aloha |
Boston College 31,
Arizona State 17 |
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1999 |
Aloha |
Wake Forest 23, Arizona
State 3 |
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1997 |
Sun |
Arizona State 17, Iowa 7 |
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1996 |
Rose |
Ohio State 20, Arizona
State 17 |
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1987 |
Freedom |
Arizona State 33, Air
Force 28 |
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1986 |
Rose |
Arizona State 22,
Michigan 15 |
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1985 |
Holiday |
Arkansas 18, Arizona
State 17 |
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1982 |
Fiesta |
Arizona State 32,
Oklahoma 21 |
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1978 |
Garden State |
Arizona State 34,
Rutgers 18 |
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1977 |
Fiesta |
Penn State 42, Arizona
State 30 |
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1975 |
Fiesta |
Arizona State 17,
Nebraska 14 |
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1973 |
Fiesta |
Arizona State 28,
Pittsburgh 7 |
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1972 |
Fiesta |
Arizona State 49,
Missouri 35 |
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1971 |
Fiesta |
Arizona State 45,
Florida State 38 |
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1970 |
Peach |
Arizona State 48, North
Carolina 26 |
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1950 |
Salad |
Miami (Ohio) 34, Arizona
State 21 |
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1949 |
Salad |
Xavier 33, Arizona State
21 |
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1940 |
Sun |
Case Western Reserve 26,
Arizona State 13 |
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1939 |
Sun |
Arizona State 0,
Catholic 0 |
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