The Christmas Eve Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl pulled in the second-highest cable audience in the game's four-year history, officials said yesterday.

Nearly two million households watched Nevada defeat Central Florida, 49-48, in overtime Dec. 24 — 1,527 less than watched the University of Hawai'i's 59-40 victory over Alabama-Birmingham in 2004.

"We were extremely pleased with both the quality of the game and the national rating," said Pete Derzis, executive vice president of ESPN Regional Television, which owns and operates the bowl.

"I think we're continuing to grow this game," said Jim Donovan, the bowl's executive director. "I was a little concerned because we didn't know how not having Hawai'i — which has a pretty good television following — would impact our game this year, but we're very happy with the final numbers."

"It continues to show that it is a game fans enjoy watching," said Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson.

Donovan said it was too soon to say whether the game will remain on Christmas Eve this year although there has been talk about keeping the game on Saturday in 2006, which would be Dec. 23. Christmas Eve falls on Sunday and the bowl would like to avoid going head-to-head with the NFL.

Bowl officials announced a turnstile attendance of 16,134, the lowest of its four years and its only game without a UH presence.

The Warriors could return to the Hawai'i Bowl if they win at least seven of their allowable 13 games to become bowl eligible.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.