To listen to some University of Hawai'i football fans this week, the countdown to Saturday's season opener against Northern Colorado is like the night before Christmas, the held breath after a marriage proposal and the final spin of the SuperLotto all rolled into one.

Never mind that the Warriors' first test comes against a Division I-AA soda can (1-10 last season) whose only claim to national attention stemmed from an incident in which the starting kicker was stabbed in the leg by his backup. For many, the question isn't whether to watch, but how.

And, from front row on the 50 to keyboard-close in the family den, the options are surprisingly broad.

The near-tilt anticipation for Saturday's game at Aloha Stadium lies as much (or more) in the sky-high expectations for the team's achievement as in the sort of numbers June Jones' offensive juggernaut may put up against the Bears.

There's ample reason for optimism.

The Warriors stormed to an 11-3 record last season, capped by a 41-24 come-from-behind victory over Arizona State before the largest crowd in Sheraton Hawaii Bowl history.

Quarterback Colt Brennan, who proved an engaging, telegenic figure, broke or tied 18 national, 17 Western Athletic Conference and 41 school records and placed sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.

Indeed, it was Brennan's unexpected decision to withdraw his name from the NFL draft that led many Warrior fans to wonder if last year's dream season was just a prelude to something greater. There's been bold speculation of an undefeated season and a Bowl Championship Series bowl bid for the team, and a legitimate shot at the Heisman for Brennan.

There's been plenty of national media validation, as well.

The Warriors cracked Top 25 lists in both the USA Today preseason coaches poll (No. 24) and The Associated Press preseason poll (No. 23).

Brennan — whose journey from disgraced University of Colorado castoff to beloved Hawai'i icon and likely first-round NFL pick is a made-for-TV redemption story — has been featured in USA Today, Sports Illustrated and several other national publications. A moving profile of Brennan recently in The New York Times has been widely circulated among UH football fans.

"It's the most preseason hype they've ever had," said long-time fan Rob Nelson. "I was watching Monday Night Football and there was (John) Madden and (Al) Michaels bantering back and forth about the Warriors. The expectations are high."

Nelson said many of those expectations are "way out there."

QUESTION MARKS

Nelson said he's interested to see how this year's offensive line will respond to the loss of key contributors to the NFL, and whether Brennan will be able to stay healthy with a bull's-eye on his back.

The initial answers to these and other questions will present themselves on Saturday as the final act of the Brennan era gets under way before the watchful eyes of thousands of Warrior faithful here and on the Mainland.

Roughly 30,000 are expected to be in attendance at Aloha Stadium.

The stadium is opening its lower Halawa lot at 1:30 p.m. for this season's home games in an effort to ease traffic. Other parking gates open at 2:30 p.m. Turnstile gates open at 3 p.m.

Alternate parking also is available starting at 2:30 p.m.

For some, like Nelson, the excitement of game day is enhanced not by watching it in person, but by chowing down with 15 or 20 of his closest friends and neighbors.

Nelson and others on his cul-de-sac will convene Saturday at neighbor Dean Nowack's home to renew what has become a UH game-day tradition.

"The guys gather in one spot and the gals in another," Nelson said. "And the gals have just as much fun as we do."

Central to the success of each gathering is determining the proper menu. The group tries to match each opposing team with an appropriate pot-luck buffet.

"Just to show you what kind of people we are, a couple of people from our group did some research and found out that Northern Colorado is located near two slaughterhouses," Nelson said. "So we figured we'd do beef."

The gatherings are also a good opportunity to maintain peace in the close-knit community.

"I've been torturing my neighbors with a big kitchen project," Nelson said. "So, I guess I'm going to pull out all the stops and bring some prime rib."

WAYS TO WATCH

There are several ways to enjoy UH football from the comforts of home, such as Oceanic Time Warner's pay-per-view package and Hawaiian Tel's www.HTSportsnet.com's live streaming coverage.

Many UH fans, at home or in the stands, also make it a point to tune in to Bobby Curran and Robert Kekaula's live calls on ESPN 1420. The pregame show begins at 4:30 p.m.

Finally, for those who enjoy both the raucous, fraternal vibe of the live experience and the cool creature comforts of the great indoors, there are establishments across the island that regularly subscribe to UH pay-per-view offerings — from family restaurants such as Big City Diner to such college hangouts as Eastside Grill to perennial local faves like Side Street Inn.

Round Table Pizza in Waikiki subscribes to the UH Sports package as well as to the ESPN GamePlan package, which features college football games from around the country.

"It's definitely busy at the start of the season because people are excited after waiting all summer," said Jerry Putnam, general manager of Round Table Pizza in Waikiki. "The buzz for UH football is big right now with all the national exposure."

WATCH AT HOME

OCEANIC CABLE