Warrior fans are not unfamiliar with the frenzy surrounding the popular University of Hawai'i football team. And when the season kicks off tonight at Aloha Stadium against Northern Colorado, one thing's for sure: This will be a season of great expectations.

These Warriors are not underdogs. They will no longer be considered overachievers who pick up a couple extra victories a season because their hearts are larger than their talent.

The 2007 team is expected to win — win a lot — and by big margins. UH is favored to capture its first outright Western Athletic Conference title, and for the first time ever is considered a preseason Top 25 team by both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches polls.

And in record-setting quarterback Colt Brennan, the Warriors have a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate who will have college football fans from Florida to Washington paying attention to the goings-on in Manoa.

Add the fact that the Warriors own a schedule that includes teams that are — ahem — less than imposing, it is not too farfetched for fans to start dreaming of an undefeated season, and perhaps a BCS bowl bid.

But fans are supposed to dream big.

The Warriors, on the other hand, will have to abide by a few sports clichés in order to fulfill everyone's high expectations: Play 'em one game at a time, and don't take any team for granted.