One of the most prolific seasons in college football history appeared to springboard Hawaii's Colt Brennan into the NFL. A bitter feeling from three losses, however, brought the star quarterback back to school.

The Heisman Trophy candidate leads a 23rd-ranked Warriors team with national title hopes into their season opener against Northern Colorado on Saturday at Aloha Stadium.

Hawaii had the nation's top offense last year, averaging 46.9 points and 559.2 yards, en route to an 11-3 record and a second-place finish in the WAC. The Warriors won 10 of their last 11 games, capped by a 41-24 victory over Arizona State in the Hawaii Bowl as Brennan threw for a career-best 559 yards and five touchdowns.

Last season saw the Warriors crack the Top 25 for the first time since January 1993, and this year's preseason ranking is the first in school history.

Hawaii lost five players from last season's team to the NFL draft, but Brennan withdrew at the last moment to try and lead the team to a championship.

"It showed he cared about the team and it also showed money isn't everything," junior wide receiver Davone Bess said. "By him coming back, it made everybody happy and made all of us closer as one."

Bess was Brennan's favorite target last season, catching 96 passes for 1,220 yards and 15 touchdowns. Senior Jason Rivers is also back after making 72 receptions for 1,178 yards and 10 TDs.

In 2006, Brennan tied or broke 18 NCAA records, 17 WAC records and 41 school records. He completed 72.6 percent of his passes for 5,549 yards and an NCAA-record 58 touchdowns. The strong-armed quarterback also had nine games of 400 yards passing and eight games with five or more TDs.

He threw and ran for more yards and touchdowns than Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith of Ohio State and Michigan's Chad Henne combined, and in fewer attempts.

Warriors coach June Jones, a former NFL quarterback and head coach with Atlanta and San Diego, calls Brennan the best quarterback he's ever coached - including Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Warren Moon. Jones also said he is the best college player this year, just as he was last season.

"My numbers last year were the best ever in college football. It didn't get me invited to New York (for the Heisman ceremony). I didn't win the Davey O'Brien Award," said Brennan, who finished sixth in the Heisman balloting. "The reason was because I lost football games.

"Unless I win every football game, the credit is not going to be there. I learned that last year."

The Warriors have a favorable schedule this season with seven home games and two games against Division I-AA schools - including Northern Colorado.

Hawaii went 8-1 at Aloha Stadium last season - including its win in the Hawaii Bowl - and has won 33 of its last 41 regular-season home games.

The Bears are coming off a 1-10 year in their first season in the Big Sky Conference, and have lost 15 of their last 16 road games.

They were outscored by an average of 22.2 points last season, while the Warriors outscored their opponents by an average of 22.8 points.

Quarterback Dominic Breazeale will lead the Northern Colorado offense after a rough junior season. Breazeale threw for 1,018 yards with nine interceptions and two touchdowns - none in his final five games.

This will be the first meeting between the Warriors and Bears.

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