Ask Nevada receiver Caleb Spencer how many people he planned on bringing to today's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, and he responded with an answer that should be a relief to organizers.

"I put like, 200 people on the list, so hopefully a lot more than that will show up," said Spencer, a Kamehameha Schools alum.

Nevada (8-3), the co-Western Athletic Conference champ, takes on Central Florida (8-4), the Conference USA runner-up, at 3:30 p.m. at the Aloha Stadium.

Organizers said about 22,000 tickets have been distributed.

Spencer, an all-WAC first team member, has helped the Wolf Pack to its first bowl game since the 1996 Las Vegas Bowl. He said ending the season with a bowl game in Hawai'i adds a different flavor to his return home.

"It's kind of funny, because usually when I come home, you go straight to the beach, or hang out, but now it's like you have to be with the team, and practice and everything," he said. "Of course, I'm going to stay here afterward, so I don't really want to worry about having a good time right now. I want to go out there and win a bowl game."

UCF is playing in its first bowl game in program history.

"If you're not going to play in a national championship, this is the place to be, I would say, if you're going to play in a bowl game," UCF coach George O'Leary said.

Nevada has the luxury of knowing the Aloha Stadium confines as a WAC member, but Wolf Pack coach Chris Ault said it isn't a major advantage.

"I think it's the day of the game and how you approach it as a coach," who said he liked that the Wolf Pack would have a higher comfort level when they return to the stadium next season to play the University of Hawai'i.

"And also a feeling that we played on it last year, and we're playing Central Florida who's not played on it," he said. "For us, I'm going to use that as an advantage. But where it really goes depends on what is said in the locker room."

Instead, the Wolf Pack, who placed 10 players on all-WAC teams, including co-Offensive Player of the Year, running back B.J. Mitchell, will be depending on an offensive scheme that ranked them 22nd nationally in total offense (433.55 yards per game) and 30th in passing (249.5 ypg) and 32nd in rushing (184.09 ypg).

"I've been very impressed with Nevada on tape," O'Leary said. "They're a very well coordinated on offense. I think they have some outstanding players. I think their offensive line is a very good one, which is the key to any offensive play, whether they run or pass. The quarterback (Jeff Rowe) makes good decisions."

UCF is very similar to WAC member Fresno State, according to Ault, who called the Golden Knights "a power-offense, play-action pass team." UCF averages 228.7 yards in the air and 159.83 on the ground.

"They are an offense that will challenge your defense," Ault said. "Defensively speaking, a multiple-front defense, a secondary that does a lot of different things that counts on their safeties to make plays. Very, very similar to Fresno State, to be honest with you."

UCF senior wide receiver Brandon Marshall described the Golden Knights as "a team that knows our limits."

"We're not a team that's made up of All-Americans and All-Stars," he said. "We're a team that plays together and plays fundamentally sound. When you do that, you can't ask for anything better than to be in the game in the fourth quarter. And then it comes down to who has the bigger heart in the fourth quarter."

Both coaches also have been trying to keep their players' minds on the game, but allowing them to enjoy themselves.

"You have to practice like you do at home, which we are doing," Ault said. "We won't back off, and we'll stay out and practice until it gets right. And off the field, we want them to enjoy themselves, but understand that we've got to do what got us here, and that's by staying focused and understand that we've got a football game to play."

UCF senior defensive end Paul Carrington said keeping focus wasn't a problem for the Golden Knights, who were "butting heads a little bit," in practices.

"(O'Leary's) keeping us honest, he's making us not want to test the waters, as he says, in the afternoon," Carrington said. "He wants us to have fun, but not too much fun."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.