RENO, Nev. — "I can't believe you guys lost to Fresno State last week," a passer-by told a group of University of Hawai'i football players in the hallway at their hotel in Sparks, Nev., yesterday.

"How did you lose to those guys?" another chimed in.

On their way to get taped for practice, old wounds were reopened for UH quarterback Colt Brennan and the Warriors by, of all people, a group wearing name tags that identified them as being from the California Groundwater Association.

Likewise, UH's opponent today, Nevada, has been hearing about its lifeless 49-14 loss to Boise State last week, called out by its coach, Chris Ault.

So, call it the Redemption Bowl of sorts here today, a four-quarter opportunity for two quarterbacks and their teams to put last week's stinging disappointments behind them.

And, for one of them, to keep flickering bowl hopes alive at least another week.

Neither quarterback, UH's Brennan or Nevada's Jeff Rowe, had what you would call a game to write home about last week. Write off, perhaps, but not about.

After starting the season so promisingly, both had uncharacteristically bad days. Brennan was intercepted twice in the end zone and was able to push across but one touchdown in eight drives inside the 20-yard line in a 27-13 loss to Fresno State. Rowe was picked off four times in a blowout by Boise State. Each was sacked a season-high five times.

Rowe was eventually benched late in the game. But while Brennan got to finish what he started, coach June Jones has served notice that backup Tyler Graunke, who started the season opener but has played sparingly since, is scheduled for some playing time today.

Two-thirds of the way through their seasons, it is crunch time and beyond.

If they are trying to hang onto their starting jobs, their teams are attempting to keep the seasons from getting away.

For the 3-5 (3-3 Western Athletic Conference) Warriors, a loss mathematically ends with three games remaining any shot at bowl eligibility, dashing hopes for a winning season or a fourth consecutive postseason appearance.

The 4-3 (3-1 WAC) Wolf Pack can also ill afford another loss since the conference has but two guaranteed bowl berths and Fresno State (6-1) and Boise State (6-2) are close to running away with those.

After six consecutive years without a winning season, this is one the Wolf Pack can't afford to let go south on them.

So, this one falls squarely in the hands of the two triggermen — Brennan on UH's run-and-shoot and Rowe on the Wolf Pack's "Pistol" offense — who have a lot in common.

Both the 6-foot-3, 190 pound Brennan and the 6-5, 220-pound Rowe have the first-glance look of pocket passers but have shown themselves to be more. Indeed, along with being the WAC's top two in passing average per game (Brennan: 347.1 and Rowe 265.9), their scrambling abilities have also made them one, two in total offense (Brennan 362 and Rowe 287.7).

But today little of that will count for much unless they can help deliver their team to a victory in a season otherwise quickly slipping away.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.