NEW ORLEANS — When the University of Georgia football team looks at Hawai'i, the Bulldogs see: opportunity.

Not just for the Sugar Bowl championship trophy they play the Warriors for tonight but for a national championship run beginning in seven months.

The 10-2 Bulldogs, who felt they should have been in next week's Bowl Championship Series national title game in the Superdome Jan. 7 against Ohio State instead of the Sugar Bowl versus Hawai'i, have made a mantra of using a win over UH as a stepping stone to the next BCS championship game.

"Getting a good start into next year is motivation," said Matthew Stafford, the Bulldogs' sophomore quarterback. "It could set us up for a lot of things. You have to start high up these days. You can't start too far down if the other teams are winning most of their games, too."

A victory over UH would be a seventh consecutive victory for Georgia and likely provide the No. 4-ranked Bulldogs with a Top-3 ranking to finish this season. "We know to start out high next season we have to finish up there this year," Stafford said.

The Bulldogs started 2007 at No. 13 and are currently ranked No. 4 in The Associated Press Poll and No. 5 in the BCS standings. UH is No. 10 in both.

Freshman All-America running back Knowshon Moreno said, "a strong finish this year could mean a lot of things for us next year."

Including a run at a Heisman Trophy?

"Maybe," Moreno acknowledged.

With 17 of 22 starters eligible to return next season, the Bulldogs — along with Florida — have been tabbed as the early favorites in the Southeastern Conference for 2008. With a nonconference schedule that includes Arizona State and Central Michigan, the Bulldogs say they can position themselves well next year.

"It is like, wow, we can really make a statement by beating a team like Hawai'i (that) is wonderfully coached," said safety Kelin Johnson.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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