The game matched the Hawaiʻi Warriors against the Arizona State Sun Devils, and was televised on ESPN.
This game received extra attention because Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was poised to set the NCAA single-season record for touchdown passes in a season.
Entering the game, Brennan had 53 touchdown passes, one short of University of Houston quarterback David Klingler's mark of 54 set in 1990.
[2] Brennan finished the game having completed 33-of-42 passes for 559 yards and five touchdowns, setting the new single-season record at 58.
He shared MVP honors with wide receiver Jason Rivers, who tied a school mark with 14 receptions and set a record with 308 receiving yards, the most in a college bowl game since the NCAA began keeping official records in 1937.