BOWL PREVIEW | Hawaii Bowl

Where: Honolulu.Who: Houston (7-5) vs. Hawaii (8-5).When: 8 p.m. Thursday.TV: ESPN.Coaches: Art Briles (7-5 in first year at Houston) and June Jones (39-25 in fifth year at Hawaii).Payout: Each school receives $750,000.Bowl records: Houston is 7-6-1. Hawaii is 2-2.Last bowl appearance: Houston lost to Syracuse, 30-17, in the 1996 Liberty Bowl. Hawaii lost to Tulane, 36-28, in last year's Hawaii Bowl.Series history: First meeting.Last game: Houston beat Alabama-Birmingham, 56-28, on Nov. 29. Hawaii lost at home to Boise State, 45-28, on Dec. 6.Stat that matters: Cougars went 0-5 vs. teams with winning records.Game facts: Combined 8-26 the last three years, Cougars roared back this year behind UH alum Briles, whose strange no-huddle attack has freshman QB Kevin Kolb (2,799 passing, 23 TDs, 4 ints.), WR Brandon Middleton (52 catches, 14 TDs, 23.6 per catch), other WRs, RBs running over to Briles between plays for calls while line stays on field. Overmatched defense (101st in nation in scoring, 34.5, gave up 256 points in 5 losses) often looks dreadful. Rainbows have bonafide QB controversy involving disappointing junior Timmy Chang (3,724 passing, 24 TDs, 19 ints.), senior backup Jason Whieldon (1,079 passing, 12 TDs, 6 ints.). Jones will likely play both and either will look for WRs Chad Owens, Jeremiah Cockheran (combined 141 catches, 18 TDs). Hard-charging DE Travis LeBoy (13 sacks) earned WAC defensive player of year honor.