It took 13 weeks and every major college football team in America to lose a game before the University of Hawai'i earned national respect.

The 11-0 Warriors yesterday placed 12th in the Bowl Championship Series standings, a significant position that could earn the school millions of dollars.

If the Warriors defeat Washington Saturday to complete an unbeaten regular season, they more than likely would earn a berth in a lucrative BCS post-season game. A participating team would earn more than $4 million.

The BCS is comprised of five major post-season bowls. Six berths go to champions of the BCS conferences — Atlantic Coast, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and Southeastern.

There are four at-large spots. A team from a non-BCS conference, such as Hawai'i of the Western Athletic Conference, is guaranteed an at-large berth if it finishes in the top 12 of the final BCS standings. Two polls (USA Today, Harris Interactive) and six computer rankings determine the BCS standings.

"If we win (Saturday), there's no doubt we're in," UH defensive coordinator Greg McMackin said. "We've won 21 out of our last 22 games (dating to September 2006). We're undefeated, and nobody else has done that. We feel fortunate to do it to this point."

Kansas, which lost to Missouri Saturday, was the only other unbeaten Division I-A team entering the weekend.

By defeating Boise State Friday to win their first outright WAC championship, the Warriors extended the nation's longest winning streak to 12 games. They defeated Arizona State in last year's Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl.

"It's good to be 12th (in the BCS standings), but we've got one more week to go," UH quarterback Colt Brennan said. "We have to take care of business first. If we do that, I'll be excited (when the final standings are announced) next Sunday."

To be sure, there are no guarantees. Last week, the Warriors were surpassed in the BCS standings by a team that had a bye.

The Warriors have been hindered by an admittedly weak schedule, which includes two Division I-AA teams. Lower-division teams offer 22 fewer scholarships and, in general, have poorer resources and facilities. The computer portion of the BCS standings factors a team's strength of schedule.

FoxSports.com rated the Warriors' schedule as the weakest among 120 Division I-A teams. The Warriors' first eight opponents have a combined record of 25-69. None has a winning record.

That is why UH head coach June Jones said the Warriors' final four regular-season games "would define our season." He likened those games to the National Football League playoffs.

"One loss, and we're out," Jones said. "We've won three rounds. We need to win the fourth."

Said Brennan: "Considering what's at stake, there's a good reason to focus and go all out this week. This is it. If we want a BCS berth, we have to keep winning, and that means finishing the season strong against Washington. If we do that, then we can talk about all of that other stuff."

UH right slotback Ryan Grice-Mullins said his teammates celebrated their first victory over Boise State in seven years.

"It felt good, but we're done celebrating," Grice-Mullins said yesterday. "We still have unfinished business. From the beginning of the season, we had a goal, and that was to finish undefeated. We have to work hard. It would be a shame to come this close and not finish the job."

The players were given Saturday and yesterday off.

"I did schoolwork," said Brennan, who needs to pass three classes to earn a bachelor's degree. He plans to participate in the Dec. 16 graduation ceremony.

The UH coaches, meanwhile, spent several hours yesterday watching videos of Washington games and finalizing a game plan.

"All we're thinking about is Washington," McMackin said.

Jones said he maintained his practice of not reading any polls or rankings.

"Somebody told me about the BCS one, but I haven't looked at it," Jones said. "It doesn't change anything. We knew we had to win them all. That means we have to win this last one. Thinking about anything else isn't helpful."

Left slotback Davone Bess said: "It's time to strap it up. We came this far. We have to finish."

Visit Tsai's blog at www.HawaiiWarriorBeat.com.

Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com.