DALLAS — Between towers of red and blue balloons, underneath banners boasting "Howdy Hawaii!" and "Aloha SMU!" a round table was set aside yesterday to show off a fancy invitation in a wooden frame.

It was for a spot in the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl and it was personalized to SMU.

The Mustangs (7-5) are headed to Honolulu for their first bowl appearance in 25 years, a drought that often looked like it might never end as SMU tried recovering from the NCAA's death penalty for repeated rules violations.

"We have proven there is life after death!" athletic director Steve Orsini said.

SMU officials were so excited to receive the invitation they didn't want to sit on the news until this weekend, when they'll find out their opponent. They got permission from the Conference USA commissioner to make their acceptance official, then threw themselves a news conference.

As Orsini, coach June Jones and school president Gerald Turner stepped onto the stage, they received lei made of purple orchids. Where did they find such things in Dallas? They didn't; these were flown in from Hawai'i, in the same package that included the invitation.

"This is the one they used to give to royalty," Jones said.

Jones knows because he wore them while coaching at Hawai'i from 1999-2007. He turned that program from national embarrassment into BCS busters, and he's done wonders here, too. The Mustangs went 1-11 last year in his first season; their six-win surge this season is the best in the country.

And now the Mustangs could end up playing Hawai'i, should the Warriors beat Wisconsin Saturday.