If there is a benefit to being the last of the Mountain West’s 12 members to open conference play, it is that the University of Hawaii football team has gotten a good long look at what it will be up against when it gets there.

And Murderer’s Row it isn’t.

UH (1-3) plays its fifth — and last — nonconference game of the season Saturday against Rice in Houston, and what awaits the Rainbow Warriors after that in the Mountain West is hardly daunting. In fact, it should be encouraging news for the 1-3 ‘Bows, who could use some.

For the first time in at least 12 years there are no MWC teams currently ranked in the Top 25 of either major poll (Associated Press or Amway Coaches) — or even receiving votes.

After years of Boise State or somebody else rattling the big boys’ cages, or at least being on the periphery of national consciousness, the MWC has fallen on hard times.

Just how hard is driven home by the fact the conference’s teams are a combined 9-21 versus other Football Bowl Subdivision members. It isn’t just the ‘Bows who have taken their lumps against members of the so-called Power Five conferences; the MWC is a collective 4-17 and has just one victory over a Power Five team with a winning record.

Even against fellow mid-majors, the MWC is barely treading water at 5-4. So, thank goodness — and enlightened scheduling — for that 10-0 mark against Football Championship Subdivision foes.

What this means is that after going a combined 1-15 against conference foes in its two seasons of MWC membership, there could be hope for UH in the league this year. "Could" being the operative word, if UH gets its offensive act together, and soon.

UH need look no further than the Air Force Academy for a shining example. The Falcons had lost 10 consecutive conference games over three seasons — a longer MWC slump than UH — when they beat Boise State 28-14 on Saturday.

The Falcons’ last conference victim, it turns out, had been UH in 2012.

For the moment, you could make a case for Colorado State and Nevada being the best teams in their respective divisions of the MWC.

Of course, it won’t matter much how wobbly the rest of the MWC is if the ‘Bows don’t find a way to score some points other than by way of Tyler Hadden’s foot. When you are 124th (out of 125 FBS schools) in passing efficiency, a 44 percent completion average isn’t likely to beat anybody but yourself.

With the defense and special teams the ‘Bows have so far exhibited, even a modicum of offensive improvement would serve them well in a conference where three opponents (Nevada-Las Vegas, San Jose State and Wyoming) are currently averaging fewer points per game than UH (21.3), which is 104th.

So it behooves UH to find the beginnings of some offensive rhythm and productivity this week at Rice.

Eight conference games against a weakened MWC await the ‘Bows. These days, if that isn’t motivation to get things going, what is?

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.