Tag: Hawaii

Backup QB caps Hawaii’s rally past Cal in Hawaii Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds remaining Wednesday night, rallying Hawaii to a 35-31 victory over California in the Hawaii Bowl at Honolulu.

After Cal freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had snuck in from a yard out with 1:57 remaining to give the Golden Bears (7-6) a 31-28 lead, the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) drove to the Cal 22 but saw starting quarterback Micah Alejado got injured on a 13-yard completion to Cam Barfield and had to leave the game.

With no timeouts left and one of the nation’s top kickers, Kansei Matsuzawa, awaiting a chance to send the game into overtime, Weaver stunned the Golden Bears with a deep ball down the right side to Cenacle, who caught the pass in the end zone.

Hawaii trailed 21-0 before scoring on its final six possessions, including a 17-yard pass from Alejado to Brandon White for a 28-24 lead with 7:25 to go.

But Sagapolutele, a Hawaii native, then led Cal on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, which he culminated with a sneak into the end zone on the first play after the 2:00 warning.

Alejado finished 32-for-46 for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Pofele Ashlock from 13 yards out as the Rainbow Warriors scored the final 10 points of the first half to get within 21-10. The same pair combined for a 3-yard TD strike to draw Hawaii even at 21-all early in the fourth quarter.

Sagapolutele went 28-for-39 for 323 yards and one score, a 41-yarder to Jacob De Jesus on Cal’s first drive of the game.

Neither quarterback threw an interception in a game in which Cal outgained Hawaii 468-395.

Ashlock was the game’s leading receiver with 14 catches for 123 yards, while De Jesus countered for Cal with nine receptions for 137 yards.

Cal’s Kendrick Raphael was the contest’s top rusher with 91 yards on 18 carries. He scored from 19 yards out and Anthony League ran in from 8 yards out during the Golden Bears’ fast start.

Matsuzawa kicked 29- and 39-yard field goals for the Rainbow Warriors, who finished the season on a two-game winning streak.

Hawaii has won each of its past three bowl games, matching a school record. Cal lost a bowl game for the third year in a row.

–Field Level Media

Island connections abound when Cal meets Hawaii at Hawaii Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Cal quarterback and potential 2026 Heisman Trophy candidate Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele hopes to enjoy a homecoming when Cal takes on Hawaii at the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve in Honolulu.

The matchup pits Cal (7-5), which clinched a winning season with a 38-35 home upset of then-No. 21 SMU on Nov. 29, against a Hawaii team (8-4) that opened its season with a 23-20 home win over the Golden Bears’ rival, Stanford.

The Cardinal beat Cal 31-10 in the annual Big Game on Nov. 22, which led directly to head coach Justin Wilcox’s firing the next day. The Golden Bears and Rainbow Warriors have one other common opponent: Hawaii thumped San Diego State 38-6 in November, seven weeks after the Aztecs stunned Cal 34-0.

Cal replaced Wilcox with Tosh Lupoi, a former assistant who currently serves as Oregon’s defensive coordinator in the Ducks’ pursuit of a national championship in the ongoing College Football Playoff.

Lupoi has been splitting his time between working on the Ducks’ playoff run (they beat James Madison in the first round Saturday) and attempting to keep key pieces of the Cal roster and coaching staff in place, while also importing new faces as assistants.

Nick Rolovich, who coached Cal’s win over SMU in the wake of Wilcox’s firing and will be retained as the team’s quarterbacks coach in 2026, will lead the team in Hawaii, giving him an opportunity to match wits with former Hawaii teammate Timmy Chang, the Rainbow Warriors’ head coach.

Sagapolutele, a Hawaii native, ranked among the top freshman quarterbacks in the nation in his first season at Cal. He has thrown for 3,117 yards and 17 touchdowns, becoming just the second quarterback in FBS history to start a college career with 12 straight 200-yard games.

Lupoi admitted his first goal at Cal was to keep Sagapolutele from following in the footsteps of Fernando Mendoza, who left Cal for Indiana after last season en route to winning the Heisman this year.

Noting the success Cal has had with quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff, Lupoi recorded his first win as Golden Bears’ coach when Sagapolutele announced on Dec. 5 that he’d be staying in Berkeley.

Lupoi flew to Hawaii to meet Sagapolutele’s family as part of his recruiting mission.

“It’s really a testament to how great of a coach (he is) and what he wants to do for this program. How much I meant to him,” Sagapolutele told reporters during his preparation for the Hawaii Bowl. “That meant so much to me and I’m grateful.”

Hawaii has received similar good news from its star quarterback, Micah Alejado, the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year after throwing for 2,832 yards and 21 touchdowns.

The news was all the more calming in that it followed the announcement that top receiver Jackson Harris had left the program to enter the transfer portal.

The matchup of Sagapolutele and Alejado not only pits a pair of freshman left-handers but also childhood friends.

“We were always together,” Alejado said. “Every night we were throwing to Coach Galu, Tua (Tagovailoa)’s dad. Just watched him grow up. Happy for him, all the success that he’s had. There’s a lot of upside to him and just (awesome) to see him grow.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 27, 2025; Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors running back Landon Sims (30) runs the ball in the fourth quarter against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Reports: Hawaii, San Diego St. to play home-and-home in 2028-29

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Hawaii and San Diego State have agreed to a home-and-home series in 2028 and 2029, FBSchedules.com and the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The schools are currently football rivals in the Mountain West — Hawaii is a football-only member of the conference for now — but San Diego State is set to leave for the new-look Pac-12 after this academic year.

The Rainbow Warriors and Aztecs will meet in San Diego on Sept. 23, 2028, and in Honolulu on Sept. 22, 2029, per the reports. The latter game would be played at New Aloha Stadium provided the building opens on time in 2028.

San Diego State will move to the Pac-12 along with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Texas State and Utah State next year, joining Oregon State and Washington State for eight football-laying schools. Gonzaga is also set to join but does not field a football team.

Hawaii, whose other athletic programs currently play in the Big West, will convert to full Mountain West membership in 2026.

The Aztecs (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West) will visit the Rainbow Warriors (4-2, 1-1) on Nov. 8 in their final game as conference rivals.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) passes the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona’s defense leads way to dominant win over Hawaii

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Arizona’s defense produced five turnovers that resulted in 23 points, and it held Hawaii to 67 yards on the ground in the Wildcats’ 40-6 season-opening victory Saturday at Tucson, Ariz.

The Wildcats routed the Rainbow Warriors (1-1) despite having a time-of-possession deficit of 35:44 to 24:16.

Big plays, including a 54-yard touchdown run by Quincy Craig, and playing with a short field after many of the turnovers made up for the disparity in time of possession.

Craig, a transfer from Portland State, finished with 125 yards on seven carries.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, playing for new offensive coordinator Seth Doege, completed 13 of 23 attempts for 161 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

Hawaii’s Michael Alejado, who engineered the Rainbow Warriors’ comeback victory over Stanford last week despite an ankle sprain, was unable to finish against Arizona.

Alejado aggravated his ankle injury with 5:22 left in the third quarter and did not return. He was 18 of 31 for 157 yards with an interception.

After Chase Kennedy strip-sacked Alejado and recovered the fumble, Craig broke free for his 54-yard touchdown run with 12:26 remaining in the second quarter, giving the Wildcats a 14-3 lead.

Kansei Matsuzawa, who converted the game-winning field goal against Stanford last week, nailed a 41-yard field goal as time expired to cut Arizona’s lead to 17-6 going into halftime.

Fifita ended the 65-yard drive that opened the second half with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Sam Olson.

After Arizona junior linebacker Taye Brown snagged his first interception since he was a junior in high school, Fifita scored the second rushing touchdown of his career.

His 10-yard scamper to the end zone increased the Wildcats’ lead to 31-6 with 6:46 left in the third quarter.

Michael Salgado-Medina drilled a 52-yard field goal with 13:14 remaining after Arizona’s Julian Savaiinaea recovered a fumble at the Hawaii 24.

An interception in the end zone by defensive back Gavin Hunter that was returned to the Arizona 28 ultimately led to another touchdown for the Wildcats.

Ismael Mahdi capped Arizona’s subsequent drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.

–Field Level Media

Oct 19, 2024; Pullman, Washington, USA; Hawaii Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) looks on during the first half against the Washington State Cougars at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Angling for offense, Hawaii welcomes Stanford for early opener

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Stanford opens the season with a new head coach making his debut in a road trip to Honolulu to face Hawaii on Saturday.

If this sounds like a repeat, buckle your chin strap.

Longtime NFL coach Frank Reich assumed the interim title at Stanford on March 31. Stanford parted with Troy Taylor after two disappointing seasons. Taylor’s tenure began with a 37-24 win at Hawaii on Sept. 1, 2023, but the Cardinal went just 5-18 for the remainder of his run with the team. Taylor was fired last March amid allegations he mistreated administrative staff, assertions the dismissed coach has publicly denied.

With off-field controversy still swirling, the 2025 Cardinal aim for their first winning season since the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign and first postseason appearance since 2018.

“As I look at what the players have accomplished since we’ve been here, it gives me a lot of confidence,” Reich said.

Among those inspiring confidence in the new coaching staff is Ben Gulbranson, who was named starting quarterback for the opener. An Oregon State transfer, Gulbranson helped lead the Beavers to a 10-win finish in 2022, but functioned primarily as a reserve in 2023 and 2024.

Gulbranson, who passed for 2,648 yards and 15 touchdowns in his time at Oregon State, is vital in the mission to revive a Stanford offense that ranked No. 106 nationally in scoring last season with 22.8 points per game.

“The coaches over here, they’re great resources and they know so much about the game,” Gulbranson told Cardinal Sports Report. “I’m just trying to come in here, be a sponge and learn as much as possible every day.”

Select few FBS offenses were less prolific than Stanford a season ago. Hawaii was among that group.

The Rainbow Warriors averaged 22.3 points per game to rank No. 111 nationally, which was the program’s best in three seasons.

Hawaii coach Timmy Chang set the NCAA career passing record as the Rainbow Warriors quarterback in 2004, operating in a pass-happy, run-and-shoot attack.

Visions of returning to those high-scoring days was revived at the conclusion of the 2024 season when freshman quarterback Micah Alejado threw for 469 yards on 37-of-57 passing with five touchdowns against New Mexico.

Alejado is throwing to a corps of pass catchers that includes a familiar face for Stanford, wide receiver Jackson Harris. Harris transferred to Hawaii from Stanford where he played nine games in the previous two seasons and caught for a touchdown last year.

“I can’t wait for everybody to get to watch him,” Chang said of Harris. “People will get to see how much of a talent he is.”

The position group should be a team strength. Beyond Harris, Hawaii features Kentucky transfer Brandon White and two preseason All-Mountain West picks in slotbacks Pofele Ashlock and Nick Cenacle.

This is the earliest Hawaii has ever opened a college football season by one day and the only time the program has played an active member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Brayden Schager (13) gets chased down by Boise State Broncos defensive end Max Stege (95) during the fourth quarter of a NCAA college football game at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Hawaii to leave Big West, join Mountain West

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Hawaii will become a full member of the Mountain West Conference ahead of the 2026-27 academic year, leaving the Big West behind.

Craig Angelos, athletic director at Hawaii, confirmed the move to Spectrum News Hawaii.

Hawaii currently is a football-only member of the Mountain West but will move most of its non-football sports, as well.

Part of the selling point for Hawaii, per the report, is that the Mountain West agreed that the school will not have to pay travel subsidies to opponents. Hawaii currently helps conference schools with travel costs to the island.

Hawaii also won’t be required to pay subsidies for sports including baseball, softball, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball, as it does to the Big West, per the report.

“That’s a big win for us to finally get out from underneath paying travel subsidies for our conference competition to come out play us,” Angelos said.

The Mountain West will cover the $750,000 exit fee from the Big West, Spectrum News reported.

Angelos said the Big West was willing to consider eliminating the subsidies, but Hawaii decided to give its football program solid footing in the Mountain West, which now can remain as an FBS conference with eight full members, per Spectrum News.

The Big West does not sponsor football.

The move leaves four Hawaii teams — men’s volleyball, women’s water polo, beach volleyball, and men’s swimming and diving — without a home. Angelos told the outlet he was hopeful the schools could stay in the Big West as affiliate members, but if not, Hawaii will try to arrange for them to compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

“We’re very hopeful that would be the case,” Angelos said of Big West affiliation. “I mean, we love the Big West Conference. This move had nothing to do with the Big West Conference. It was just something we needed to shore up, because we’re an FBS football program. We have a great relationship with the Big West. We’re hoping that they will want our other four teams to stay in there.”

The Mountain West, like other conferences, has been rocked by realignment. Five schools are headed to the revamped Pac-12 in 2026, forcing the MWC to find new members.

In 2026, the Mountain West will consist of Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.

–Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) leaps over Hawaii Rainbow Warriors defensive back Deliyon Freeman (26) during the second quarter at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. The play was called back due to a Broncos foul. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Ashton Jeanty tops 200 rushing yards again as No. 17 Boise State beats Hawaii

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Ashton Jeanty rushed for 217 yards and one touchdown on a season-high 31 carries and also caught a scoring pass to lead No. 17 Boise State to a 28-7 victory over Hawaii on Saturday night in Mountain West play at Honolulu.

Jeanty topped 200 yards on the ground for the third time this season and raised his national-best rushing touchdown count to 18. The touchdown catch was his first of the season.

The Heisman Trophy front-runner has rushed for a nation-leading 1,248 yards on just 126 carries for the Broncos (5-1, 2-0), who defeated Hawaii for the 10th consecutive time.

Maddux Madsen completed 17 of 25 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns for Boise State. Cameron Camper had season bests of seven catches for 111 yards and Austin Bolt caught a touchdown pass for the Broncos.

Boise State racked up eight sacks against the Rainbow Warriors. Jayden Virgin-Morgan led the way with 2.5 and Seyi Oladipo had two.

Brayden Schager was 21-of-36 passing for 264 yards and one touchdown for Hawaii (2-4, 0-2). Tylan Hines had a scoring reception for the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawaii trailed by just six points entering the fourth quarter before the Broncos created some cushion with an 11-play, 91-yard drive that began in the third quarter. Jeanty caught a 5-yard pass in the right flat for the touchdown and Madsen tossed a 2-point conversion throw to Bolt to make it 21-7 with 12 minutes remaining.

Hawaii turned the ball over on downs at the Boise State 19-yard line with 5:20 left. Jeanty ran for 13 yards on the next play to go over 200 for the fifth time in his career.
A short time later, the Broncos faced fourth-and-1 and Madsen threw downfield to Bolt, who fought off a tackle attempt and turned it into a 44-yard scoring play and a 21-point lead with 3:44 remaining.

Earlier, Jonah Dalmas kicked a 24-yard field goal to cap Boise State’s first possession.
Later in the quarter, Jeanty broke loose for a 54-yard touchdown run down the right sideline to give the Broncos a 10-0 lead with 5:48 left in the quarter. It was Jeanty’s eighth scoring run of 54 or more yards this season — he also has a non-scoring run of 68 yards.

The Broncos later drove the ball for 73 yards on 17 plays but the drive that took 7:49 off the clock stalled and Dalmas kicked a 23-yard field goal with 7:06 left in the half.
The Rainbow Warriors got on the board by driving 91 yards on six plays. Schager capped it with a 27-yard scoring pass to Hines with 3:24 left in the half.

–Field Level Media

Nov 27, 2021; Laramie, Wyoming, USA; A general view of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football helmet during a game against the Wyoming Cowboys at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Delaware State scrambles after missed flight to Hawaii

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Delaware State football’s long trip to face Hawaii in the team’s season opener just got longer.

The Star-Advertiser in Honolulu reported Tuesday that the Hornets missed their scheduled 10.5-hour flight to the city because of what was termed “a bus snafu” as the team attempted to reach John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. A spokeswoman for Delaware State told the outlet that officials were “working on a plan” to get the team to Hawaii.

The game is scheduled for Saturday at 6 p.m. local time. The Rainbow Warriors haven’t played an HBCU team since they met Prairie View A&M in 1979, and it will be their first-ever meeting against Delaware State.

Hawaii has a 20-game winning streak against FCS teams dating back to 2011, with an average win margin of 25.9 points per game.

Hawaii finished the 2023 season with a 5-8 record (3-5 Mountain West Conference). Delaware State was 1-10 (0-5 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference).

–Field Level Media

Oregon running back Jordan James is lifted into the air by teammate Marcus Harper II to celebrate a touchdown as the Oregon Ducks host Hawaii Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Bo Nix, No. 13 Oregon roll over Hawaii 55-10

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Bo Nix threw three touchdown passes and No. 13 Oregon’s defense shut down the potent passing attack of Hawaii in a 55-10 romp Saturday night in Eugene, Ore.

On his first pass, less than a minute into the game, Nix threw a 49-yard touchdown bomb to Tysheem Johnson and remained sharp the rest of the night. Nix finished with 21 completions on 27 attempts for 247 yards.

Oregon (3-0) rolled up 560 yards, with 210 coming on the ground. Noah Whittington led the rushing attack with 80 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Jordan James added 61 yards on seven carries with a pair of touchdowns while Bucky Irving ran for 59 yards on 12 carries.

On their six possessions of the first half, the Ducks scored four touchdowns and two field goals to build a 34-0 lead.

Meanwhile, the defense of the Ducks limited the run-and-shoot offense of the Rainbow Warriors to 84 yards in the first half and 201 for the game. Hawaii (1-3) converted just two of its 13 third-down plays.

Hawaii quarterback Brayden Schager entered Saturday with more attempts (128), completions (80) and passing yards (972) than any quarterback in the FBS. But he struggled on Saturday, completing 27 of 43 passes for 131 yards.

Schager failed to hit on his first four passes. Then, on his fifth attempt, Oregon’s Khyree Jackson made an interception, setting up a 43-yard field goal by Camden Lewis which gave the Ducks a 10-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

The Ducks scored touchdowns on their next three possessions and the rout was on. James made it 17-0 with a 22-yard touchdown sprint.

Before the first quarter was over, Whittington had a 41-yard run which set up a 1-yard touchdown pass by Nix to Traeshon Holden, which put Oregon up 24-0.
It was the first of two touchdown catches by Holden, who added a 60-yard scoring reception from backup quarterback Ty Thompson.

Hawaii’s lone touchdown came with 2:28 left as Schager threw a 1-yard pass to Alex Perry.

– Field Level Media

Jul 21, 2023; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Stanford Cardinal coach Troy Taylor speaks during Pac-12 Media Day at Resorts World Las Vegas. tMandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

New QB guides Stanford to opening win over Hawaii

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ashton Daniels threw for 249 yards and hit tight end Benjamin Yurosek nine times for 138 yards and a touchdown as Stanford opened its season with a 37-24 defeat of Hawaii on Friday in Honolulu.

Daniels, a sophomore, wasn’t announced as the Cardinal’s starting quarterback by new coach Troy Taylor until game time.

Daniels completed 25 of 36 passes for two touchdowns, and his 32-yard toss to Yurosek on a flea flicker after a reverse handoff broke a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter. Daniels also rushed 11 times for 42 yards.

Brayden Schager connected on 30 of 53 passes for 355 yards and three touchdowns for the Rainbow Warriors (0-2), who hurt themselves with 107 yards in penalties. Pofele Ashlock made nine catches for 123 yards and two scores.

Ashlock’s 7-yard reception tied the game at 7 on the third play of the second quarter.

Schager found Steven McBride for a 24-yard touchdown to pull Hawaii within 27-16 on the first play of the fourth quarter, but the two-point conversion pass failed and the Rainbow Warriors got no closer the rest of the way.

Joshua Karty’s third field goal of the game, a 46-yarder, and John Humphreys’ 13-yard touchdown catch from Daniels effectively put the game away.

Ashlock scored on a 16-yard toss from Schager with 1:08 left in the game.

Karty, who hit all 18 of his field-goal attempts last season, also connected his other attempts, a pair from 25 yards out, on Friday.

Linebacker David Bailey recorded three of Stanford’s six sacks.

Stanford piled up 407 total yards to 350 for Hawaii, which had 391 while losing 35-28 to Vanderbilt in Nashville on Aug. 26.

The Cardinal expanded their lead to 21-7 with 4:25 left in the first half on Bryce Farrell’s 2-yard rush. The Rainbow Warriors pulled within 21-10 on Matthew Shipley’s 32-yard field goal as the half ended.

Hawaii’s Meki Pei and Isaiah Tufaga and Stanford’s Matt Rose were all ejected for targeting.

–Field Level Media