The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors took to the field on Saturday for Week 0 against the Stanford Cardinal.
Hawaii last year finished 5-7 on the season and looked to start 2025 out on the right note.
Stanford received the ball to start the game.
Near the 13:30 minute mark in the 1st quarter, Hawaii forced Stanford to a 3rd & 8. Stanford threw for a 1st down that looked like the ball may have touched the ground. Hawaii Challenged the completion but lost the challenge that would have made it 4th down for Stanford.
With 8:40 left in the 1st Quarter, Hawaii forced Stanford to a 4th & 1 inside the UH 20-yard line, but the Cardinal converted on 4th down after a 2-yard run to keep the opening drive alive.
Stanford was able to get on Hawaii’s 5-yard line, but the ‘Bows defense stood strong as they forced a Field Goal.
Stanford made a Field Goal with 7:13 left in the 1st Quarter to take a 3-0 lead.
Hawaii’s Defense was on the field for 7:46 on the very 1st drive of the game.
7:14 1Q: Hawaii tried to call a fair catch on the kickoff return, but the ball bounced which means the runner was down at the 1-yard line and it did not advance down the field to the 25-yard line.
The Very next play, Micah Alejado was pressured in the endzone and the ball popped out and was recovered by the Cardinal Defense for a Touchdown. Hawaii trailed 10-0 with 7:08 left in the 1st Quarter.
But at the 3:00 mark in the 1st Quarter, Micah Alejado scrambled for 30 yards to put UH inside the Stanford 10-yard line.
2:19 1Q: Alejado found Pofele Ashlock on the slant route in the endzone for the touchdown to give Hawaii their 1st points of the season. Hawaii Trailed 10-7 with 2:19 left in the 1st Quarter.
The ‘Bows defense forced Stanford to another Field Goal attempt in the 2nd quarter but the Field goal was blocked by Luther McCoy to keep the score 10-7.
With under a minute remaining in the 2nd Quarter, Alejado found Jackson Harris the former Stanford Cardinal for a 19 yard Touchdown to give Hawaii the 14-13 lead.
Halftime: Hawaii 14, Stanford 13.
In the 3rd quarter, Micah Alejado went down with an injury after being sacked. He did go into the medical tent but returned to the game where he had a noticeable limp with his right leg/ankle.
Kansei Matsuzawa made a Field Goal with 6:25 left in the quarter to give UH a 17-13 lead.
4th Quarter:
Stanford on 20 plays, 85 yards drove the field using the ground game to score a touchdown to put Hawaii down 20-17 with 9:41 left in the 4th quarter.
With 6 minutes remaining in the game, Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen jumped up and intercepted a pass from Stanford at the Line of Scrimmage to give UH the ball back and stop a Cardinal Drive.
The Rainbow Warriors drove the field after the interception but ended up only with a Field Goal to tie the game up at 20 a piece after Matsuzawa made the 37-yard kick with 2:01 left in the 4th.
The ‘Bows drove down the field with under 2 minutes and Matsuzawa nails the game-winning Field Goal to give Hawaii the 23-20 win over Stanford