The University of Hawaiʻi football team will hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to face Arizona of the Big 12 on Saturday in Tucson.
The Rainbow Warriors (1-0) opened the year with a home win and now look to carry that momentum onto the mainland. Quarterback Micah Alejado is expected to play despite being listed as day-to-day with an ankle injury.
Defensively, UH will lean on senior safety Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen, who was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week after recording four tackles and a key interception in the opener. Pro Football Focus also graded him as the nation’s top defender in Week Zero.
“Basically looking back at [last week], we’ve got to learn from the wins and losses and put it in our rearview mirror,” Mendiola-Jensen said. “We’re looking forward to Arizona, learning from our mistakes and capitalizing on those this week.”
Head coach Timmy Chang praised his veteran safety’s impact.
“What a play he made,” Chang said. “He made a bunch of plays. They forced us into some big sets, and he did an unbelievable job. Watching the film, you could see how special that interception was. He works hard, he does so many things for us, and he’s a great guy in the community. I’m so happy for him.”
Kickoff between Hawaiʻi and Arizona is set for 4:30 p.m. HST on Saturday. The game will be televised nationally on TNT and broadcast locally on ESPN Honolulu radio.