Last-second FG helps Hawaii down Stanford for first time

HONOLULU – Times are changing in Mānoa.

Led by a gutsy performance from a redshirt freshman QB, a sturdy defensive effort and a pair of clutch field goals from a self-taught kicker, the University of Hawaii delivered fourth-year head coach Timmy Chang his first victory against a Power 4 program on Saturday with a heart-stopping home win over Stanford, 23-20.

Senior place kicker Kansei Matsuzawa cashed in on all three of his field goal attempts for the Rainbow Warriors, including the game-winner from 38 yards out as the clock expired. The second-year starter scored all nine points for UH after halftime and was a tidy 2-for-2 on extra point attempts.

“Unbelievable,” Chang said of his kicker. “The kid is unbelievable. Taught himself English. Went to a JUCO. First national-born Japanese player to score points in an NCAA game and we’re lucky to have him.”

Hawaii QB Micah Alejado, who remained in the game after suffering an ankle injury on a sack in the third quarter, diced up the Cardinal defense for 210 yards and two touchdowns through the air on 27-of-39 passing. The redshirt freshman also added 36 yards on the ground while getting sacked four times and fumbling once as he helped deliver the program’s first-ever win against Stanford.

“I told the team before we came out that I would die for them,” a banged-up Alejado said in the postgame. “I knew once I could walk, I was good.”

UH got off to a slow start, finding themselves in a 10-point hole less than eight minutes into the first quarter. After winning the coin toss and deferring possession to the second half, Hawaii (1-0) watched the Cardinal take up more than seven minutes on a 15-play, 70-yard opening drive that ultimately resulted in a 23-yard field goal by Emmet Kenney.

Stanford (0-1) added a touchdown six seconds later after an error on special teams from UH pinned the Rainbow Warriors at their own 1-yard line. Cardinal DL Clay Patterson beat Hawaii backup right guard Judah Kaio, who was starting in place of the injured Kuao Peihopa, on the first play, stripped Alejado and saw his teammate, LB Wilfredo Aybar, recover the fumble for a touchdown.

“I can’t take a sack in the end zone, I’ve got to know that, and I need better ball security,” stated Alejado. “The way we started off, it was bad on my part. But the defense kept rallying, offense kept rallying.”

Hawaii came back to life to close the quarter, ripping 58 yards down the field in six plays to get on the board after the defense forced a quick punt from Stanford. Alejado showed off both his arm and legs on the drive, scrambling for 34 yards and throwing for 24 more as he capped the possession with a 3-yard touchdown strike to Pofele Ashlock.

Trailing 10-7, UH got a boost from the special teams unit to start the second quarter as defensive lineman Luther McCoy blocked a 34-yard Stanford field goal attempt. It was the first blocked field goal by the Rainbow Warriors since 2022 against Utah State.

Hawaii quickly raced into Cardinal territory (with the help of a facemask penalty) to try and capitalize on the blocked kick but turned it over on downs after RB Landon Sims was stopped just short on a quick swing pass from Alejado on 4th-and-3.

Stanford chipped on a field goal on the ensuing possession, taking advantage of a ticky-tack roughing the passer penalty against Hawaii’s De’Jon Benton that extended the drive, and extended the lead to six, 13-7.

Back came the Rainbow Warriors, led by another Alejado scramble with an unnecessary roughness penalty tacked on top to jumpstart the drive.

The Cardinal continued racking up errors defensively before the break, getting flagged for a facemask penalty and unsportsmanlike conduct on back-to-back plays to help set up UH on the Stanford 21-yard line with 1:25 left in the first half. Two plays later, Alejado hit former Cardinal WR Jackson Harris for the go-ahead touchdown just before halftime.

“He came over here with a mindset to just work,” Chang said of Harris, who transferred to Hawaii in the offseason after spending two years at Stanford. “He’s a really good receiver and we look forward to just throwing him the ball more.”

Former Stanford receiver Jackson Harris is greeted by teammates after catching the go-ahead touchdown to give Hawai’i a 14-13 lead at the break. | Photo credit: Rayden Aoki, HSRN

Hawaii’s worst fears flashed in front of their eyes after receiving the second half kickoff as Alejado’s leg got twisted up on a sack by Stanford’s Matt Rose, leaving the redshirt freshman on the ground in pain as the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex fell silent. After a punt from UH and a defensive stop, the southpaw was ready to return to action despite limping off less than 10 minutes of real time prior.

“There wasn’t really a need to talk my way back in,” Alejado said when asked about playing through the injury. “That’s just not something that’s going to take me out of the game.”

The young signal caller immediately helped orchestrate an 11-play scoring drive after returning to the field, getting within kicking range and allowing Matsuzawa to connect on a 40-yard field goal to extend the Hawaii lead to 17-13 with 6:25 left to play in the third quarter.

After trading three-and-outs, Stanford committed to the ground game to re-take the lead. Leaning on sophomore RB Micah Ford, the Cardinal strung together a 20-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that bled out the end of the third frame and the first five minutes of the fourth quarter before giving a 20-17 lead to the visitors.

With Stanford driving and his squad in need a spark after the offense went three-and-out, Hawaii safety Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen made an acrobatic play on a Ben Gulbranson pass for a game-changing pick with 5:58 left to play.

“What a great play,” Chang said of the interception by Mendiola-Jensen. “For him to come down with it [after reacting that quickly], unbelievable. Game ball deserved for him.”

Reinvigorated after the turnover, the Hawaii offense again worked to get inside the Stanford 20-yard line before Matsuzawa tied the game at 20 with 2:01 left in regulation. With trust they would get the ball back, the offense turned to the defense one last time.

Hawaii LS Jack Mowrey (left), K Kansei Matsuzawa (middle) and holder Caleb Freeman (right) celebrate after converting on the game-tying field goal. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

The Rainbow Warrior defense locked down the field, forcing a three-and-out as Jaheim Wilson-Jones came crashing in to break up a third down throw intended for WR Jordan Onovughe to get the ball back to the offense with 1:33 remaining.

“We hit adversity, we knew we were going to come and hit adversity and as a team, we were just ready for it,” Alejado said of the late-game heroics. “We knew what we were going to do when it hit and you know, all three phases were great.”

On one leg, Alejado tossed darts to Harris and RB Landon Sims to move the Rainbow Warriors to the doorstep of field goal range. A checkdown to Sims saw the senior back rumble for a 24-yard gain, setting up a 38-yard kick for Hawaii and a chance for the program’s first win over a P4 program since 2019.

Matsuzawa, who taught himself how to kick from YouTube videos and won the UH starting kicking job last season, calmly set on the right hash mark as Stanford called one of its three remaining timeouts just before the snap to try and throw off the senior’s rhythm.

Unfortunately for the Cardinal, Matsuzawa had been mentally preparing for the game-winning kick since the start of the final frame.

“I enjoy the moment,” the senior from Japan said after the game. “When we gave up the second touchdown to Stanford, I was like ‘oh this is going to be my game.’ So, I just prepared [for] game-tying field goal and also game-winning field goal. I knew that was going to happen.”

Matsuzawa calmly cashed in from 38 yards out, earning a roar from the Ching Complex crowd as Hawaii took a 23-20 lead as time expired.

Ashlock led the Rainbow Warriors’ receiving attack, hauling in nine catches for 69 yards and a touchdown to begin his junior campaign. In his UH debut, Jackson Harris racked up six receptions for 59 yards and a score against his former squad.

Cam Barfield led the ground game for Hawaii, totaling 45 yards on six carries while adding one catch for 10 yards in his first start of the season. Landon Sims had seven rushes for 12 yards, but added 32 yards in the receiving game as he caught four passes out of the backfield.

Peter Manuma and Jamih Otis each had eight tackles (6 solo) to lead the way for UH while Manuma added his first QB sack since his freshman season. Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen flew around the field for the Rainbow Warrior defense, doing a little bit of everything as the senior racked up four tackles, a team-leading two PBUs and his first career interception.

Stanford QB Ben Gulbranson finished the day 15-of-30 passing for 109 yards and an interception. Sophomore running back Micah Ford turned in a strong effort despite the loss, totaling 113 yards and a touchdown across 26 carries.

Hawaii returns to action next Saturday, hitting the road to face another former Pac-12 foe in the University of Arizona. The Wildcats were idle in Week 0 and will kick off their 2025 season against the Rainbow Warriors at 4:30 p.m. HT on TNT.