Hawai’i comeback falls short as Fresno State gets final laugh

HONOLULU – It came down to the final drive.

Of course it did.

In the 57th and final meeting between programs as conference rivals, at least for the foreseeable future, the University of Hawai’i dropped a heartbreaker against Fresno State (4-1, 1-0 Mountain West) on Saturday night inside the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, 23-21.

In a series that has seen more than 20 games decided by one score or less, it only seemed fitting for one final battle between the ‘Bows and the Bulldogs to come along with dramatic flair.

“That’s a really good football team on the other side that we played today,” Hawai’i head coach Timmy Chang said following the loss. “Our guys fought their hearts out, all the way to the last second … [Fresno State] made a couple more plays than us, and that’s the way the game of football goes.”

The Bulldogs racked up four turnovers throughout the night, recovering a fumble and picking off Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado three times (including once for a touchdown) as they held the redshirt freshman to 219 yards on 28-for-47 passing and one late score. Alejado returned from a two-game absence after suffering a lower leg injury against Arizona in Week 1.

“More than physically, it’s mental,” Chang said of his QB returning from injury. “Sitting for two weeks, he’s going to get back in the groove. He’s going to find himself. He’s going to find his rhythm.”

The defense for Hawai’i (3-2, 0-1 Mountain West) showed up in a big way, scoring twice in the first half with a safety and fumble recovery for a TD. According to UH athletics, it’s the first time that a Rainbow Warrior defense registered a defensive touchdown and safety in the same game since at least 1995.

The UH run defense also turned in one of the best performances of the season, holding Fresno State to under 100 yards rushing for the first time since Week 0 against Kansas. The Bulldogs entered the night averaging more than 200 yards on the ground over the three weeks since that season-opening loss.

“The defense … they continue to be just a pillar of dominance in there,” Chang said of the inspired effort from his defense. “[Since after the Arizona game], I thought they’ve just been playing lights out and been stopping the run, which is really good.”

That defensive effort put the first nine points of the game on the board in the second quarter after each team traded stops in a scoreless opening frame. Hawai’i DT De’Jon Benton got the scoring started as he continued his torrid start to the 2025 campaign with a strip sack, resulting in a safety to give a 2-0 lead to UH with 7:20 left in the first half.

Jamih Otis, who finished the night with four tackles and one quarterback hit, added on to the Rainbow Warrior lead on the next drive after Bryson Donelson couldn’t handle a lateral pass from QB EJ Warner. Otis hurdled Donelson, scooped up the loose ball and took it 49 yards while dragging a Fresno State player into the end zone with him for a touchdown, extending UH’s advantage to 9-0 with 1:47 remaining before break.

“That was my first time getting into the end zone in a long time, since high school,” Otis said of his scoop-and-score in the second quarter. “I’d seen the running back flare [out from the backfield] and I just took my shot and the rest is God.”

Fresno State responded quickly after the turnover, driving 57 yards in under a minute to get on the board before halftime as Warner zipped a first down pass to Richie Anderson III for a 13-yard TD.

After trading punts to open the second half, the Hawai’i offense strung together enough success to allow kicker Kansei Matsuzawa to connect on a 40-yard field goal, extending the Rainbow Warrior lead midway through the third quarter, 12-7.

The Bulldogs jumped ahead for the first time all night less than two minutes later after a 65-yard catch-and-run from WR Kamron Beachem set up Fresno State at Hawai’i’s 1-yard line, seeing Donelson cram it up the middle for a 13-12 advantage.

Hawai’i re-took the lead with just over three minutes left in the third after Pofele Ashlock came down with a 38-yard snag on a third down heave from inside UH’s own 30, eventually setting the Rainbow Warriors up in range for Matsuzawa field goal. Ashlock finished the night with a game-best eight receptions and 68 yards.

The senior calmly drilled a career-long 52-yard field goal as the Mānoa mist began to fall, pulling UH in front entering the final 15 minutes, 15-13.

Fresno State failed to respond right away as kicker Dylan Lynch missed for the third time in the game, lining up from 54 yards out and pulling the kick wide-right. With a chance to extend the lead and eat up clock, Hawai’i instead gave the ball right back to the Bulldogs with great field position as Alejado was intercepted by preseason all-Mountain West DB Al’zillion Hamilton.

The UH defense again held strong, forcing Fresno State to settle for a 27-yard field goal from Lynch, but the lead was gone for good.

Alejado threw his third (and most costly) interception of the night on the ensuing drive as Fresno State sophomore linebacker K’vion Thunderbird jumped a pass intended for Ashlock and returned it 59 yards to the house, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 23-15 with 5:20 left to play.

“It’s tough going throughout the game, the defense playing their butts off the whole game and me not being able to perform for the offense,” Alejado said following his rocky return to the field. “It’s obviously tough mentally, but you know, that’s the game of life in general. You got to keep going, keep pushing, wake up tomorrow and go watch the film and get ready for Air Force next week.”

Still within one possession, the defense gave Hawai’i one final shot after the offense turned the ball over on downs with three-and-a-half minutes remaining.

Alejado and company arose after sleepwalking through the opening 58 minutes, dancing down the field and connecting with redshirt freshman WR Blaze Kamoku with 10 seconds left to play for a touchdown, pulling the Rainbow Warriors within two with a chance to tie, 23-21.

A Fresno State timeout gave both sides a chance to talk over the most important play of the night, but the Bulldogs stood tall and got the stop as Brandon White failed to secure Alejado’s pass on the conversion attempt.

Bulldogs QB EJ Warner finished the night 22-of-29 passing for 230 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, becoming the first opposing quarterback to eclipse 200 yards through the air this season against the UH defense. The senior added a game-high 38 yards with his legs, helping Fresno State convert on 50% of third-down opportunities throughout the night (7-for-14) to snap the Rainbow Warriors’ four-game home win streak.

Hawai’i dropped to 2-3 in Mountain West openers at home since joining the conference in 2012 and 5-9 overall in conference openers over that span. Head coach Timmy Chang fell to 0-4 in Mountain West openers leading Hawai’i.

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Tama Uiliata turned in a career-best five catches and 47 yards in the loss for the Rainbow Warriors. Fellow redshirt freshman wideout Blaze Kamoku recorded his first career touchdown while pulling in a pair of passes for 20 yards for UH.

Kansei Matsuzawa went 2-for-2 on his kicks and matched a school record 13 straight makes to begin a season, tying Rigoberto Sanchez’s mark from 2016. The senior is 7-for-7 on attempts from 40 yards or further this season, more than tripling his career total from that distance and beyond.

Hawai’i will try to rebound next weekend on the road against Air Force, who fell in a 49-37 shootout against Boise State in Week 4. The game against the Falcons, which will kick off at 10:00 a.m. HT on FS1, marks the end of a six-game marathon for the Rainbow Warriors. Hawai’i will get the first of three bye weeks following next Saturday’s matchup, playing half of the team’s scheduled games before getting a weekend of recovery.