Hawai’i outlasts UC San Diego to claim 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational crown

Hawai’i outlasts UC San Diego to claim 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational crown

Sep 6, 2026

Hawai’i outlasts UC San Diego to claim 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational crown

The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team poses after winning the 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational. | Photo Credit: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

HONOLULU – It takes a team to bring home titles.

The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team completed a perfect 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational run on Sunday night, powering past UC San Diego (2-4) in five sets in front of an energetic Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center crowd, (22-25, 25-15, 21-25, 26-24, 15-8).

Panna Ratkai turned in a team-best 19 kills for the Rainbow Wahine on her way to earning tournament Most Outstanding Player honors. The senior outside hitter notched double figures in the kill category all weekend, tallying 52 total putdowns over the course of the three matches.

Miliana Sylvester and Adrianna Arquette joined Ratkai on the All-Tournament team after helping power Hawai’i (4-2) to three straight wins over the weekend. Sylvester racked up seven kills and nine blocks on Sunday while Arquette tacked on four kills and 36 assists while tying a season high of 17 digs in the win over the Tritons.

Tali Hakas also did a little bit of everything on Sunday for UH, adding 12 kills, eight digs and a season-best seven blocks while registering her third service ace of the campaign. The Rainbow Wahine racked up 18.5 blocks as a group, by far the best blocking performance of the young season by UH.

UC San Diego, coming off a pair of tough losses against LMU and Utah Tech from the first two nights of the tournament, looked well rested and ready to play spoiler for the hosts as the Tritons took the opening set behind a balanced offensive attack. Five different UCSD players recorded multiple kills in the premier frame as the speedy offense of the Tritons presented early troubles for Hawai’i.

Hawai’i responded in a big way in the follow-up frame, racing out to a 10-point lead by the media timeout with a boost from Jaci Miyasaki, who came in and dished out a pair of aces as part of a run of seven straight serves to begin the second set.

The Rainbow Wahine wasted no time tying up the match, keeping the Tritons at a distance throughout the second set while finishing off the frame with Ratkai’s first ace of the night.

Another battle ensued in the third stanza, seeing the two squads swing back and forth within a point of each other until the Tritons got to 20 and sprinted away for a 25-21 win in the all-important swing set.

UC San Diego seemed to be well on the way to securing the fourth frame after a four-point run launched the Tritons ahead by a pair at the technical timeout, but Hawai’i rallied again with the help of an energetic Sunday evening crowd.

The raucous fanbase of the Rainbow Wahine made the environment untenable for the Tritons, rattling the confidence of the visitors behind the service line to the point of three of the final four serves not making it into play to begin with.

Lifted by cheers, Hawai’i hammered away at the late deficit to take the must-have fourth set, seeing Sylvester punctuate the comeback with a powerful putdown for set point.

The final winner-take-all frame felt like a formality from there as Hawai’i scored the first four points and on nine of the first 11 rallies, taking a 9-2 lead and forcing UC San Diego to burn through both timeouts.

Freshman Cameron Holcomb delivered the Rainbow Wahine on the doorstep of the comeback win over the Tritons with her lone ace of the night and the hosts shut the door after six match points to officially claim the outright OUTRIGGER Invitational title.

Rachel Purser added eight kills and eight blocks for the Rainbow Wahine while Maeli Cormier tacked on five kills, a trio of digs and five blocks herself.

Hawai’i will be right back in action on Thursday, September 10 as Central Arkansas comes to the islands for a two-match series. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. HT.

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

HONOLULU – September sadness. The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a...

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Sep 4, 2026

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi women’s soccer team continued its strong run of form Thursday, scoring three times in the second half to defeat New Mexico State, 3-0, at the UH Lower Campus Field. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-3 on the...

ADVERTISEMENT

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

HONOLULU – September sadness.

The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a second straight no-show performance from the offense.

Sophomore QB Micah Alejado struggled mightily to find chemistry with his receivers, completing just 17-of-41 passes for 176 yards and an interception. The left-handed signal caller was also sacked five times and faced immense pressure from the Rebels defensive line from the opening snap.

Hawai’i (0-2, 0-1 Mountain West) won the time of possession battle by over four minutes but failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities throughout the game. The Rainbow Warriors went 9-for-21 on third down and just 1-for-3 on red zone opportunities, dropping passes and getting hit behind the line of scrimmage far too many times.

“I feel bad for the guys in the locker room,” head coach Timmy Chang said after the loss. “They’re playing hard … but you know, just things haven’t gone our way right now.”

Chang shouldered the blame for performance, stating that he needed to do a better job putting the players in position to succeed.

“It really starts with me,” said the fifth-year head man.

Both teams posted strong defensive starts, each forcing a three-and-out before UNLV QB Jackson Arnold and the rest of the Rebels got the scoring started on their second drive.

After a defensive pass interference set the visitors up near midfield, Arnold hit TE Keyan Burnett on a 25-yard strike and followed it up with a pair of QB draws in the red zone, mowing over a few Rainbow Warrior defenders on his way to the endzone for the game’s first points.

Hawai’i seemed to start dethawing towards the start of the second quarter, getting a 26-yard catch-and-run from Kai Kai Carvalho and a 10-yard rumble from Sitani Mikaele to set up Sean Olvera-Harle for a 39-yard field goal that got the hosts on the board.

The UH defense would force punts on the next two UNLV possessions but couldn’t hold up for a third time before the opening half’s end, seeing a 44-yard catch by Kayden McGee set up another Jackson Arnold battering-ram touchdown run with 1:33 left before the break.

“He’s a great quarterback,” Hawai’i senior linebacker Jamih Otis said about Arnold. “We knew before coming into the game [that] he was real good with his legs. I just think as a whole, we could’ve been more effective in understanding that and stopping that.”

The woes went on for Hawai’i following the halftime break.

Despite driving down the field and into the red zone on the first possession of the third quarter, the Rainbow Warriors exited another drive without any points after Sean Olvera-Harle’s 41-yard field goal try trickled wide right.

Still, the Hawai’i defense held strong and kept the UNLV offense quiet throughout the third quarter to keep within striking distance.

It appeared as though the Rainbow Warrior offense finally broke through before the end of the third frame after Alejado exited for a snap with a leg cramp, seeing Audric Harris seemingly snag a 15-yard laser from backup QB Bjorn Jurgensen for a touchdown until a review overturned the call on the field.

Faced with a 4th-and-goal from the UNLV 15, Hawai’i opted for points and trotted out Olvera-Harle for a 33-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the third quarter, making it a one-possession game again.

“I thought for the most part, our defense played really well and kept us right in it,” Chang said after the game. “Just kept us right around in striking distance to go and have a chance to tie the game or be in position to take over the game.”

Hawai’i forced another UNLV punt to begin the fourth quarter and drove deep into the red zone behind the backfield duo of DeVon Rice and Sitani Mikaele taking turns picking up positive yards.

Faced with a 4th-and-1 from the UNLV 10 while trailing by eight, Hawai’i opted to try and move the chains and instead got stuffed behind the line of scrimmage for a turnover-on-downs with 9:53 remaining.

The Hawai’i defense got the ball back one more time without giving up any more points, but another immediate three-and-out from the offense broke the back of the Rainbow Warriors with five minutes left to play.

UNLV RB Jai’den “Jet” Thomas provided the exclamation point for the visitors, delivering a 50-yard dash for the dagger as the Rebels retained possession of the Island Showdown Trophy for the fourth straight meeting.

Thomas finished with 143 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for the Rebels, who ran for 258 yards as a team against the Hawai’i defense. Jackson Arnold finished the night 8-for-18 passing for 116 yards and added 89 yards with two scores on the ground.

 Jamih Otis led the effort for the Hawai’i defense, tallying 12 tackles in the loss. Despite the chance to throw the offense under the bus in the postgame, Otis emphasized togetherness for the Rainbow Warriors and turned the blame back on the defense.

“At the end of the day, we could do better because, you know, if they didn’t score 21 points, we would have won,” said the senior linebacker. “If we’ve got to be on the field for 100 plays, so be it … It’s just the brotherhood we have … We’ll go toe-to-toe anytime for the offense.”

Hawai’i must regroup quickly, turning attention to hosting New Mexico State (1-1) next Saturday before a much-needed bye week. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. HT and will be broadcast on K5 and the MW+ app.

HAWAI’I FOOTBALL COVERAGE ON HSRN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

HONOLULU – September sadness. The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a...

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Sep 4, 2026

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi women’s soccer team continued its strong run of form Thursday, scoring three times in the second half to defeat New Mexico State, 3-0, at the UH Lower Campus Field. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-3 on the...

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Sep 2, 2026

HONOLULU – It’s time for another edition of the Ninth Island Showdown. The battle for the Golden Pineapple trophy will take a trip into the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday as the University of Hawai’i hosts UNLV in a critical early-season...

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Aug 29, 2026

Too many mistakes to overcome. The University of Hawai’i football team put fans through a rollercoaster ride on Saturday afternoon, ultimately faltering in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on “The Farm” as Stanford (1-0) scored twice in the...

ADVERTISEMENT

Ratkai, Hakas help Hawai’i handle Utah Tech to open OUTRIGGER Invitational

Ratkai, Hakas help Hawai’i handle Utah Tech to open OUTRIGGER Invitational

Sep 4, 2026

Ratkai, Hakas help Hawai’i handle Utah Tech to open OUTRIGGER Invitational

Tali Hakas (9) and her Hawai’i teammates celebrate a point during a match against Utah Tech. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – No Cha’lei Reid, no problem.

The University of Hawai’i women’s volleyball team showed no signs of slowdown without the services of their preseason all-conference outside hitter on Thursday night, handling Utah Tech (2-2) in straight sets, (25-17, 25-11, 26-24), to open up the 2026 OUTRIGGER Invitational.

Senior outside hitter Panna Ratkai stepped up in Reid’s absence, leading the Rainbow Wahine (2-2) with 12 kills to go along with eight digs and a pair of blocks – including the match-winning solo stuff against Utah Tech’s Sydney Reese in the final frame.

Hawai’i celebrates following a point during Thursday’s straight set victory over Utah Tech. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Tali Hakas tallied her first double-double of the season (and 11th of her UH career) as she tacked on 10 kills and 12 digs while also getting a share of a pair of blocks on the night.

Miliana Sylvester and Rachel Purser also submitted solid showings for Hawai’i as the middle blockers combined for 13 kills on 21 swings with just two attack errors across the three sets. Sylvester also tacked on six blocks (two solo, four assisted) while Purser added a solo stuff and her third service ace in four matches.

Hawai’i ripped out of the gates to start the night, scoring the first five points of the match to force a quick timeout from Utah Tech. The Trailblazers would recover enough to pull the deficit within two before the opening frame’s media timeout, but the Rainbow Wahine scored 11 of the final 16 points in the stanza to take a 1-0 lead.

The second set continued the Rainbow Wahine romping, hitting over .400 as a group in the frame as they took a 15-5 lead by the media timeout. While Hawai’i’s efficiency shined bright, Utah Tech found prolonged troubles in the second set as the Trailblazers hit in the negatives and committed 11 errors (seven attacking, four blocking) in a 25-11 drubbing.

Hawai’i seemed to gear down in the third frame with a 2-0 set lead, seeing the Rainbow Wahine and Trailblazers trade the first 12 points before Maeli Cormier and Hakas hammered down a pair of kills consecutively to put UH up, 8-6.

Hawai’i OH Tali Hakas lets out a cheer after a point for the Rainbow Wahine. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

Despite Hawai’i taking a three-point lead into the third set media timeout, Utah Tech refused to roll over and flipped the frame after the stoppage to take a 17-16 lead with the help of a 5-1 scoring run.

The Rainbow Wahine would tie the set at 20 before Utah Tech’s Nana Asiata put the Trailblazers back ahead and Tali Hakas’ final attack error of the night forced UH head coach Joshua Walker to call for a timeout to try and reawaken his suddenly sleepwalking squad.

After a spirited huddle, Hawai’i would go on to score six of the final eight points of the match and take the final frame in extra points, 26-24, to secure the first sweep of the Joshua Walker era.

Asiata led the Trailblazers with 12 kills and six attack errors on 29 swings while Cale Torgerson added 10 kills, seven digs and a pair of blocks in the loss. Utah Tech setter Marley Roe, who played her prep volleyball in the islands for Kamehameha-Kapālama alongside Rainbow Wahine junior Adrianna Arquette, finished with a 15-assist, 10-dig double-double in her return home.

Utah Tech returns to action on Day 2 of the OUTRIGGER Invitational against UC San Diego with first serve scheduled for 4 p.m. HT. The Tritons fell in four sets on Thursday afternoon against Loyola Marymount.

Hawai’i will wrap up the second day of the OUTRIGGER Invitational at 7 p.m. HT against unbeaten LMU (4-0). It’ll mark the first meeting of the programs since 2007 when the Rainbow Wahine swept the Lions in a two-match series.

 

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

HONOLULU – September sadness. The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a...

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Sep 4, 2026

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi women’s soccer team continued its strong run of form Thursday, scoring three times in the second half to defeat New Mexico State, 3-0, at the UH Lower Campus Field. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-3 on the...

ADVERTISEMENT

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Sep 2, 2026

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

HONOLULU – It’s time for another edition of the Ninth Island Showdown.

The battle for the Golden Pineapple trophy will take a trip into the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday as the University of Hawai’i hosts UNLV in a critical early-season tilt between Mountain West Conference contenders.

Week 0 was unkind to both squads, seeing the Rainbow Warriors sleepwalk through two-and-a-half quarters before a ferocious fourth quarter comeback fell just short at Stanford while the Rebels took a halftime lead at home over Memphis before giving up the final 13 points of the game.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see how both teams will be looking at Week 1 in the islands.

That’s not to say “must-win” means the season will be over for the loser of Saturday’s game, but it certainly would put a dent into the conference championship aspirations for whichever can’t pull out a victory.

UNLV has won three of the four matchups against Hawai’i since Timmy Chang took over in 2022, only falling to the Rainbow Warriors in Chang’s first season at the helm. Last year, the Rebels put a damper on a dream-like season for UH with a momentum-stopping 38-10 thrashing at Allegiant Stadium in late November.

The teams have the earliest meeting in the rivalry’s history this time around. Saturday’s kickoff will be aired on national television with late-afternoon Hawai’i heat or another tropical storm hanging overhead as additional challenges for two dynamic offenses.

So, who will play the biggest roles on Saturday? Who writes their name in Ninth Island Showdown lore forever?

 

DB Kona Moore

Kona Moore celebrates during a career-best day at Stanford. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista

Moore made a massive impact in UH’s opener at Stanford, compiling a career-high 14 tackles (10 solo, four assisted) as he started at safety next to Matagi Thompson against the Cardinal. The junior became the first Hawai’i player since Darius Muasau in 2020 to have at least 10 solo tackles in a single game and ranked as PFF’s top run-stopping safety in Week 0.

That type of performance would go a long way again in Week 1 against UNLV, who employs one of the most dynamic running backs in the nation in Jaiden “Jet” Thomas and a dual-threat signal caller in Jackson Arnold. Last season, the Rebels ran for 217 yards while Anthony Colandrea completed 21-of-26 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns in the air, dominating the Rainbow Warrior defense.

After missing that matchup, Moore and a new-look Hawai’i defense will get another shot at Dan Mullen’s high-octane offense. The Rebels put up over 400 yards of offense in the opener against Memphis, getting a good mix of production from both the run and pass.

Hawai’i will be looking to put up a better fight defensively on Saturday, especially after giving up more than 480 yards of their own against Stanford. Look for Moore to be in the middle of the action once again – even if he doesn’t lead the team in tackles this time – as the Rainbow Warriors work to get back on track.

 

QB Micah Alejado

Hawai’i QB Micah Alejado tosses a pass during Week 0’s game at Stanford. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista

By no means was Alejado bad against Stanford in the opening weekend. The sophomore signal caller completed 60% of his passes for 272 yards and a pair of scores, including an incredible cross-body throw to the middle of the field during the ferocious fourth quarter comeback.

But the former Bishop Gorman star has always held himself to a higher standard. He went 39-2 across his four-year high school career, tossing 125 touchdowns to just four interceptions before picking the Rainbow Warriors over the Rebels and many other programs.

That excellence has continued since coming to the islands for his collegiate career. In the four games that Alejado has started for Hawai’i after a loss, the southpaw gunslinger has totaled 1,471 passing yards, 13 touchdown passes and only two interceptions while completing 68.5% of his throws.

The Rainbow Warriors are 4-0 in those contests.

Hawai’i and Alejado hope both of those trends continue against a UNLV program that has controlled the rivalry over the past few seasons. The Rebels took the opportunity to chirp Alejado last year after the 38-10 win against UH, something that also should not go unmentioned heading into the weekend.

If Hawai’i is going to snap a three-game losing streak against UNLV, it’ll largely be because the left arm of Alejado has turned golden once again.

 

RB DeVon Rice

Hawai’i RB DeVon Rice delivers a stiff arm to a Stanford defender during his two-touchdown day. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista

Another Las Vegas product, Rice was nice in his Rainbow Warrior debut against Stanford as he led the team in rushing, turned in 60 total yards of offense and added a pair of touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving). A three-star recruit coming out of Bishop Gorman that originally committed to UH before spending his first two seasons in the Big 12 at Kansas State, the dynamic 5-foot-9 back reminded fans why his original commitment brought so much excitement.

Rice could see an even bigger offensive role this weekend after fellow running back Cam Barfield suffered a lower-body injury that held him out of the second half at Stanford. If that’s the case, an encore performance should absolutely be in the cards for the speedy sophomore.

Hawai’i did not get enough push up front in the run game against Stanford and struggled in 2025 against UNLV’s defense to get any rushing attack going. The chance to not play against a Power 4 defensive line should hopefully allow Rice to show off the breakaway speed in space that he displayed throughout training camp, which would bring a big change of pace from last year’s matchup against the Rebels.

His impact could also be felt in the return game if Barfield is unable to go. Either way, if Stanford was any indication – more Rice is a good thing for the Rainbow Warrior offense.

HAWAI’I FOOTBALL COVERAGE ON HSRN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

HONOLULU – September sadness. The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a...

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Sep 4, 2026

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi women’s soccer team continued its strong run of form Thursday, scoring three times in the second half to defeat New Mexico State, 3-0, at the UH Lower Campus Field. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-3 on the...

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Sep 2, 2026

HONOLULU – It’s time for another edition of the Ninth Island Showdown. The battle for the Golden Pineapple trophy will take a trip into the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday as the University of Hawai’i hosts UNLV in a critical early-season...

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Aug 29, 2026

Too many mistakes to overcome. The University of Hawai’i football team put fans through a rollercoaster ride on Saturday afternoon, ultimately faltering in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on “The Farm” as Stanford (1-0) scored twice in the...

ADVERTISEMENT

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Aug 29, 2026

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Too many mistakes to overcome.

The University of Hawai’i football team put fans through a rollercoaster ride on Saturday afternoon, ultimately faltering in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on “The Farm” as Stanford (1-0) scored twice in the final 101 seconds to take down the Rainbow Warriors, 37-27.

Hawai’i (0-1) struggled offensively throughout the first three quarters, going three-and-out on seven separate occasions while mustering up one singular scoring drive before finally finding a spark at the start of the final 15 minutes.

Without UH star receiver Pofele Ashlock to throw to, QB Micah Alejado took some time to find connections with other Rainbow Warrior pass catchers. The sophomore signal caller finished the day 30-of-50 passing for 269 yards and two touchdowns while fumbling once in the final minutes.

Tama Uiliata found his way into being Alejado’s temporary security blanket, getting 10 targets while hauling in a team-high eight receptions for a career-high 62 yards and his first college touchdown in the loss. Redshirt freshman receiver Kai Kai Carvalho followed right behind with five catches for a team-best 72 yards while Blaze Kamoku collected all three of his targets for 42 yards.

Despite Cam Barfield exiting at halftime due to an ankle injury, the Rainbow Warriors still got a few touchdowns out of the backfield as Sitani Mikaele found paydirt once and DeVon Rice rumbled into the end zone on two separate occasions.

Rice sandwiched the Hawai’i scores, punching in the season’s first touchdown for UH on a jet sweep that saw him speed to the edge before dashing by defenders in the fourth quarter to give the Rainbow Warriors their only lead of the day.

DeVon Rice runs up the field during Hawai’i’s 2nd half comeback effort. | Photo Credit: Brian Bautista

In all, Rice had 60 yards of offense (35 rush, 25 receiving) and two scores in his debut for Hawai’i and showed off his speed on a few different bursts through the day.

While both teams traded three-and-outs to begin the game, Stanford found an offensive rhythm far quicker than the Rainbow Warriors with a nine-play, 89-yard scoring drive on their second possession of the game.

A 57-yard catch-and-run from WR JonAnthony Hall set up the Cardinal inside the redzone, but the Hawai’i defense looked as though it would hold Stanford to a field goal after a third down incompletion. Unfortunately for the Rainbow Warriors, a late flag on Elijah Palmer for defensive pass interference gave the hosts a fresh set of downs and Micah Ford forced his way in for a two-yard touchdown on the next play to go up 7-0.

The Hawai’i offense snapped out of its slumber momentarily towards the top of the second quarter after the defense and special teams set them up to start near midfield, driving 55 yards in eight plays to tie the game, 7-7, with 10:18 left to play in the first half.

It was a short-lived leveling of the score as Stanford answered directly back on the next drive, marching 75 yards in just over three minutes to go back ahead as QB Davis Warren tossed a 6-yard touchdown pass to true freshman WR Atticus Joseph.

Hawai’i got another boost from the defense and special teams despite the return to faulty offensive showing, holding Stanford to a 33-yard field goal attempt that Ka’eo Akana knocked out of the air to head into halftime still trailing by just a score, 14-7.

The Rainbow Warrior woes didn’t stop after the midway break, going three-and-out again on the third quarter opening drive and seeing the ensuing punt get blocked out of the back of the end zone for a safety.

After the safety, Stanford added on again as a Micah Ford fumble on 4th-and-1 at the goal line was reversed to a touchdown following a lengthy review, giving the largest lead of the day to the Cardinal with 9:51 left in the third quarter, 23-7.

Alejado and the Rainbow Warriors finally got on track as the third frame ticked down, starting a 16-play, 80-yard march down the field that ended with a Sitani Mikaele 5-yard scoring rumble a few minutes into the fourth quarter.

Hawai’i added a two-point conversion on an end-around to Uiliata right after to make it a one-possession game, flipping the momentum for the visitors out of the Mountain West.

Lifted by the offense’s awakening, the Hawai’i defense forced a quick punt to get the ball right back in Alejado’s hands. The sophomore southpaw promptly sliced through the Stanford defense in five plays, driving 63 yards down the field and finding Uiliata on an incredible cross-body throw to pull the Rainbow Warriors within two with 9:39 left in regulation.

The UH defense got the ball right back again, only allowing the Cardinal to drain two minutes off the clock before giving it back to Alejado and company with a chance to take the lead for the first time all game.

Alejado would again lead a long scoring drive, going 90 yards in nine plays and hooking up with fellow Bishop Gorman alum DeVon Rice on a 29-yard touchdown to put Hawai’i ahead with 4:06 remaining in the fourth.

Stanford finally awoke from the closing quarter slumber after relinquishing the lead, quickly knifing through the Rainbow Warrior defense on the must-have drive. Ford finished off the possession with his third score of the game, putting the Cardinal ahead for good with 1:41 to play.

Hawai’i had one last shot for some Week 0 magic, but a big hit on Alejado jarred the ball loose for a Tevarua Tafiti 31-yard scoop-and-score that put a bow on top of a 37-27 win for Stanford.

Davis Warren enjoyed a big showing in his Cardinal debut, completing 22-of-34 passes for a career-high 310 yards and a touchdown. The Michigan transfer also added 31 yards on the ground, including a 25-yard scamper on a trick play by Stanford.

Micah Ford went for 99 yards and three touchdowns across 25 carries in the win and Sedrick Irvin chipped in 43 yards on eight rushes for the Cardinal.

Five different players eclipsed 40 yards receiving for Stanford and nine players recorded at least one catch. In all, the Cardinal offense racked up more yards than any game from the 2025 campaign with 483 yards against the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai’i will look to re-group next weekend when UNLV comes to the islands, opening up Mountain West play with a massive matchup between preseason conference favorites on September 5 with kickoff set for 4 p.m. HT. The Rebels also fell in their Week 0 game, dropping a 27-21 decision against Memphis inside Allegiant Stadium.

HAWAI’I FOOTBALL COVERAGE ON HSRN IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Helpless Hawai’i offense falters in home opener against UNLV

Sep 5, 2026

HONOLULU – September sadness. The University of Hawai’i football team saw the good vibes of the offseason slither away on Saturday evening, falling 21-6 to conference rival UNLV (1-1, 1-0 Mountain West) inside Clarence T.C. Ching Complex after a...

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Hawaiʻi Blanks New Mexico State, 3-0, for Third Straight Shutout

Sep 4, 2026

HONOLULU — The University of Hawaiʻi women’s soccer team continued its strong run of form Thursday, scoring three times in the second half to defeat New Mexico State, 3-0, at the UH Lower Campus Field. The Rainbow Wahine improved to 3-3 on the...

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Three players to watch for in Hawaii-UNLV’s Week 1 matchup

Sep 2, 2026

HONOLULU – It’s time for another edition of the Ninth Island Showdown. The battle for the Golden Pineapple trophy will take a trip into the middle of the Pacific Ocean on Saturday as the University of Hawai’i hosts UNLV in a critical early-season...

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Ford’s big day helps Stanford deny late Hawai’i comeback

Aug 29, 2026

Too many mistakes to overcome. The University of Hawai’i football team put fans through a rollercoaster ride on Saturday afternoon, ultimately faltering in the final minutes of the fourth quarter on “The Farm” as Stanford (1-0) scored twice in the...

ADVERTISEMENT