Hawaii backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 13-yard landing go to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left and the Rainbow Warriors derailed Cal’s hopes for an eight-win season, claiming a 35-31 victory on the Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday.
Weaver entered the sport after an damage on the earlier play to freshman starter Micah Alejado, who engineered a rally from 21 factors down.
Cal freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 1:57 left, placing the Bears forward 31-28. They capped a 75-yard drive after Cal took possession with 7:19 to play.
However Hawaii (9-4) went 68 yards in 10 performs to attain the go-ahead landing. After the clock expired on the fourth quarter because the Rainbow Warriors made the ultimate cease, a shoving match ensued between the groups, however ultimately cooler heads prevailed.
The Bears (7-6), who led 21-0 to begin, had been hoping to win for the second straight recreation beneath interim head coach Nick Rolovich, a former quarterback and head coach at Hawaii.
Tosh Lupoi will coach the Bears’ subsequent recreation to open the 2026 season after being named to interchange Justin Wilcox, who was fired after Cal’s loss to Stanford within the Massive Recreation.
Sagapolutele accomplished 28 of 39 passes for 323 yards and a landing, and Jacob De Jesus caught 9 passes for 137 yards, breaking the Bears’ program report for receptions in a season with 108.
Cal broke a 21-all tie when Chase Meyer kicked a 22-yard discipline purpose with 8:56 left to snap a 21-point scoring run by Hawaii.
However the Rainbow Warriors got here proper again, scoring on their fifth consecutive possession and taking a 28-24 lead when Alejado threw to broad receiver Brandon White, who outleaped All-ACC cornerback Hezekiah Plenty to haul in a 17-yard TD go with 7:19 to play.
As soon as down 21-0, Hawaii pulled inside 21-13 when All-America kicker Kensei Matsuzawa transformed a 39-yard discipline purpose with 5:58 left within the third quarter. The Rainbow Warriors made 5 first downs on the 61-yard drive.
After the Hawaii protection turned away the Bears on their fourth consecutive scoreless possession, the Rainbow Warriors went 53 yards in eight performs, pulling inside 21-19 on a 5-yard TD go from Alejado to Pofele Ashlock with 13:50 left within the fourth quarter.
Hawaii tied it, finishing a 21-point comeback run, when Alejado shoveled a go to working again Cam Barfield for the two-point conversion.
The Bears dominated early, scoring on every of their first three drives for a 21-0 lead. By halftime, their sturdy lead had dwindled to 21-10.
Sagapolutele fired a 41-yard TD go to De Jesus to cap an eight-play, 87-yard drive with 7:01 left within the opening quarter.
Kendrick Raphael then dashed 19 yards into the tip zone on the primary play of the second quarter for his 14th landing of the season, wrapping up an eight-play, 68-yard possession.
The margin grew to 21-0 when true freshman working again Anthony League went in from 8 yards, capping an eight-play, 49-yard drive with 9:38 left within the half.
However the Rainbow Warriors lastly discovered some offensive rhythm to battle again into the sport. Alejado accomplished 7 of 10 passes for 70 yards on a 75-yard scoring drive, ending together with his 5-yard landing go to Ashlock with 3:57 to play within the half.
Hawaii compelled Cal to punt for the primary time, and the Warriors blocked it, getting possession on the Bears’ 32 with 1:45 left. Seven performs later, Matsuzawa transformed a 29-yard discipline purpose, pulling Hawaii inside 21-10 with 27 seconds left within the half.
