In a thrilling finish, backup quarterback Drew Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with just 10 seconds remaining, leading Hawaii to a 35-31 comeback victory over California in the Hawaii Bowl on Wednesday night.
Weaver stepped in after Micah Alejado was injured from a hard hit on the prior play. With the Rainbow Warriors trailing and in position for a potential game-tying field goal, head coach Timmy Chang decided to go for the win, and Cenacle successfully caught the contested pass between two defenders. “How amazing is that?” Chang remarked. “It”s a program that is built out of faith and these guys deserve it, man.”
This victory marked Hawaii”s first nine-win season since 2019, a year when Nick Rolovich, currently serving as Cal”s interim coach, led the team to a 10-5 record. Alejado had an impressive game, completing 32 of 46 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns, helping the team recover from an early 21-0 deficit.
Wide receiver Pofele Ashlock played a pivotal role, recording 14 receptions for 123 yards and two touchdowns as Hawaii scored 22 points in the fourth quarter. California took a brief lead with a 1-yard touchdown run from freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who finished with 343 passing yards and one touchdown.
Hawaii regained the lead with a 17-yard touchdown pass from Alejado to Brandon White with 7:19 left on the clock. The Rainbow Warriors tied the game early in the fourth quarter as Alejado found Ashlock for another touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion to Cam Barfield. “These boys just keep continuing to fight through adversity, and I love them for that,” Chang added. “They learn the hard way, but they learn how to do it, and that”s what”s important.”
Cal had established a commanding 21-0 lead early in the second quarter, courtesy of an 8-yard touchdown run from Anthony League. Rolovich praised Chang and the Rainbow Warriors for their resilience, stating, “They fought to the end and they deserve a lot of credit for that. Timmy deserves a lot of credit for that.”
With this victory, Hawaii improved its bowl game record to 9-6, while California fell to 12-14-1. Despite being projected to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the preseason media poll, Cal ended the season tied for seventh place. Coach Justin Wilcox was dismissed last month and will be replaced by Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi next season.
Sagapolutele, who has committed to remain with the program through 2026, has thrown 178 consecutive passes without an interception, just seven shy of the school record set by Jared Goff during the 2015 season. Looking ahead, Hawaii is set to begin the next season in the Bay Area with a matchup against Stanford on August 29, while Cal will host UCLA on September 5, 2026.
