HAWAII vs. UTAH ST.
RWP: Rainbow Warrior Perspective
Location: Honolulu, Oahu (Clarence T.C. Ching Complex)
Date/Time: Saturday, October 11th at 6:00 p.m. (Hawaii Time)
Television: Spectrum Sports
Streaming: For fans on the mainland,
the game should be free on the Mountain West app. Here are the instructions.
Radio: ESPN Honolulu
Head-to-Head: Utah State leads the series 13-6 all-time. On October 23rd, 2010, the Greg McMackin-led Hawaii Warriors went to Logan, Utah and stomped on the Aggies in a 45-7 victory. A fun moment during an all-time great season for UH football. Little did we all know that Utah State would start an 8-game winning streak in the series the following year, one that still stands to this day. Hawaii was crushed in Logan last fall. Can Hawaii finally end the 15-year skid this weekend?
Three things to look for:
1. Here come the resurgent Aggies
There are bound to be many bitter moments in the coming weeks between the remaining Mountain West programs and the departing Pac-12 members. There has been heated debate for a year now about the split. Isn’t this new Pac-12 just another variation of the Mountain West? Apparently Bronco Mendenhall didn’t think so, leaving New Mexico after one season to take the head coaching job at Utah State. Ouch.
Mendenhall’s Aggies have hit the ground running, sporting one of the best offenses in the conference. Quarterback Bryson Barnes ranks 2nd in the conference in quarterback rating. The senior has 1,143 passing yards, 11 touchdown passes and only 1 interception. He’s added 245 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. He is the heart and soul of the offense and probably the Aggies altogether.
The Aggies three leading wide receivers are Braden Pegan, Brady Boyd, and tight end Broc Lane with all three averaging over 15 yards per catch. This is an explosive offense, possibly the best remaining on Hawaii’s schedule. Is Dennis Thurman’s defense ready for the challenge?
2. How to attack the Aggies
After the gutting loss to Fresno State, Hawaii’s resolve was tested, having to travel to Colorado Springs to face Air Force. Quarterback Micah Alejado responded to his awful showing against the Bulldogs by having a vintage run-and-shoot stat line, going 35/47 for 457 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jackson Harris emerged as a force, hauling in 144 yards as Hawaii’s offense broke out heading into the first of three byes this season.
Will Hawaii be healthier this week? The tantalizing prospect of having all three stud receivers Pofele Ashlock, Nick Cenacle, and Jackson Harris at once would give Hawaii a formidable offense. Cenacle has been out since the Arizona game.
Utah State’s pass defense ranks a respectable 79th-nationally, surprising considering safety Ike Larsen has been out all season under vague circumstances. The Aggies are susceptible in the run game, ranking 118th-nationally in rushing defense. Though, can Hawaii take advantage of that? Running back Cam Barfield impressed in the receiving game, but the rushing attack continued to underwhelm.
Former Hawaii defensive tackle Gabriel Iniguez Jr. plays for the Aggies. Warriors seem to meet familiar faces every week.
3. Beware of the rat poison
Former Alabama coach Nick Saban used to warn his players constantly about the termed “rat poison.” In his mind, that included preseason rankings, polls, social media discourse, media praise, etc. “Don’t read your press clippings” is another old saying with the same thought process.
Nobody outside of homer Hawaii fans had the Warriors sitting at 4-2 at the midway point of the 2025 season. Hawaii has only won five games in each of the last two seasons! The Hawaii Bowl is within reach, and possibly even more. The remaining opposition on the season: Utah State, at Colorado State, at San Jose State, San Diego State, at UNLV, Wyoming. No gimmes, but Hawaii will have a puncher’s chance in any of those contests.
Hawaii still has two more byes remaining, one in the final week of October and in mid-November. Ample time to rest for this final stretch. Hawaii fans are rightfully dreaming big. Head Coach Timmy Chang will be warning his players about becoming big-headed. It all starts this week with a pivotal home game against Utah State. Can the Warriors pick up win #5? Or will the haunted October form of recent years spook them again?
Prediction:
Hawaii opened as a slight 2.5-point favorite, but is now a 1.5-point underdog according to FanuDuel. Either way, a close contest is anticipated.
Hawaii has listed a few key players as questionable for this game: defensive tackle De’jon Benton and wide receivers Pofele Ashlock and Nick Cenacle. Again, Cenacle hasn’t played since the Arizona game. Utah State star quarterback Bryson Barnes wasn’t on the injury report at all, so expect him to be ready to go.
There are few MWC opponents that have been more of a boogeyman for UH football than Utah State. Hawaii hasn’t beaten the Aggies since 2010, and frankly most of the losses since have been blowouts. Add in the fact that Timmy Chang is 2-10 in the month of October as head coach of UH football, and history doesn’t paint a pretty picture for Saturday.
I think the oddsmakers have this right, it’ll be a close contest likely decided by a turnover. I’m going to predict the Tokyo Toe will be the difference. Kansei Matsuzawa hits the game-winner as time expires. Give me Rainbow Warriors 30, Aggies 28.
