Backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds remaining Wednesday night, rallying Hawaii to a 35-31 victory over California in the Hawaii Bowl at Honolulu.
The Rainbow Warriors came back from a 21-0 deficit, the largest margin overcome in Hawaii Bowl history.
After Cal freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele snuck in from a yard out with 1:57 remaining to give the Golden Bears (7-6) a 31-28 lead, the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) drove to the Cal 22 but saw starting quarterback Micah Alejado get injured on a 13-yard completion to Cam Barfield, forcing him to leave the game.
With no timeouts left and one of the nation’s top kickers, Kansei Matsuzawa, awaiting a chance to send the game into overtime, Weaver stunned the Golden Bears with a deep ball down the right side to Cenacle, who caught the pass in the end zone.
“How amazing is that?” Hawaii coach Timmy Chang said of the win. “It’s a program that is built out of faith, and these guys deserve it, man.
“These boys just keep continuing to fight through adversity, and I love them for that. They learn the hard way, but they learn how to do it, and that’s what’s important.”
Cal interim coach Nick Rolovich said, “(The Rainbow Warriors) fought to the end, and they deserve a lot of credit for that.”
Hawaii trailed by 21 before scoring on its final six possessions, including a 17-yard pass from Alejado to Brandon White for a 28-24 lead with 7:25 to go.
However, Sagapolutele, a Hawaii native, then led Cal on a 10-play, 75-yard drive, which he culminated with a sneak into the end zone on the first play after the two-minute warning.
Alejado finished 32-for-46 for 274 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Pofele Ashlock from 13 yards out as the Rainbow Warriors scored the final 10 points of the first half to get within 21-10. The same pair combined for a 3-yard TD strike to draw Hawaii even at 21-all early in the fourth quarter.
Sagapolutele went 28-for-39 for 323 yards and one score, a 41-yarder to Jacob De Jesus on Cal’s first drive of the game.
Neither quarterback threw an interception in a game in which Cal outgained Hawaii 468-395.
Ashlock was the game’s leading receiver with 14 catches for 123 yards, and he was selected the Hawaii Bowl’s Most Valuable Player. De Jesus countered for Cal with nine receptions for 137 yards.
Cal’s Kendrick Raphael was the contest’s top rusher with 91 yards on 18 carries. He scored from 19 yards out and Anthony League ran in from 8 yards out during the Golden Bears’ fast start.
Matsuzawa kicked 29- and 39-yard field goals for the Rainbow Warriors, who finished the season on a two-game winning streak.
Hawaii has won each of its past three bowl games, matching a school record. Cal lost a bowl game for the third year in a row.
–Field Level Media
