Cal Squanders 21-Point Lead in Hawaii Bowl Loss, Gives Everyone a Lump of Coal for Christmas
Featuring the Rumble in the Hawaii Bowl Jungle
You couldn’t script a Cal game if you tried. Up 21-0, the Bears were humming on all cylinders as the offense scored three straight touchdowns to open the game, with the defense joining in on the party with stops against a high powered Hawaii offense.
However, its a 60 minute game. The Rainbow Warriors went on an extended 28-3 run that gave them their first lead and eventually became too much to handle for Cal, as Hawaii stormed back to take the 35-31 victory on their home field in Honolulu.
A year of runs
When Cal has found itself in trouble, they have not picked themselves up off the mat. In the aforementioned 28-3 run by Hawaii, Cal simply couldn’t hold up in both lines of scrimmage, and the Rainbow Warriors had their swagger back. The Bears offensive line committed more penalties and things got sped up for Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele.
On the other side of the ball, the run and shoot took its toll on the defense. Hawaii scored on its final six possessions of the game, with four of those scores taking less than four minutes off the clock.
Cal Interim HC Nick Rolovich mentioned postgame that the those offensive principles put the Bears on the back foot, where they couldn’t recover. In a vaccum, he described the motions and balance on some drives as keeping Cal guessing and ultimately was the nail in the coffin.
Game theory
Some questions were raised in the aftermath of the game, firstly with the idea that did Cal score too early with 1:57 remaining off the Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele touchdown sneak?
I don’t believe so.
Cal has struggled to the tune of being a bottom five rushing offense in the country, so there’s not a ton of upside of kneeling for one or two plays when you’re not guaranteed to score.
However, the premise isn’t totally unfounded given how Hawaii marched right down the field and scored with only 10 seconds remaining
The question becomes, do you trust Cal to punch it in given the scope of work if you punt a few plays?
What’s clear is that the defense needs to be a lot better. Missed tackles, containment and crucial conversions ran rampant on that side of the ball throughout the night and Cal paid the price. But that wasn’t the only big decision the coaching staff faced.
Earlier in the half, Cal had a 4th and 9 from the Hawaii 42 yard line. A 60 yard field goal rightly didn’t become a serious consideration so the Bears had the choice between taking a delay of game and punting or going for it, which they eventually ended up doing.
Ultimately, Hawaii brought three guys and got home for its only sack of the night. The Rainbow Warriors tied the game on the ensuing possession and put their foot on the pedal from there. 9 yards is a lot to ask in that scenario, especially up eight points on the plus side of the field. In the same vein, the defense didn’t get a stop since the beginning of the second quarter, so Nick Rolovich more than anything may have just wanted to ride with his offense.
Irrespective of all that, new Cal HC Tosh Lupoi has a lot of work ahead of him. From situational plays, to discipline in regards to penalties and building in game fortitude, there’s a lot to fill for this blueprint.
It doesn’t get more Cal
When Micah Alejado went down injured with less than 30 seconds remaining, I would assume a large contingent of the fanbase was expecting at worst overtime.
Enter backup QB Luke Weaver.
The Manteca native stepped on to the field and stepped into Hawaii Football lore forever.
On the final chaos sequence, Cal and Hawaii engaged in a series of brawls that put a fitting footnote on a roller coaster of a 2025 season. OL Jordan-Spasojevic-Moko in particular threw a lowly sucker punch at a Hawaii player after the game, leaving a huge stain on what had been a great week prior to that. This in particular was simply inexcusable.
In the grand scheme of things, this game was more for pride than anything and Hawaii won that battle. Cal doesn’t lose much from this loss but how they respond with talent acquisition in the upcoming transfer portal window and roster retention will be the talk of the town going forward.
Once Oregon’s CFP run concludes, the Tosh Lupoi era will be full steam ahead. I look forward to joining you along the way.
Epilogue
The Hawaii Bowl was first class in organizing a great experience. From events to the environment, they absolutely nailed it. As a whole, it was a worthwhile trip for those who came along and the promoters earn immense praise for rising to the occasion with the spotlight of a standalone Christmas Eve event.
Furthermore, It’s been a pleasure to be alongside of you all as I conclude year four covering the football team. Every like, comment and interaction means more than you know. I know sometimes I can be a little much but I do enjoy bringing you guys closer to the action and hopefully be a good representative of looking at the institution that you all hold so dearly close.
Time to rest, recharge and get dialed in for 2026. Kickoff against UCLA will be here before you know it.