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Fresno State Bulldogs at Hawaii Warriors Football
Team: University of Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Sport: NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference: Mountain West
Conference Titles: 4
Notable Players: Colt Brennan, Jason Elam, Davone Bess, Chad Owens, Al Noga, Larry Khansmith and Maa Tanuvasa
As one of the few Division I teams to play outside the continental United States, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors is steeped in the culture and tradition of the Pacific island state in which it plays. The University of Hawaii first established a football program in 1909. From the 1930s onward, the team became a regular fixture at the Pineapple and Hawaii Bowls, both of which were played in Honolulu. Former Atlanta Falcons head coach June Jones took over the reins in Hawaii in 1999. He led the team to its best-ever season in 2007 with a 12-1 record and a spot in the
Sugar Bowl
. Quarterback Colt Brennan set several NCAA passing records, including the most touchdown passes in a single season with 58. In back-to-back years, he was selected as a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing sixth in 2006 and third in 2007. The Rainbow Warriors remained independent for much of its history. It joined the Western Athletic Conference in 1979 and then switched to the Mountain West Conference in 2012. If you want to experience the excitement of a Hawaii Warriors football game, then you can purchase tickets with confidence at StubHub.
The team has played at
Aloha Stadium
since 1975. Located in Halawa, a suburb of Honolulu, Aloha Stadium has a capacity of around 50,000, making it the largest stadium in the state. The venue has hosted the
NFL Pro Bowl
, the
Hawaii Bowl
and numerous concerts. In addition to standard seating, Aloha Stadium also offers premium seating options such as club seating, field-level suites and skybox packages.
Anyone who attends a Warriors game can watch the team take the field and perform the haka dance before kickoff. Haka is a tradition of the Māori people from New Zealand that dates back many centuries. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors performs a version of the dance known as the ha’a, which incorporates more Hawaiian influences. Fans can also enjoy watching the Rainbow Warrior marching band throughout the course of the game.
Fans are allowed to tailgate in the parking lots immediately outside the stadium. However, most parking is only available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you should make plans accordingly. Fans are expected to follow the school’s tailgating policies. All tables, tents and equipment must remain in the designated parking stalls with the vehicle. Recreational activities, loud music, alcohol containers and animals (except for service animals) are prohibited.
Hawaii shares a major rivalry with its fellow Mountain West team, the
Fresno State Bulldogs
. The teams have met on more than 50 occasions, but they didn’t start playing together on an annual basis until 1992. Hawaii also competes with the
Wyoming Cowboys
for the Paniolo Trophy. Paniolo means cowboy in Hawaiian. The two teams played almost every year between 1978 and 1997. The rivalry lapsed for 16 years until 2013 when Hawaii joined the Mountain West Conference. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors sparked a new rivalry with the
Air Force Falcons
for the Kuter Trophy, which is named after General Laurence S. Kuter, the first head of the Pacific Air Force Command.
Hawaii opens its 2019 season with a nonconference schedule, playing against
Arizona
,
Oregon State
,
Washington
and
Central Arkansas
. The Mountain West portion of the schedule consists of matchups with
Nevada
,
Boise State
, the Air Force,
New Mexico
, Fresno State,
San Jose State
,
UNLV
and
San Diego State
. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors ends the season with a nonconference matchup against the
Army Black Knights
.