Hawai'i stuns Cal in Hawai'i Bowl on QB Luke Weaver's late TD pass - ESPN

HONOLULU — Backup quarterback Luke Weaver threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Nick Cenacle with 10 seconds left, and Hawai'i rallied for a 35-31 comeback victory over California in a thrilling Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl on Wednesday night.

Weaver entered the game after Micah Alejado took a hard hit on the previous play. With the Rainbow Warriors (9-4) in range for a tying field goal, coach Timmy Chang took a shot at the end zone, and Cenacle got between two defensive backs and made the contested catch.

«How amazing is that?» Chang said. «It's a program that is built out of faith and these guys deserve it, man.»

Chang, Hawai'i's fourth-year coach who had a record-setting career as the Rainbow Warriors' quarterback from 2000 to 2004, led his program to its first nine-win season since 2019 — when Nick Rolovich, currently Cal's interim coach, guided Hawai'i to a 10-5 record.

Alejado finished 32-of-46 for 274 yards and three touchdowns, helping Hawai'i rally from an early 21-0 deficit. Pofele Ashlock had 14 catches for 123 yards and two TDs for the Rainbow Warriors, who scored 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Cal (7-6) pulled ahead 31-28 with 1:57 left on a 1-yard touchdown run by Hawai'i-born freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, who finished with 343 yards passing and a touchdown.

Alejado's 17-yard touchdown pass to Brandon White with 7:19 left gave Hawai'i a 28-24 lead. The Rainbow Warriors tied it early in the fourth quarter when Alejado connected with Ashlock for their second TD and then completed a 2-point conversion pass to Cam Barfield.

«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,» Chang said.

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