Following last week’s road loss against Sam Houston, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors dominated the Northern Iowa Panthers, 36-7. The victory spotlighted a Hawaii passing game that had been dormant in the first three games of the year. Quarterback Brayden Schager threw for 374 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. Schager connected on 81.4% of his throw and of the 35 completed passes, his longest was a 59 yard “Schager-bomb” to Dekel Crowdus.
Hawaii set the tone early in the game, with Schager connecting with Jonah Panoke on a 24-yard touchdown pass at the 7:53 mark. Kicker Kansei Matsuzawa converted the extra point, giving Hawaii a quick 7-0 lead. Just before the end of the first quarter, Schager found Pofele Ashlock for a 6-yard touchdown pass, followed by a successful two-point conversion from Hunter Higham. This scoring drive, which covered 75 yards in just 6 plays, pushed Hawaii’s lead to 15-0.
The momentum continued into the second quarter. Schager threw another touchdown pass, this time to Nick Cenacle for 20 yards, increasing Hawaii’s lead to 22-0 after Matsuzawa’s extra point. Northern Iowa finally got on the scoreboard midway through the quarter, with Aidan Dunne rushing for a 3-yard touchdown. Caden Palmer’s extra point capped an 8-play, 72-yard drive, narrowing the gap to 22-7.
Hawaii resumed control in the third quarter. Schager’s efficient play was on full display as he connected with Cenacle again, this time from just 1 yard out, extending Hawaii’s lead to 29-7 after another Matsuzawa kick.
The Rainbow Warriors capped off their dominant performance with a 6-yard touchdown run by Landon Sims, solidifying their lead at 36-7 with just under 7 minutes left in the game. This final touchdown came from a 9-play, 74-yard drive, emphasizing Hawaii’s ability to execute under pressure.
The Rainbow Warriors’ defense also played a crucial role, limiting Northern Iowa’s scoring opportunities and maintaining pressure throughout the game. Under head coach Timmy Chang, Hawaiʻi is 4-0 against FCS opponents. With a bye-week in front of them, Hawaii will have two weeks to prepare for San Diego State, who they will face on the road on October 5.
