Hawaii Bowl: What to Know

In collaboration with M!KEDROPSPORTS

Hawaii Bowl

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (8-5) vs Louisiana Tech Bulldogs (7-5)

Date: Saturday December 22

Location: Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii

Bowl history

Originated: 2002

History of Conferences: Mountain West teams have won the last three years

Last year’s result: Fresno State beat Houston 33-27

Hawaii bowl history

Hawaii has only been to 11 total bowl games in school history, with seven being in their home stadium. This will be their eighth Hawaii Bowl appearance all-time, where they are 4-3. They last appeared in the Hawaii Bowl in 2016, a victory over Middle Tennessee. Their last non-Hawaii Bowl was 2008, a Sugar Bowl loss to Georgia.

Louisiana Tech bowl history

This is Louisiana Tech’s first appearance in the Hawaii Bowl. The school is 6-3-1 in 10 previous bowl games. 2018 is the fifth consecutive bowl under head coach Skip Holtz and they are 4-0 in that span.

Series history

Hawaii is 8-2 all-time vs Louisiana Tech, winning the two most recent games in 2010 and 2011, by an average scored of 42-23. Louisiana Tech s 0-5 all-time in Honolulu. Their last win over Hawaii came in 2009.

Game Notes

Players to watch 

Hawaii: Cole McDonald, QB and John Ursua, WR

Louisiana Tech: Adrian Hardy, WR

Hawaii

Hawaii went 8-5, their most wins since winning 10 in 2010 and completing their first winning season since then as well. The Warriors started hot, opening 6-1, but lost four straight in the middle of the season, before closing out with two straight wins. The offense looked like past Hawaii offenses, averaging 34 ppg and 321 yards passing per game. 

Louisiana Tech

Louisiana Tech finished 7-5, their second straight year winning seven games following three consecutive nine win seasons. Tech lost twice to SEC teams, to LSU and Mississippi State. 

Final Analysis

Certainly, one of the most disappointing developments from the 2018 bowl season is that this game is not on Christmas Eve this year. Due to the NFL’s contractual obligations and Christmas Eve being on a Monday, the NFL has priority on the television contracts, pushing this game back to the weekend before. The good news is the players can return home from what should be a high scoring affair and celebrate Christmas with their families. 

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