The Wyoming Cowboys (4-7 overall, 2-5 Mountain West) travel to face the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (7-4 overall, 4-3 Mountain West) in the regular-season finale for both teams, with the Paniolo Trophy on the line. This matchup marks the Cowboys’ final game under interim head coach Jay Sawvel, who has guided the program since August, while Hawaii’s Timmy Chang aims to cap a bounce-back campaign with a bowl berth on the horizon. Wyoming enters desperate for a confidence boost after a grueling slate of losses, while Hawaii looks to build momentum at home in a series where the Cowboys hold a slim edge.
Venue and Logistics
Location: Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, Hawaii (capacity: 15,000). This intimate venue, nestled on the University of Hawaii’s Manoa campus, offers a tropical, fan-friendly atmosphere with lush surroundings and a passionate island crowd. It’s a far cry from Wyoming’s high-altitude War Memorial Stadium, potentially challenging the visitors with humidity and jet lag after a cross-country flight.
Kickoff: 11:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. local Hawaii time). The late-night kickoff (local) aligns with Hawaii’s traditional evening slots, broadcast on Spectrum Sports.
Weather Updates
Honolulu’s November weather is reliably mild, but expect variable conditions for this evening game. Forecast calls for a daytime high of 81°F dropping to 73°F at kickoff, with partly cloudy skies and a 55% chance of scattered showers—typical trade wind-driven precipitation that could make the field slick. Winds from the northeast at 7 mph should keep it comfortable, with humidity around 70%. No major disruptions anticipated, but lightning delays are possible if showers intensify; teams should prepare for a damp turf favoring Hawaii’s quick-strike offense.
Injury Report
Both squads are banged up heading into this tilt, with Wyoming particularly thin at skill positions and Hawaii missing depth in the secondary and receiving corps.
Wyoming Cowboys:
QB Landon Sims (Knee): Out for the season after a gruesome injury earlier in November; backup Kaiden Anderson steps in but has struggled lately (1 TD, 4 INTs over last three games).
WR Jordan Geiger (Knee): Out for remainder of 2025; a key deep threat with 45 catches for 620 yards.
RB Trey Broadway II (ACL): Torn ACL sidelines him indefinitely; impacts the backfield rotation.
Other Notes: LB Ty Robinson (shoulder) is probable but limited; overall, Wyoming’s depth chart is stretched thin after a rash of late-season injuries.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors:
CB J. Fetu (Undisclosed): Out for the season; a starter who logged 32 tackles and 2 INTs.
TE Oakie Salave’a (Undisclosed): Out; contributed 28 receptions for 320 yards as a reliable red-zone target.
WR Joey Farthing (Undisclosed): Out; 22 catches, 285 yards lost.
WR Nick Cenacle (Hamstring): Questionable; Hawaii’s leading receiver (52 catches, 780 yards, 6 TDs)—his status is critical for the passing attack.
Other Notes: QB Micah Alejado (ankle) is fully cleared after a brief scare in September; no major concerns on the lines.
These absences tilt the scales toward conservative play-calling, especially for Wyoming’s depleted offense.
Player Matchups to Watch
This game hinges on quarterback duels and how Wyoming’s stout run defense fares against Hawaii’s ground game. Key battles:
Wyoming QB Kaiden Anderson vs. Hawaii Secondary (Led by S Kekoa Muliava): Anderson (1,948 pass yds, 12 TDs, 10 INTs) has been erratic, averaging just 104.7 ypg over his last three starts with four picks. Muliava (45 tackles, 3 INTs) and a depleted but opportunistic DB group (missing Fetu) could force turnovers if Anderson holds the ball too long.
Hawaii QB Micah Alejado vs. Wyoming Pass Rush (Led by DE DeVontae Hearns): Alejado (2,543 pass yds, 65.6% comp, 19 TDs, 8 INTs; 66 rush yds, 1 TD) is Hawaii’s engine, thriving in play-action. Hearns (28 tackles, 6 sacks) leads a Cowboys front that ranks top-40 nationally in sacks (28 total), but Wyoming’s 4-7 record belies their defensive talent—expect pressure on Alejado’s mobility.
Wyoming RB Ayden Eberhardt vs. Hawaii Front Seven (Led by LB Caleb Barfield): Eberhardt (782 rush yds, 8 TDs) is Wyoming’s workhorse but faces a run-stuffing unit anchored by Barfield (52 tackles, 4.5 TFLs). Hawaii allows just 128 rush ypg, testing if Eberhardt can grind out 100+ yards.
Hawaii WR Princely Uli-Uli vs. Wyoming CB Jaremiah Cross: Uli-Uli (38 rec, 520 yds, 4 TDs) steps up if Cenacle sits; Cross (3 INTs) is a ballhawk but vulnerable to speed on the island.
These matchups favor Hawaii’s home-field explosiveness, but Wyoming’s defense could keep it close if they generate stops.
Team Recent Forms
Wyoming Cowboys: A disappointing campaign after high hopes, with wins limited to non-conference blowouts. The Cowboys started 2-0 (W 10-0 @ Akron, W 31-7 vs. UNI) but collapsed with seven straight losses before a gritty 24-21 upset over UNLV on October 25. Full schedule highlights: L 31-6 vs. Utah, L 37-20 @ App State, W 28-24 vs. Fresno State, L 31-17 @ Colorado State, L 24-7 @ SDSU, L 35-14 vs. SJSU. Recent Form (Last 5): 1-4, averaging 14.6 ppg scored and 28.2 allowed—offense stagnant, defense fatigued.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors A solid rebound year, with Hawaii securing bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022. They opened strong (W 23-20 vs. Stanford) but stumbled early (L 40-6 @ Arizona) before ripping off four straight wins. Full schedule: W 37-20 vs. SHSU, W 31-24 @ Nevada, W 27-17 vs. Utah State, L 28-21 @ Fresno State, W 34-10 vs. San Jose State, W 24-20 @ UNLV, L 30-27 vs. Colorado State. Recent Form (Last 5): 3-2, averaging 28.4 ppg scored and 22.6 allowed—balanced attack shining at home (4-1 record).
Wyoming’s skid exposes offensive woes (bottom-100 nationally in scoring at 16.8 ppg), while Hawaii’s home dominance (averaging 32 ppg in wins) sets the tone.
Series History
This is the 29th meeting in a rivalry dating to 1978, with Wyoming holding a 17-11 edge overall. The Cowboys have won five of the last eight since realignment to the Mountain West in 2013, including a thrilling 42-38 victory in Laramie in 2023 where Wyoming rallied from 21 down. Hawaii’s last win came in 2021 (38-34 in Honolulu), fueled by a late pick-six. At Ching Complex, it’s split 4-4, but Wyoming is 3-1 in the last four island trips. Average score: Wyoming 28.4, Hawaii 24.1. Expect a high-scoring affair per history (O/U hit in 6 of last 8).
Betting Trends
Wyoming: 5-6 ATS overall (45.5%), but 0-3 as a 7.5+ underdog—no covers in road dogs this season. Public 58% on Wyoming ML (value on underdog), but unders hit in 7 of 11 (63.6%). Low-scoring trends: 3 straight unders.
Hawaii: 6-5 ATS (54.5%), 4-1 ATS at home. 75.8% implied win probability on ML. Overs in 6 of 8 home games (75%), but recent form shows unders in 3 of last 5. Sharp money on Hawaii spread (65% handle), public split on total (52% over).
Head-to-Head: Wyoming 5-3 ATS in last 8; totals lean over (avg. 58.5 combined pts).
Trends point to a grind-it-out game, with Hawaii’s home edge undervalued.
Game Odds
Wyoming Cowboys 45
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors – 7.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, November 28, 2025
