Overview
- Kickoff is 8 p.m. ET on ESPN from the Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, with Chris Cotter, Max Browne and Harry Lyles Jr. on the call.
- Sportsbooks list Hawai'i as a narrow favorite around -1.5 with a total near 52–52.5 entering game time.
- Cal true freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Hawai'i redshirt freshman Micah Alejado are set to start, both left-handed and from neighboring Oahu towns, and Sagapolutele has confirmed he will remain at Cal next season.
- Hawai'i will be without standout receiver Jackson Harris after he re-entered the transfer portal, while AP first-team All-American kicker Kansei Matsuzawa looms large for the Rainbow Warriors.
- Cal (7-5) plays under interim coach Nick Rolovich with Tosh Lupoi hired as the next head coach, and Hawai'i (8-4) returns to its hometown bowl for the first time since 2019.