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The Arizona Wildcats are back under the lights this Saturday to open the 2025 season against an opponent they don’t see very often but always seem to remember — the Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors.
These two programs have only met six times, with Arizona holding a 5–1 edge. But ask any Wildcat fan about 1998, and they’ll tell you about Chris McAlister taking the opening kickoff to the house in Honolulu — a play that set the tone for the best season in school history. On the other hand, the more recent memory stings: a 45–38 loss in Honolulu in 2019, sealed when Khalil Tate was tackled at the one-yard line on the game’s final play.
Now, it’s 2025. Brent Brennan enters his second season at the helm in Tucson, and Arizona is still looking for momentum after a 4–8 finish last year. This game marks the Wildcats’ first shot to reset, and history is on their side: Arizona is 92-22-5 all-time in home openers and has won three straight season openers.
Hawai’i, though, isn’t coming in cold. The Rainbow Warriors already have one under their belt, rallying past Stanford 23–20 last weekend on a walkoff field goal. QB Micah Alejado threw for 210 yards and two scores, but he also left banged up with a lower-leg injury. His status looms large, because backup Luke Weaver is an unknown commodity.
Arizona’s offense runs through Noah Fifita, the redshirt junior who already ranks in the program’s top 10 for both career passing yards (5,955) and touchdowns (44). He’ll have a revamped receiving corps after Tetairoa McMillan’s jump to the NFL, with transfer Luke Wysong — a Biletnikoff watch-lister — stepping into the spotlight. The running back room is deeper this year too, featuring Texas State transfer Ismail Mahdi, who brings more than 4,400 career all-purpose yards.
Defensively, Arizona has questions up front but a veteran secondary led by Dalton Johnson, Treydan Stukes, and Genesis Smith. That unit will be tested against Hawai’i’s wideouts — Pofele Ashlock and Nick Cenacle combined for one of the better G5 duos last season, and now Stanford transfer Jackson Harris adds another wrinkle.
The matchup in the trenches could decide this one. Hawai’i’s undersized front seven gave up 177 rushing yards to Stanford. Arizona averaged just 106 yards per game on the ground last year, but with Conley and Mahdi, there’s an opportunity to finally establish balance.
It’s also a game full of ties and subplots. The late Dick Tomey, the winningest coach in Arizona history, also led Hawai’i. Brennan himself has deep Arizona roots and is the cousin of Colt Brennan, one of the greatest quarterbacks in Hawai’i history.
Bottom line: Arizona has the better roster and home-field advantage, but Hawai’i has already shown it can win close. If Alejado can’t go, the ‘Cats should be heavy favorites. If he does, buckle up — history suggests these games don’t lack drama.
About the Author
Dalton Tinklenberg is the Founder and Media Director of The Scouting Depot, where he leads comprehensive coverage of college and professional football. He is an active member of some of the most respected organizations in sports journalism, including the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), Maxwell Football Club, Online News Association (ONA), National Football Foundation (NFF), and the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).
Before launching The Scouting Depot, Dalton worked with Blue HQ Media, where he covered major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500, the College Football Playoff, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Through his professional affiliations and on-the-ground experience, Dalton combines deep knowledge of the game with recognized standards of storytelling, editorial excellence, and authenticity in sports coverage.
