Facing 4th & 1 at the Colorado State 35-yard line with just 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, sophomore running back Cam Barfield and the University of Hawaiʻi offense found themselves in a pressure-packed moment. Holding onto a narrow 24-19 lead, a successful conversion could ice the game. A stop, however, would give the Rams a golden opportunity to steal the win.
Barfield wasn’t interested in leaving it up to chance.
Taking the handoff, he broke through the line of scrimmage, shed a would-be tackler, and sprinted 35 yards to the end zone.
Ball game.
With that score, Hawaiʻi (6-2, 3-1 Mountain West Conference) secured a 31-19 road victory over Colorado State (2-5, 1-2 MWC) and, more importantly, punched its ticket to the postseason for the first time in the Timmy Chang era. It’s the best start to a season since Chang took over the program.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Micah Alejado led the charge with poise, completing 26 of 38 passes for 301 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
In his second game back from a leg injury, senior wide receiver Nick Cenacle made an impact with seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. But it was sophomore wideout Jackson Harris who stole the show.
With 6:08 remaining in the game and Hawaiʻi backed up at its own 25-yard line, Alejado faced pressure and rolled right. He fired toward the sideline, slightly off-target, but Harris made a spectacular one-handed grab while staying in bounds. He then weaved through defenders and blockers, breaking free for a 75-yard touchdown that gave the Rainbow Warriors a 14-7 lead.
Harris finished the night with five receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
On special teams, senior kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, affectionately known as the “Tokyo Toe,” delivered a historic performance. With 3:10 left in the third quarter, he drilled a field goal from the Rams’ 16-yard line. The successful kick marked his 21st consecutive made field goal, breaking the long-standing program record previously held by Jason Elam, who was in attendance.
While bowl eligibility is now secured, the mission isn’t complete. Hawaiʻi still has four games left and remains focused on finishing the season strong.
Up next, the Rainbow Warriors travel to face the San Jose State Spartans at 4:30 p.m. HST. Catch the game live on ESPN Honolulu 92.7FM and 1420AM.