Hawaii football ‘revenge tour’ opens against SEC foe

The University of Hawaii football team today announced its complete 2023 schedule, in which the Rainbow Warriors will open Aug. 26 against Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., and end at home against Colorado State on Thanksgiving weekend.

“Hopefully we can spend Thanksgiving and Christmas time right here,” UH coach Timmy Chang said, referencing the Hawaii Bowl at the Ching Complex.

The Warriors will open with nonconference games against Vanderbilt, Stanford (Sept. 1), Albany (Sept. 9), Oregon (Sept. 16) and New Mexico State (Sept. 23). The Stanford game is on a Friday at the Ching Complex, and the Oregon game will be played in Eugene.

“Autzen Stadium gets rocking,” quarterback Brayden Schager said of Oregon’s on-campus facility. “It’ll be a big environment.”

This season, the 12-team Mountain West Conference will not be split into two divisions. That means the Warriors will not face traditional West-side rival Fresno State this year. For the third time in four years, the Warriors will play Wyoming in Laramie’s 7,165-foot elevation.

The UH-UNLV game, which usually is played in November, will be on Sept. 30 this year at Allegiant Stadium.

“It’s going to be a revenge tour for us,” Schager said, referencing the Warriors’ losses to Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, San Diego State, Colorado State, Wyoming and San Jose State last season. “We’ve got a lot of teams that beat us in the past. We’ve got to go out there and win a lot of games and turn a lot of heads this year.”

Aug. 26 — At Vanderbilt

Sept. 1 — Stanford

Sept. 9 — Albany

Sept. 16 — At Oregon

Sept. 23 — New Mexico State

Sept. 30 — At UNLV

Oct. 14 — San Diego State

Oct. 21 — At New Mexico

Oct. 28 — San Jose State

Nov. 4 — At Nevada

Nov. 11 — Air Force

Nov. 18 — At Wyoming

Nov. 25 — Colorado State