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UNLV vs Hawaii football game
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
UNLV Rebels (0-1) visit Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (0-1) on Sept. 5, 2026, in Honolulu. Both seek first win in Mountain West opener, with UNLV favored by 3.5 points.
Background
Both teams lost their season openers: UNLV fell to Memphis 27-21, and Hawaii lost to Stanford 37-27. This game is the Mountain West conference opener for both, and they are competing for the Island Showdown Trophy, a rivalry series that has been played for 18 consecutive seasons. UNLV has won four of the last five meetings, but Hawaii has historically been strong at home against UNLV, with a 13-4 all-time record in Honolulu.
How it unfolded
- Aug 31, 2026Hawaii Athletics previews the home opener against UNLV, noting both teams are 0-1 and it's the Mountain West opener.
- Sep 4, 2026Multiple outlets publish previews and betting odds, with UNLV as a 3.5-point favorite and the over/under around 56.5 points.
- Sep 5, 2026Game scheduled at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, with kickoff at 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. HT), televised on The CW.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- UNLV is favored by 3.5 points, but some analysts pick Hawaii to cover the spread, predicting a close game like 29-28 UNLV.
- Bears
- UNLV's defense struggled against Memphis, and Hawaii's quarterback Micah Alejado showed promise with 272 yards and two scores in the fourth quarter against Stanford.