RJ Young
FOX Sports National College Football Analyst
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Ranking: 105/134
[Check out RJ Young’s ultimate 134 college football rankings here]
Conference ranking: 10th in Mountain West (+5000 to win conference)
Teams ahead of them: Utah State (104), San Diego State (103), UAB (102), Army (101), MTSU (100)
Teams behind them: Southern Miss (106), Connecticut (107), Navy (108), Sam Houston State (109), San Jose State (110)
[Hawaii 2024 schedule]
RJ’s take: Yes, QB Brayden Schager threw for 3,542 with 26 TDs last year. Yes, he gets all six of his top receivers back this year. But coach Timmy Chang is 8-18 entering Year 3, and the Rainbow Warriors gave up an average of 41.4 points in games they lost in 2023. It’s tough to win when your defense is giving up just shy of No. 3 scoring offense Oklahoma’s 41.7 a game.
There’s a three-game stretch in there where Schager passed for at least 313 a game and the Rainbow Warriors gave up 41 or more to UNLV, SDSU and New Mexico. Run the damn ball, Timmy. Give your defense a chance to take a breath. A leading rusher with 63 carries for 255 yards in a season ain’t gonna get it done. Ollie Gordon rushed for 255 yards in a single game last year — twice.
Hawaii’s Win Total Odds: Over 5 (-130) Under 5 (+100)
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