Hawaii helped Stanford score its first touchdown and take an early 10-point lead in its Week Zero matchup in an unfortunate two-play sequence midway through the first quarter.
But somehow, Hawaii rallied to win the game 23-20 on Kansei Matsuzawa's 38-yard field goal as time expired.
It was a dramatic twist after a disastrous start for the Rainbow Warriors. Following an opening-drive field goal, the Cardinal kicked off to the Hawaii, when returner Brandon White calling for a fair catch and downed the ball at the 1-yard line.
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However, the kick had bounced off the turf. So White should have let the ball bounce into the end zone for a touchback, which would have placed the ball at the 25-yard line. Or if the ball went out of bounds, a penalty would have given Hawaii the ball at the 35-yard line.
Yet since White fielded the ball and downed it at the 1, that's where officials spotted the ball.
Starting their opening drive backed up against the goal line, Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado was sacked by Stanford defensive tackle Clay Patterson and fumbled on the play. Linebacker Wilfredo Aybar recovered the turnover for a touchdown.
Just like that, it was a 10-0 Stanford lead.
Hawaii then composed itself as Alejado threw a pair of touchdown passes to give his team a 14-13 lead going into halftime.
He was banged up in the third quarter but gutted through the leg injury and helped drive his team into field goal range in the closing minutes to set up Matsuzawa's winner.
Alejado finished 27 of 39 for 210 yards and two touchdown passes while also rushing 10 times for 36 yards.
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