Rainbow Warriors look to rebound against Northern Iowa

The University of Hawai‘i Rainbow Warrior football team, sitting at 1-2, will aim to bounce back when they face Northern Iowa on Saturday night at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex.

This comes after a disappointing 31-13 loss at Sam Houston last weekend, where the Warriors’ offense struggled to find a rhythm.

Quarterback Brayden Schager completed just 50% of his passes, while the running game was limited to a mere 56 yards on 21 carries. Adding to the frustration, Hawai‘i was flagged for 14 penalties throughout the game.

“We’ll get the little things fixed here on and off the field in practice,” head coach Timmy Chang said. “Those things are popping up, and it’s all going to be one. That’s what we have to clean up.”

Junior running back Landon Sims echoed Chang’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for the players to take ownership of the team’s discipline issues.

“The coaches can tell us all they want, but at the end of the day, it’s on us to flip the switch and make the change,” Sims said. “It comes from the players within our room.”

Northern Iowa, a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference, competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Hawai‘i has won its last 21 games against FCS opponents, dating back to 2001, with an average margin of 25.7 points per game. Under Chang, the Rainbow Warriors are 3-0 against FCS teams, including a 35-14 win over Delaware State earlier this season.

“We’ve got to win,” Chang said. “Whether it’s Northern Iowa, San Diego State, or Boise State, the schedule is what it is. You’ve got to go out there and win.”

Hawai‘i and Northern Iowa have faced off once before, with UH winning 27-24 in 2014 at Aloha Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Clarence T.C. Ching Complex. The game will be televised on Spectrum Sports pay-per-view.