Hawaii Defeats Stanford 23-20 in Frank Reich Debut

In the 2025 season opener, Hawaii defeated Stanford 23-20 thanks to a walk-off 38-yard field goal by Kansei Matsuzawa, marking Hawaii's first win over a power conference team since 2019 and their first against an ACC opponent. Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejado threw two touchdown passes and overcame a sack injury to lead the final scoring drive. Stanford, under interim head coach Frank Reich—appointed by new general manager Andrew Luck—started strong but struggled offensively, with quarterback Ben Gulbranson completing only 15 of 30 passes for 109 yards. Reich, who replaced fired coach Troy Taylor amid internal investigations, implemented a pro-style offense but saw his team unable to capitalize in the second and third quarters. Despite a late Stanford touchdown drive, Hawaii's defense forced key turnovers, including an interception by Kilinahe Mendiola-Jensen, setting up the winning field goal. The game highlighted the challenges facing Stanford as it rebuilds under new leadership, while Hawaii demonstrated resilience and effective adjustments to secure the upset.