The Stanford Cardinal and Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are starting the season with an exciting nonconference matchup. The game kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Saturday in Stanford, California.
The Cardinal are listed as four-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 48.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this Week 0 matchup.
Stanford vs. Hawaii prediction, preview
Hawaii Preview
In 2022, Hawaii hired former legendary quarterback Timmy Chang. Chang was brought in to run the old run-and-shoot offense that was so wildly effective for years at Hawaii. Chang and Colt Brennan both helped turn Hawaii into a nationally relevant program playing quarterback in that system under June Jones. It was a rough first couple of years as Chang looked to bring in the players he needed and establish the run-and-shoot again. However, things finally clicked into place in 2025.
Last season, Hawaii won nine games, including a bowl win over Cal to cap off the season. A big reason that things finally clicked for Chang is that he got a quarterback who could run his system properly. Micah Alejado ranked eighth in the nation in passing yards per game last season and is back to take things to the next level in 2026. Alejado is arguably the best quarterback in the Mountain West this season and has an amazing WR1 to throw to, Pofele Ashlock. Hawaii also brought in transfer wide receivers from Washington and Iowa State to bolster that room.
Stanford Preview
A new era of Stanford football begins in 2026. Stanford was one of the most consistent programs in college football under David Shaw in the 2010s. However, the Cardinal have fallen off a cliff in recent years and become a basement-dweller in the ACC. Stanford’s first move to get the program back on track was to bring back the great Andrew Luck as its general manager. It also brought in Frank Reich as a temporary head coach to steady the ship.
After a run of 10 straight bowl games from 2009 to 2018, Stanford has not been back to one since. Tavita Pritchard is hoping to change that. Pritchard was Andrew Luck’s backup quarterback at Stanford and then spent the following few seasons as an assistant coach for the Cardinal. Most recently, he spent three seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders. However, his old teammate decided he was the right man for the job at Stanford, and he is back to take the big job.
Stanford still lacks talent on its roster. Davis Warren will be playing quarterback for Stanford this season. Most will remember Warren for his run as Michigan’s starting quarterback in 2024. However, it was quite a disastrous campaign for Warren. Even with elite talent around him, he could not operate that offense. Warren tore his ACL in the Michigan bowl game that year and missed all of 2025. He is now ready to be the QB1 at Stanford, or is he?
Stanford vs. Hawaii Pick
My best bet for this game is for these two teams to combine for under 48.5 points. These teams faced off to open the 2025 season in Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors pulled off the upset on that day, beating Stanford 23-20. It’s hard to imagine the Stanford offense taking a big step forward with Davis Warren at the helm. He was dreadful during his time at Michigan, and that was with two NFL running backs, Colston Loveland at tight end and a loaded offensive line. With minimal talent around him, this offense could really struggle with Warren at the helm.
For Hawaii, the major concern is the absence of Pofele Ashlock. Hawaii’s star receiver got hurt during the offseason, and there has been little word about his status coming into this week. It seems unlikely that Ashlock will be ready to go, which would be a major blow to Timmy Chang’s offense. The run-and-shoot is also a very difficult offense to hit the ground running with. It is so much about timing and repetition that it can sometimes take a few games for the offense to click into high gear.
Both offenses should have a relatively quiet day, leading to this matchup finishing under 48.5 points for the second consecutive season.
