Hawaii stuns Stanford on walk-off field goal in season opener

Hawaii stuns Stanford on walk-off field goal in season opener originally appeared on The Sporting News

Hawaii football has finally found its moment. The 23-20 walk-off victory against Stanford was more than just a win; it was a form of validation.

“To sit here and say we won a close three-point game, a field goal to walk it off, that’s just resilience,” head coach Timmy Chang said. “These guys are going to learn. Just like any kid, sometimes it takes longer than others. But you could see the fight in them tonight.”

Quarterback Micah Alejado gave the best example. The sophomore hobbled off with an ankle injury in the third quarter. He could’ve stayed down. He didn’t. He came back and marched Hawaii down the field when it mattered most.

“Micah’s one of the ultimate competitors,” Chang said. “He went down and won it for us. That’s what you want in a quarterback.”

Alejado added, “I told my guys before the game I’d die for them, and I meant it. No way I was sitting out when they needed me most.”

Then came the closer, kicker Kansei Matsuzawa. His story is remarkable. At 25 years old, this self taught specialist who learned to kick by watching Jason Myers YouTube videos, was incredibly clutch in the fourth quarter. First he tied it with a 37-yarder. Then he drilled the 38-yard game-winner as time expired.

Kansei Matsuzawa is from Tokyo, where at age 20 he was a waiter at a Morton’s Steakhouse.

On a vacation to the US he saw a NFL game. Returned home and taught himself to place kick via YouTube videos.

Convinced Hocking College in little Nelsonville, Ohio to let him come and…

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) August 24, 2025

“For Kansei to step up on that stage, that was unbelievable,” Chang said.

Matsuzawa, who after the game was still a little overwhelmed, shared his thoughts. “Honestly, I was more nervous in the [postgame] interview after than when I kicked it,” he said with a smile. “All I was thinking was, ‘do my job, trust the work we put in.’”

The defense deserves credit too. A late interception flipped the game’s momentum and set the stage for the comeback. “You never know which play is going to change the game,” Chang said. “Tonight, the defense gave us the chance to finish.”

This wasn’t just Hawaii’s first Power Four win since 2019. It felt like a statement. “Hawaii football means toughness, it means family, it means fighting to the last whistle,” Chang said. “This is a special night, but it’s just the beginning. We’ve got a lot more to prove.”

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