The rivalry between Fresno State and Hawaii is a fairly new one. However, there seems to be a lot of bad blood here especially among the fans. Both teams have performed well on the field lately, and there have been several incidents of coaches and fans accusing the other team of bad sportsmanship.
Many Hawaii fans view BYU as their biggest rival due to the large Mormon population in the state. BYU also tends to recruit a lot of players from Hawaii, which has led to a somewhat one-sided rivalry where many Hawaii fans don’t like BYU, but BYU fans feel indifferent towards Hawaii. The Rainbow Warriors and their fans get up for match ups with BYU, so you can expect a great atmosphere when Hawaii takes on the Cougars.
Hawaii and Wyoming play for the Paniolo Trophy when these to Mountain West rivals clash. The trophy gets its name from the Hawaiian word for cowboy and has been contested since 1978 when these two schools first met.
This trophy named after General Lawrence S. Kuter, who was the first head of the Pacific Air Forces Command, is awarded to the winner when Air Force plays Hawaii. These two teams only meet periodically, so you don’t want to miss it when these two rivals square off.
Rainbow Warriors Tailgate Guide
Atmosphere
Hawaii fans love to tailgate before football games and can be found filing into the parking lots around Aloha Stadium at 2:30 pm each Saturday throughout the fall. Tailgating is a sport in itself here as you’ll find a lot of people don’t even bother to go into the stadium to watch the game. The tailgating experience here is more about getting together for one big party rather than cheering on the football team.
The cuisine at Rainbow Warriors games has a Hawaiian feel meaning you’ll find slightly different fair here than you would throughout the Mountain West. The most popular foods at a Hawaii tailgate include barbecue chicken, steak, shish kebabs, and fish.
While food is a fairly important part of a tailgate, alcohol is what is the main draw of tailgating before a Hawaii game. Here you’ll find that students and fans party hard before entering the stadium. The main event around here isn’t the game, but rather the tailgating and the drinking games that take place there. There is a lot of drinking to be done, so make sure to take part in the beer bongs as well as the games of flip cup and beer pong.
Come prepared to party when attending a Hawaii tailgate, as there will be plenty to drink and plenty of friends to make.
The team walk through the parking lot, which was started in 2012 by Rainbow Warriors head coach Norm Chow, provides fans an excellent opportunity to get up close to the players before they take the field.
The Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium takes place on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays and features over 700 merchants. If you’re looking for something to do before the game starts then stop by and check it out as you’ll never know what you’ll find.
Outside of the front entrance to the stadium you’ll find a group of shrubs that say “Aloha” welcoming you to the stadium. Stop by and snap a picture so you can remember your trip to Hawaii and Aloha Stadium.
Where to tailgate
Parking Lots around Aloha StadiumThe parking lots around Aloha Stadium offer a great place to set up a tailgate party. The spots are first come first serve, so show up early with your tents, chairs, grills, and coolers for an excellent tailgating experience.
Warrior WalkThe team walk through the parking lot, which was started in 2012 by Rainbow Warriors head coach Norm Chow, provides fans an excellent opportunity to get up close to the players before they take the field.
Rainbow Warriors Stadium Guide
In Game
The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors play their home games at Aloha Stadium, which is also home to the NFL Pro Bowl. When attending a Hawaii football game, you get the feeling that you’re taking in the game at a special venue since many of the greatest players in NFL history have played on this field.
The fans at Hawaii also make attending a game at Aloha Stadium a pleasant experience. The fans here are very friendly and relaxed meaning you won’t have to deal with taunts or people looking to pick fights like at some stadiums. The friendliness of the Hawaii games means it will be easy to make friends regardless of what team you support.
The relaxed atmosphere and historic venue of Aloha Stadium make attending a Hawaii game a treat that will really add something to your Hawaiian vacation.
Before each game, the Hawaii players perform a Haka dance and do the Ha’a War Chant. This routine really pumps up players and fans alike getting everyone ready for the game.
The Hawaii marching band is comprised of 250 members and is the only college marching band in the state of Hawaii. They put on a mean pregame and halftime show, so come out and show your support for the best band in the state.
Here’s to our dear Hawai‘i
Here’s to our Green and White
Here’s to our Alma Mater
Here’s to the team with fight
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Here’s to old warriors calling
Here’s to old battles won
Here’s to Hawai‘i’s victory
Here’s to each valiant one.
(Repeat)
Alma Mater
In green Manoa Valley our Alma Mater stands
Where mountain winds and showers refresh her fertile lands;
The flag of freedom beckons above her shining walls,
To larger truth and service our Alma Mater calls.
Hawai‘i, we have gathered within thy wide-flung doors,
As sons and daughters claiming her freely offered stores;
Our loyal praise we tender, and pledge to hold thy aim,
Till ocean’s far horizons shall hear thy honored name.
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