Bowl Info:
- Game will be held at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Game will start at 10:30 eastern on 12/22
- Hawai’i is 6-5 all time in bowl games
- Louisiana Tech is 6-3-1 all time in bowl games
- The teams last met in 2011with Hawai’i winning 44 to 26
Offensive Players to Watch:
Hawaii: Quarterback Cole McDonald is teams main source of offense. McDonald has a very accurate throwing arm. McDonald has thrown for 3,790 yards this year with 35 touchdowns on a 59.3% completion rating. It’s safe to say that this Rainbow Warriors offense goes as far as McDonald takes them. If Hawai’i wants to win this game a big day from McDonald is a must.
Louisiana Tech: If the Bulldogs want to win this game a big day from Quarterback J’mar Smith will help. As Smith has not had a great season, only throwing for 2,875 yards, with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a 57% completion rate. If the Bulldogs want to produce on offense in this game they need Smith to play better.
Defensive Players to Watch:
Hawai’i: Penei Pavihi will be the best player to look for the Hawai’i defense. As the sophomore linebacker has had 83 (45 solo) and 1.5 sacks this season. Pavihi will only look to add to this monster stat line this season and have a big game for the Rainbow Warriors.
Louisiana Tech: For the Bulldogs linebacker Collin Scott have 83 total tackles (35 solo) with three sacks and two interceptions on the season. It is pretty obvious that Scott in best players on Tech’s defense. If the Bulldogs want to slow down McDonald and company, a big game from Scott would help.
Score Prediction:
Louisiana Tech lost two straight games to close out the season while Hawai’i won two straight. Tech allows 23 points a game, while Hawai’i averages 36 points this season, plus the Rainbow Warriors will be at home in this game. I have Hawai’i defending home turf and winning this game smoothly. Rainbow Warriors: 40 Bulldogs: 21
