Hawaii running back Diocemy Saint Juste cuts past a Cal defender as he races to the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Steve Erler | SL

View image 1 of 2

Steve Erler | SL

View image 2 of 2

Fri, Aug 26, 2016 @ ANZ Stadium [ 4:00 pm ]

---

Hawaii

31

California

51

Final	1	2	3	4	T
Hawaii	14	0	10	7	31
California	17	17	7	10	51

• Pass
• Rush
• Rec

Davis Webb 441 yd 4 TD

Ikaika Woolsey 234 yd 1 TD

Khalfani Muhammad 96 yd 1 TD

Diocemy Saint Juste 118 yd 1 TD

Chad Hansen 160 yd 2 TD

Marcus Kemp 73 yd 1 TD

It was a strong start, but a tough finish for the beginning of the Nick Rolovich era. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (0-1) were downed 51-31 by the California Golden Bears (1-0) to open the 2016 college football season at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

Through the first quarter, the Rainbow Warriors kept it close, being down only 17-14, setting up a potential wild three quarters left of play. But the Golden Bears rallied 17 unanswered points in the second quarter to go up 34-14 heading into the half.

Hawaii traded blows back and forth in the second half, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome a scoreless second quarter.

"You can't give up possessions to that good of a football team. We had turnovers and penalties at costly times, but I know our guys didn't give up," Rolovich said in his post-game presser. "We didn't score enough points to win a game. That's the bottom line. That's the name of the game. It's not how many yards you get, it's how many points you score."

Rolovich kicked off his head coaching debut in a bit of an unconventional way, opting to go for an onside kick for the opening kickoff. Hawaii kicker Rigoberto Sanchez was unsuccessful and Cal took advantage, scoring on a 34-yard Khalfani Muhammad run just 1:03 into the game.

"I wanted to make sure the Australian fans got to see an onside kick," Rolovich said. "You only get one chance to open a college season in Australia as a first-time head coach for your first kickoff."

With Rolovich's return to the program, many might have expected the offense to return to its high-flying form of the 2000s. The Rainbow Warriors showed promise, going with a bit of more balanced attack as they racked up 482 total offensive yards with 234 coming through the air and 248 on the ground.

The running game was spread between junior Diocemy Saint Juste and seniors Steven Lakalaka and Paul Harris, with each back reaching the end zone.

Steve Erler | SL    View image

Saint Juste returned to action after missing the entire 2015 season with an injury he sustained in the fall camp of that year. He rushed 14 times for 118 yards, scoring on a slice-and-dice 53-yard run late in the first quarter to tie the game at 14-14.

Punahou-grad Lakalaka ran the ball 11 times for 61 yards, scoring on a 4-yard dash after a 16-play, 84-yard drive at the end of the third quarter.

After rushing for more than 1,100 yards a season ago, Harris had the least number of carries on the day, racking up 36 yards on seven carries with a 15-yard score at the end of the game.

Senior quarterback Ikaika Woolsey led the offense, completing 50 percent of his passes going 17-for-34 on the day, throwing for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

The offensive line protected its quarterback well, not allowing Woolsey to get hit a single time in the backfield the entire game.

The Rainbow Warriors were unable to win the turnover battle, turning the ball over three times on one interception and two lost fumbles.

Woolsey's interception came on their first drive of the game, but the defense remained stout, forcing a three-and-out to ease the harm. The offense marched down the field on a nine-play, 83-yard drive that ended with a 39-yard scoring pass from Woolsey to senior wideout Marcus Kemp.

The first of two fumbles came at a critical point in the game. In the second quarter, the Rainbow Warriors defense was able to contain a seven-minute, 18-play, 87-yard drive to just three points. On the ensuing kickoff, Baldwin-grad Keelan Ewaliko fumbled the ball over after a hit by Cal's Derron Brown.

Cal wasted no time, using just one play to score on a 34-yard pass from Davis Webb to Chad Hansen, putting the Golden Bears up 27-14 in a matter of 20 seconds.

The Golden Bears offense ran smoothly with Webb taking on quarterbacking duties while having to succeed 2015 No. 1 Overall NFL Draft pick Jared Goff. Webb went 38-for-54, throwing 441 yards and four touchdowns, leading an offense that put up 630 yards with zero turnovers. Hansen was their leading receiver, hauling in 14 catches for 160 yards and two scores.

Former Punahou Buffanblu standout and all-time Hawaii high school career leading receiver Kanawai Noa had one catch for 18 yards for the Golden Bears. The 2014 First Team All-Hawaii selection's reception came with under 40 seconds left in the first half, putting Cal at Hawaii's seven yard line. On the next play, Webb tried to go right back to him on a wheel route in the back of the end zone, but Noa tripped as the ball approached and he was unable to come up with the catch.

Also on the Cal roster is sophomore offensive lineman Semisi Uluave (Punahou) and freshman receiver Drew Kobayashi (Saint Louis).

The Rainbow Warriors will hit the road again, as they travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on the Michigan Wolverines (0-0) at "The Big House" next Saturday.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and Hawaii's coaching staff held a joint-camp for high school student-athletes in June as a part of the Pacific Island Swarm Tour.