However, due to a COVID-19 outbreak, season-ending injuries, and transfers, the team was forced to withdraw the day before the game, marking the Hawaii Bowl’s second consecutive cancellation.

[10] Listed in the order they were released The Mountain West media days were held from July 21–22 at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada.

To open the season the Rainbow Warriors traveled to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena to face Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the UCLA Bruins out of the Pac-12 Conference.

However, the Hawaii defense held the Bruins to a 27-yard field goal by Nicholas Barr-Mira, giving UCLA a 3–0 lead.

The Hawaii offense responded by finally driving into UCLA territory, but it was forced to settle for a 48-yard Matthew Shipley field goal to cut the deficit to 17–3.

The Bows' defensive woes continued as Charbonnet scored again, this time from 47 yards out, putting UCLA ahead 24–3.

The Bruins opened the second half by driving 75 yards in 5 plays, culminated by a 44-yard touchdown from Thompson-Robinson to Kazmeir Allen.

The special teams woes for Hawaii continued as Matthew Shipley's punt was blocked by Ale Kaho and recovered by David Priebe for a Bruins touchdown.

After trading punts, Cordeiro executed a 9-play, 90-yard drive, finding Caleb Phillips for the Bows' first touchdown of the season.

True freshman Brayden Schager out of Highland Park, Texas saw his first collegiate action on the Bows' final series, driving to the UCLA 31 before failing to connect with James Phillips on 4th-and-3.

The Bruins' rushing attack outgained that of Hawaii 244 to 26. at Clarence T. C. Ching Athletics Complex, Honolulu, HI at Reser Stadium, Corvallis, OR