What Is 2015 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football

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Last updated: April 15, 2026

Quick Answer: The 2015 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS season, finishing with a 6-7 record under head coach Norm Chow. They played their home games at Aloha Stadium and competed in the Mountain West Conference, losing to Louisiana in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl.

Key Facts

The 2015 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors finished the season with a 6-7 overall record
Head coach Norm Chow was fired after a 6-7 season, ending a 4-year tenure
Hawaii played its home games at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, capacity 50,000
The team competed in the Mountain West Conference's West Division
Hawaii lost 36-21 to Louisiana in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl on December 23

Overview

The 2015 Hawaii Rainbow Warriors football team represented the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS season. Led by fourth-year head coach Norm Chow, the team competed in the Mountain West Conference and played its home games at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu.

The season marked the final year under Chow’s leadership after a string of underperforming seasons. Despite a modest 6-7 overall record, the team qualified for a bowl game, marking a small step forward after struggling in previous years.

Record and Performance: The team finished with a 6-7 overall record, including a 3-4 mark in Mountain West Conference play, placing fifth in the West Division.
Head Coach:Norm Chow was dismissed after the season ended, concluding a 16-39 tenure over four seasons due to inconsistent results and fan dissatisfaction.
Home Stadium: All home games were played at Aloha Stadium, a 50,000-seat venue located in Halawa, a suburb of Honolulu.
Bowl Appearance: Hawaii earned a spot in the 2015 New Orleans Bowl on December 23, where they lost 36-21 to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Notable Game: A 38-30 win over UNLV on November 21 was pivotal in securing bowl eligibility, marking their sixth win of the season.

Season Structure and Performance

The 2015 campaign followed a standard 12-game regular season schedule, with six home and six away games, culminating in a postseason bowl invitation. The team showed improvement in offensive production compared to prior seasons but struggled defensively throughout the year.

Offensive Output: The Warriors averaged 28.5 points per game, led by quarterback Darrien Dunch and running back Diarre Dodd, who combined for over 1,800 rushing yards.
Defensive Struggles: The defense allowed an average of 31.2 points per game, among the highest in the Mountain West, undermining several close contests.
Conference Play: In Mountain West action, Hawaii went 3-4, defeating UNLV, San Diego State, and New Mexico while losing to Boise State, Fresno State, and others.
Key Victory: A 35-28 win over San Diego State on October 10 was notable for a late-game defensive stand that preserved the win.
Season Opener: The Warriors opened the season with a 38-34 loss to UNLV on August 29, setting a tone of high-scoring but inconsistent play.
Final Game: In the New Orleans Bowl, Hawaii led 14-3 early but collapsed in the second half, losing 36-21 to Louisiana in front of 22,087 fans.

Comparison at a Glance

The 2015 season can be best understood by comparing it to recent years in terms of record, coaching, and performance trends.

Season	Overall Record	Conference Record	Head Coach	Bowl Result
2012	3-9	2-6	Norm Chow	—
2013	1-11	1-7	Norm Chow	—
2014	3-9	2-6	Norm Chow	—
2015	6-7	3-4	Norm Chow	Lost New Orleans Bowl
2016	6-7	4-4	Chris Naeole (interim)	Won Hawaii Bowl

This comparison shows that 2015 was a transitional year, as the team improved its win total but still failed to achieve consistent conference success. The season marked the end of the Norm Chow era, setting the stage for future rebuilding under new leadership.

Why It Matters

The 2015 season was a pivotal moment in Hawaii football history, symbolizing both modest on-field progress and the end of a disappointing coaching chapter. While the team achieved bowl eligibility for the first time since 2010, the overall performance still fell short of expectations.

Program Stability: Chow’s firing signaled a need for coaching stability and long-term planning after years of declining performance and fan frustration.
Bowl Eligibility: Reaching six wins was significant, as it demonstrated improvement from prior 3-9 seasons under the same coach.
Player Development: Several underclassmen gained experience, laying groundwork for future seasons under new head coach Nick Rolovich, who took over in 2016.
Stadium Challenges: Continued use of aging Aloha Stadium highlighted infrastructure issues affecting recruiting and game-day experience.
Conference Competition: The team’s 3-4 conference record showed competitiveness but also revealed gaps compared to top Mountain West programs.
Legacy Impact: The season marked the end of an era, with Norm Chow’s 16-39 record cementing a tenure viewed as one of the least successful in program history.

In hindsight, the 2015 season served as a necessary turning point, clearing the way for future success under new leadership and renewed program focus.