The University of Hawai'i football team will face the University of Houston in the 2020 New Mexico Bowl Christmas Eve. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. CT (10:30 a.m. HT) at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. The game is a rematch of the teams' only other meeting at the 2003 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, won by the Rainbow Warriors in triple overtime on Christmas Day.
 
The Mountain West representative Rainbow Warriors (4-4) are making their third consecutive bowl appearance and first under new head coach Todd Graham while the Cougars, of the American Athletic Conference, will be making their seven bowl appearance in the last eight years and first under second-year head coach Dana Holgorsen.
 
Game #9
Who: Hawai'i (4-4, 4-4 MW) vs. Houston (3-4, 3-3 AAC)
What: 2020 New Mexico Bowl
When: Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2020
Time: 2:30 p.m. CT / 10:30 a.m. HT
Where: Frisco, Texas  
Stadium: Toyota Stadium
National Television: ESPN. John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Rene Ingoglia (analyst), Kris Budden (sidelines). ESPN Desportes. Javier Trejo Garay (play-by-play), Jose Mondragon (analyst).
National Radio: ESPN Radio. Kevin Winter (play-by-play), Craig Haubert (analyst).
Local Radio: ESPN Honolulu (1420AM/92.7FM). Bobby Curran (play-by-play) and Mark Veneri (analyst). KRKH (Maui), KPUA (Hawai'i Island), and KTOH-HD3 (Kaua'i). Chris Hart and Gary Dickman hosts the "Countdown To Kickoff" at 8:30 a.m. HT 
Video Streaming: espn.com/watch
Audio Streaming: ESPNHonolulu.com & Sideline Hawaii app
Live Stats: HawaiiAthletics.com
Series Information: 2nd Meeting. Hawai'i leads 1-0. 
Head Coaches: Todd Graham, Hawai'i, 1st season (Career Record: 99-65; Record at Hawai'i: 4-4); Dana Holgorsen, Houston, 2nd season (Career Record: 68-53; Record at Houston: 7-12)
Bowl History: Hawai'i — 14th bowl appearance, 1st in New Mexico Bowl; Houston — 28th bowl appearance, 1st in New Mexico Bowl
 
Game Storylines:

• UH is making its 14th all-time bowl appearance with a record of 7-6. This season marks UH's third straight bowl appearance and fourth in the last five seasons.
• The New Mexico Bowl is just UH's third mainland bowl appearance after the 1992 Holiday Bowl and 2008 Sugar Bowl. Hawai'i's 11 other trips were to bowls in the state of Hawai'i.
• The match-up with Houston is a rematch of the 2003 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, won by Hawai'i in triple overtime (54-48) and the only other meeting between the teams.
• Hawai'i owns a 18-10 record against current teams in the American Athletic Conference.
• In his 13th season as a head coach, Hawai'i's Todd Graham will coach in his 10th bowl game. He has directed all five of his programs to bowl appearances and sports a 5-4 bowl record.
• Graham and Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen met twice prior with Holgorsen winning both match-ups, including the 2015 Cactus Bowl in which West Virginia defeated Arizona State, 43-42. The coaches also met in 2011 as WVU edged Graham's Pittsburgh squad 21-20 in Morgantown, W.V.
• A win by Hawai'i would give Graham his 100th career victory and he would become the 27th current FBS coach to reach that milestone.

 
Season Highlights: 

• Entering the New Mexico Bowl, UH has a .500 or better record for the third straight year and fourth time in the last five seasons.
• UH was one of only two Mountain West schools, along with Nevada, to have played every conference game on its schedule this season.
• UH is one of four Mountain West teams who will play in a bowl game this season and its four league wins is tied for the fourth most among conference teams.
• Quarterback Chevan Cordeiro is looking to become the first UH quarterback to lead the team in rushing since Michael Carter in 1991 (1,092 yards). Cordeiro, an all-MW honorable mention, is currently the team leader with 450 yards.
• Linebacker Darius Muasau is the nation's leader in solo tackles per game (7.9) and ranks No. 5 in total tackles per game (11.9), both of which lead all Mountain West defenders. The sophomore was UH's lone representative on the all-MW first team. 
• Second team all-MW receiver Calvin Turner is the team leader in touchdowns scored (9), receiving yards (458), kickoff return yards (220), and all-purpose yards (949). He is also the team's third-leading rusher (271) and averages 10.9 yards per touch including three plays of 64-yards or more.
• Cornerback Cortez Davis was selected to the all-MW second team while defensive back Quentin Frazier, defensive lineman Blessman Ta'ala, and wide receiver Jared Smart were honorable mention, giving UH a total of seven honorees this season.
• UH retained the Island Showdown Trophy against UNLV with a 38-21 victory in the regular season finale. However, Hawai'i lost possession of two other rivalry trophies — Paniolo Trophy (Wyoming) and Dick Tomey Legacy Trophy (San José State).
• UH went 1-2 on the mainland this season with its lone victory over Fresno State in the season-opener.
• Todd Graham became the first UH coach since Bob Wagner in 1987 to win his head coaching debut after a victory over Fresno State.
• UH's win over New Mexico marked its sixth consecutive home opening win dating back to 2015 and is the longest such streak since the Rainbow Warriors moved into Aloha Stadium. 
• UH featured a pair of 100-yard rushers (Chevan Cordeiro-116 yds. & Miles Reed-109 yds.) in its season-opening win over Fresno State, a first since a 2013 win over Army.
• UH generated 500+ yards of total offense three times this season, all resulting in wins. In each of those games, the Warriors scored 34 points or more.