Hawaii adds Northwestern State to 2027 football schedule

By Kevin Kelley -

The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors have added the Northwestern State Demons to their 2027 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned.

A copy of the athletic event agreement with Northwestern State University was obtained from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa via a state public records request. The contract was executed on Jan. 26, 2023.

Hawaii will host Northwestern State in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2027. The Rainbow Warriors will pay the Demons a $175,00 guarantee for the game, according to the copy of the contract. Additionally, Hawaii agreed to procure for Northwestern State airfare, lodging, and transportation, including an equipment truck, to and from the airport, hotel, and practice and playing site.

The 2027 Hawaii-Northwestern State contest will mark the first-ever meeting between the two schools on the gridiron. Northwestern State competes in the Southland Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

With the addition of Northwestern State, Hawaii now has four opponents set for its 2027 non-conference schedule, with a total of five opponents possible. The Rainbow Warriors are scheduled to open the season at the UMass Minutemen on Aug, 28, which is Week Zero that year. Hawaii will also visit the New Mexico State Aggies on Sept. 11 before hosting the UCLA Bruins in Honolulu on Sept. 18.

Hawaii is the second scheduled non-conference opponent for Northwestern State in 2027. The Demons are also scheduled to visit the Central Arkansas Bears on Sept. 18 that season.

The Demons faced a pair of in-state Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams earlier this season — Louisiana and Louisiana Tech — and also have future contests scheduled at Tulsa and South Alabama in 2024, at Minnesota and Cincinnati in 2025, and at Louisiana Tech in 2026.

Football Schedules