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Air Force vs. Hawai’i

Air Force and Hawai’i have 24 meetings on file, the first in 1966; Air Force leads the series 14–⁠9–⁠1 in the games on file. Over the last 10 meetings it’s Air Force 6–⁠4, and Hawai’i has won the last 2. The winner takes home the Kuter Trophy, played for since about 1980. Hawai’i has held it since the 2023 game.

Air Force wins
14
Hawai’i wins
9
Ties
1
Earliest on file
1966
Longest streak
4 Air Force
Current streak
2 Hawai’i
Last 10 meetings
Air Force 6–⁠4
Most recent
2025

The series at a glance

’0’1’2’3’4’5’6’7’8’9W–L
1960s1–⁠0
1980s4–⁠3–⁠1
1990s6–⁠2
2000s0–⁠1
2010s3–⁠1
2020s0–⁠2
Average margin
17.2 points; 9 decided by one score (8 or fewer)
At Air Force
6–⁠3 Air Force’s record at home
At Hawai’i
6–⁠8–⁠1 Hawai’i’s record at home
Shutouts
1

Every meeting on file, as played. Ranks are the AP poll’s going in.

Kuter Trophy

Played for since
about 1980
Held by
Hawai’i since the 2023 game
Games for it on file
23 Hawai’i 9, Air Force 13, 1 tied

Who holds it comes from the games on file: the winner of the latest regular-season meeting since about 1980 (bowl rematches aren’t played for it); a tie leaves it with the holder (the usual rule; the article doesn’t say). The rivalry’s article counts the games for it: Air Force leads, 13–⁠9–⁠1. From Wikipedia’s list of rivalry games and the rivalry’s article (CC BY-SA). More on the Kuter Trophy.

Games that tell the story

  1. Air Force’s biggest win1966: Air Force 54, Hawai’i 0by 54 points
  2. Hawai’i’s biggest win1993: Hawai’i 45, Air Force 17by 28 points
  3. Upset2023: Hawai’i 27, Air Force 13Hawai’i had a 18% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  4. Upset2016: Hawai’i 34, Air Force 27Hawai’i had a 24% chance, by our ratings before kickoff
  5. Upset1992: Hawai’i 6, Air Force 3Hawai’i had a 28% chance, by our ratings before kickoff

Coach against coach

YearsAir ForceSeriesHawai’i
1980–⁠1983Ken Hatfield1–⁠2Dick Tomey
1987–⁠1995Fisher DeBerry5–⁠3–⁠1Bob Wagner

Head-coach pairings with three or more meetings on file, the series read from Air Force’s side (Hatfield 1–⁠2 against Tomey). A season split between coaches goes to the one credited with the game.

Both programs through the years

End-of-season Elo ratings of Air Force and Hawai’i, 1966 on130015001700197019801990200020102020

Our Elo rating at the end of each season, a measure of how strong a team was, not a forecast; 1500 is an average FBS team.

Stars of the series

Biggest days

Micah Alejado Hawai’i35 of 47, 457 yards, 3 TD2025 Passing

Biggest days: the week’s best individual games by our big-days rule, from box scores (2004 on).

Every game

Sep 27, 2025Hawai’i 44, Air Force 35at Air Force
Nov 11, 2023Hawai’i 27, Air Force 13at Hawai’i
Oct 19, 2019Air Force 56, Hawai’i 26at Hawai’i
Oct 22, 2016Hawai’i 34, Air Force 27at Air Force
Oct 31, 2015Air Force 58, Hawai’i 7at Hawai’i
Nov 16, 2012Air Force 21, Hawai’i 7at Air Force
Nov 24, 2001Hawai’i 52, Air Force 30at Hawai’i
Nov 1, 1997Air Force 34, Hawai’i 27at Hawai’i
Oct 26, 1996Air Force 34, Hawai’i 7at Air Force
Nov 25, 1995Air Force 45, Hawai’i 28at Hawai’i
Dec 3, 1994Air Force 37, Hawai’i 24at Hawai’i
Nov 20, 1993Hawai’i 45, Air Force 17at Hawai’i
Sep 12, 1992Hawai’i 6, Air Force 3at Air Force
Nov 23, 1991Air Force 24, Hawai’i 20at Hawai’i
Sep 8, 1990Air Force 27, Hawai’i 3at Air Force
Dec 9, 198923Hawai’i 35, Air Force 35at Hawai’i
Nov 26, 1988Hawai’i 19, Air Force 14at Hawai’i
Nov 21, 1987Air Force 34, Hawai’i 31at Hawai’i
Aug 30, 1986Air Force 24, Hawai’i 17at Air Force
Nov 23, 198513Air Force 27, Hawai’i 20at Hawai’i
Nov 5, 1983Air Force 45, Hawai’i 10at Air Force
Nov 27, 1982Hawai’i 45, Air Force 21at Hawai’i
Nov 29, 1980Hawai’i 20, Air Force 12at Hawai’i
Oct 8, 1966Air Force 54, Hawai’i 0at Air Force

Every game is listed as played on the field.