Fansided

Hawaii’s special teams unit delivers failed onside kick

By Carly Regehr

Jan 9, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of the college football playoff trophy during media day at Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 9, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; General view of the college football playoff trophy during media day at Phoenix Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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The 2016 college football season kicked off tonight in Australia with a special twist between Hawaii and Cal.

A monumental effort to surprise the Cal Golden Bears ended up in a bust for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, who daringly set up an onside kick to ring in the 2016 college football season.

Whether the Australian winter had any factor on the play calling or not doesn’t excuse the fact that the failed onside attempt might act as an indicator for the remainder of the season.

Serving as just the third game in college football history in Australia since the 1980s, this matchup was in limbo due to certain circumstances.

A game planned a year ago, the Cal-Hawaii Friday night light feature lived up to media hype.

Former Cal Bear Marshawn Lynch showed up, training with one of Australia’s rugby teams. And since Beast Mode retired from the NFL, a future may lie in Australian Rules Football.

With a 91 percent chance of winning their season opener against Hawaii, Cal debuts its 2016 roster featuring QB Davis Webb, who felt inclined to strike a pose:

Already making a statement against Hawaii, Cal snagged the season’s first onside recovery, first penalty, first interception and first touchdown — a mixed bag of things to brag about heading into week two.

However short-lived, Hawaii would respond with its second offense, knotting the game up at seven apiece after a Rainbow Warrior wide receiver managed to perform a balancing act heading into the end zone.

With the graduation of Jared Goff, who remains in-state with the Los Angeles Rams, transfer Davis Webb has a hard act to follow.

A standout at Texas Tech in 2013 (2,718 yards, 20 TD, 9 INT) and 2014 (2,539 yards, 24 TD, 13 INT), Webb would eventually fall into the shadows with the introduction of Patrick Mahomes.

It’s an exciting opportunity to premiere an American sport on an international stage.

Next: 10 Games That Would Make College Football Exponentially Better

And with a growing sports market in Australia, it encourages and promotes a unification among countries that can’t be obtained through any other means.

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